Democrats stick with Platner while bracing for more dirt

Democrats are preparing for Graham Platner to stick around until November, even as they also discuss — much more quietly — the likelihood of still more damaging stories about their Maine Senate candidate’s past.

Platner is seeking to bolster his standing with the party after a weekend of scandal; a campaign official said he plans to visit Washington on Tuesday for meetings with senators. He and his wife have acknowledged the veracity of reports that he sent sexual messages to multiple other women while pushing back on the matter as resolved, and his campaign team has sniped at the former adviser who confirmed the information.

For the moment, Democrats are uncertain of what comes next. Maine Gov. Janet Mills, who essentially dropped out of the race in April, popped her head up on Monday to remind voters that she’s still on the ballot in next week’s primary.

Platner’s last chance to hop off the ballot comes in early July, but few Democrats see that as particularly likely at this point, despite the number of potential prospects who will be on the sidelines after primaries in Maine’s House and gubernatorial races. There are no signs that Platner is losing support among Democrats in DC or Maine, even if his campaign is clearly wounded by the slog of scandals.

His supporters are returning to a key argument to shore Platner up: Americans have big problems, so why focus on his personal life?

“Graham has lived not your typical political experience, and he’s been very clear and open with his wife, and they will work through whatever they work through,” said Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., a Platner supporter. “Americans are really hurt at the fact that gas is still high, food is still high, you can’t buy a home, can’t afford rent. They’re not going to care about text messages.”

Once Platner is locked in as their nominee, however, everyone in the party predicts a deluge of negative ads from Republicans. Some Democrats expect Platner’s sales job to be a major challenge.

“He has to answer those questions directly and forthrightly. They’re fair questions, and that’s going to be on him to answer, and it’s going to be up to the voters in Maine to decide,” said Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt.

Democrats’ don’t have to look far back to see how infidelity derailed another promising Senate challenger: Cal Cunningham’s lead in 2020 vanished against Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., after revelations of an affair. Were it not for Democrats’ surprising wins in Georgia that cycle, Cunningham would have cost them the majority.

But their mood has changed since President Donald Trump won a second term, and Democrats now have no intention of letting personal indiscretions derail a winnable race.

The problem for Platner is that his marital behavior follows a string of reports about offensive and off-color Reddit posts as well as a tattoo with a Nazi symbol. Those issues have done little to dent his standing with Maine voters, though recent polls have yet to reflect the effect of the sexual messages Platner sent.

Plenty of Maine Democrats still see Platner as a strong candidate to beat Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, in November. State auditor Matt Dunlap told a tracker he’s still backing Platner, said he’d be a “good senator,” and added that any infidelity is between Platner and his wife.

“Amy and Graham’s marriage, and any struggles they’ve overcome, are their own private business,” Jordan Wood, who is running for Maine’s competitive 2nd District after initially seeking the Senate seat, told Semafor.

“They show up every day on the campaign trail as their authentic selves. Their commitment to helping the people of Maine makes me excited to vote for him and partner with him to defeat Susan Collins and Paul LePage,” Wood added.