The U.S. Senate race in Maine was disrupted Thursday after presumptive Democratic nominee Graham Platner faced new allegations of physical and emotional abuse from former partners, just days ahead of the June 9 primary. Platner is seeking to unseat five-term Republican Senator Susan Collins.
A Thursday report published by Forbes, citing an extensive New York Times investigation, detailed claims from multiple women who dated Platner. One ex-girlfriend accused Platner of twisting her arm, grabbing her hard enough to leave marks, and locking her in a bedroom during an altercation, while also making crude and demeaning comments.
Platner vehemently denied the accusations of physical misconduct. In a written statement and a subsequent television interview on the MS NOW network, he rejected the claims as politically motivated. Platner acknowledged struggling with undiagnosed PTSD and self-medicating with alcohol during what he described as a “dark period,” but he maintained that any characterization of him being physically intimidating or abusive is entirely false.
The latest accusations arrive less than a week after explicit text messages Platner sent to other women early in his marriage were leaked to the public. Platner’s wife, Amy Gertner, issued a video statement dismissing the text message leaks as a breach of privacy, according to coverage of the preceding sexting scandal.
Platner became the definitive frontrunner for the Democratic nomination in late April after Maine Governor Janet Mills abruptly suspended her Senate campaign due to a lack of fundraising. Since taking the lead, Platner has repeatedly had to address his past conduct, including issuing apologies for a covered-up Totenkopf tattoo and a history of racist and homophobic posts on Reddit.
Lawmakers from both parties addressed the reports on Thursday. Republican Senator Ted Cruz stated on social media that the newly documented behavior constitutes “a pattern,” while the Republican National Committee formally called the reports “deeply disturbing.” Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who previously supported Platner, acknowledged the described behavior as “wrong and toxic,” while noting that Platner had sought redemption for his past actions.