Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner from Maine encountered renewed scrutiny following a report by the Wall Street Journal. The report revealed that Platner’s wife, Amy Gertner, informed campaign officials in early 2023 about sexually explicit messages he sent to multiple women shortly after their November 2023 marriage. This information emerges a week before the June 9 primary, amidst Platner’s rising poll numbers against Republican incumbent Senator Susan Collins. The race could impact the control of the Senate.
“I know who Graham is. I know the man I married and the husband he has been to me on the best and the worst days of my life. That hasn’t changed, and it won’t,” Gertner told the Journal. She expressed feeling “deeply hurt” by a former staff member’s betrayal who leaked the information. Newsweek has reached out to Platner’s campaign for comment.
Why It Matters
Maine is a politically competitive state, leaning Democratic in recent presidential elections, with Kamala Harris winning by around 7 points in November 2024 against Donald Trump. However, the state also supports moderate Republicans such as Collins, who has been reelected despite Democratic gains at the presidential level, and independents like Senator Angus King. The Cook Political Report calls this Senate race a “toss-up.”
Flipping Collins’ seat, which she has held since 1997, is a top priority for national Democrats to regain the Senate majority. After Governor Janet Mills, a Democrat, exited the race, Platner leads for the party’s nomination against Collins, though David Costello remains on the primary ballot. Mills’ name still appears on the June 9 primary ballot due to her late withdrawal. Platner, endorsed by Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, is the leading Democratic candidate in this crucial contest.
Platner has faced controversies during his campaign over offensive Reddit posts and a problematic tattoo. He apologized for past remarks and the tattoo, citing ignorance of its Nazi SS association and attributing past behavior to PTSD struggles after his military service.
What to Know
According to reports, Gertner informed campaign aides during an internal vetting last August about Platner’s explicit texts to several women. This was to ensure the information didn’t surprise the campaign. A campaign official explained that aides felt the matter should remain between Gertner and Platner, who were in marriage counseling.
Gertner’s statement revealed their marital struggles, fertility journey, and IVF treatment in Norway, including a miscarriage earlier this year. She stated their marriage is “stronger than ever.” Genevieve McDonald, former state legislator and campaign political director until October, confirmed Gertner’s disclosure of Platner’s communications with up to a dozen women. Platner stopped contact with these women before his campaign began.
McDonald, who left Platner’s campaign due to revelations about his tattoo and Reddit posts, commented, “The United States Senate is not a training ground for redemption. It is a place for proven leaders with moral clarity and integrity.” Gertner shared how candidly she trusted a supposed friend with deeply personal marriage details. The reports did not disclose specific details of the messages.
What Do Polls Show?
A Pine Tree State Poll by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center from May 21-25 shows Platner leading with 51% against Collins’ 42%. About 6% of voters remain undecided, and 2% support other candidates. The poll reflects a similar trend since February, though undecided voters have decreased. In a February poll, Platner led Collins 49% to 38%, with 9% undecided and 4% supporting other candidates. Independents are almost evenly split; 47% back Collins and 44% support Platner.
This poll is among the few since Mills ended her campaign, narrowing the Democratic field. It surveyed 1,397 Maine residents with a 2.6 percentage point margin of error. A Pan Atlantic Research poll—the first since Mills’ withdrawal—showed Platner leading by 7 points with 48% compared to Collins’ 41%, 11% undecided. This poll involved 827 likely voters from May 8-18, with a 3.7 percentage point margin of error. A Maine People’s Resource Center poll from March 20-31 also showed Platner leading by 9 points, 48% to 39% over Collins.
In a March Emerson College poll, Platner had a 7-point advantage over Collins, 48% to 41%. This survey included 1,075 likely voters from March 21-23, with a 2.9 percentage point margin of error.