Maine Democratic Senate Candidate Graham Platner Faces Primary Amid Controversies Over Past Conduct

Jun 7, 2026

Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner is expected to win his primary despite numerous controversies, including allegations of physical intimidation and sending explicit texts while married. The scandals have divided Democrats, with some colleagues calling him 'disqualified' while others maintain support. His viability against GOP incumbent Susan Collins in a key Senate race remains a major concern for the party.

Platner primary lead despite controversies

▪Platner is favored to win the Democratic primary on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, to face Republican incumbent Susan Collins.
▪Graham Platner, a 41-year-old oysterman and marine veteran, is the presumptive Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in Maine.
▪A University of Massachusetts at Lowell/YouGov poll showed Platner with a 48% to 43% lead over Susan Collins.
▪Platner's primary rival, Maine Governor Janet Mills, suspended her campaign in April 2026, but her name remains on the ballot.

Past conduct allegations resurface

▪Graham Platner's wife, Amy Gertner, confirmed he sent sexually explicit messages to several women while married.
▪A former partner, Republican operative Lyndsey Fifield, alleged Graham Platner twisted her arm and held her in a room against her will.
▪Platner has denied allegations of physical violence, calling them "politically motivated," and has attributed past behavior to PTSD from military service.
▪Old Reddit posts written by Platner containing racist, sexist, and homophobic language have resurfaced.

Democratic party internal blame

▪A senior Democratic Senate aide stated that Senate Leader Chuck Schumer had warned party members about Platner's candidacy.
▪The Democratic party has no formal mechanism to force Graham Platner to leave the race.
▪If Platner withdraws by July 13, Maine election law allows the Democratic party to pick a replacement by July 27.

Senate colleagues criticize candidate

▪Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) has criticized Platner, calling him a "creep" and likening him to a "Nazi sympathizer."
▪Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) described Platner's conduct as "misogynistic" and "toxic" but continues to support his campaign.
▪Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) called the accusations against Platner "serious and deserve scrutiny."
▪Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) said Platner "has disqualified himself" from the race.
▪Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have maintained their endorsements of Platner despite the controversies.

General election viability concerns

▪Susan Collins, a 73-year-old Republican, has held her Maine Senate seat for nearly three decades.
▪Some Democratic voters are considering voting for Susan Collins if Platner becomes the nominee.
▪The series of scandals has deepened concerns among Democrats about Platner's ability to defeat Susan Collins in the November general election.
▪Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) stated that Susan Collins getting reelected is a greater concern to her than the allegations against Platner.