Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner is facing fresh scrutiny over sexually explicit messages and a Kik app account days before Maine's June 9 primary. His wife Amy Gertner defended him in a video, while rival Janet Mills reminded voters she remains on the ballot.
Platner, the oyster farmer and Marine veteran leading the Democratic race to challenge Republican Senator Susan Collins, has admitted to sending explicit texts to multiple women after his 2023 marriage. His campaign confirmed the messages exist but disputed some details in reports from The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. A Daily Wire review also identified an active Kik account under a username linked to Platner, with a profile photo matching his tattoos. Kik has faced criticism for enabling child exploitation cases. Platner has accused media outlets of sensationalism and urged focus on policy issues instead. He described the reports as gossip without evidence beyond a former staffer. Allies including Senator Chris Murphy and Representative Ro Khanna have continued to back him, citing his military service and policy positions. Mills, who suspended her campaign in April, told the Portland Press Herald she is still on the ballot and available to voters. The controversies come as Platner is set to meet Democratic senators in Washington this week.
