Maine Democrat Platner stays in Senate race despite abuse claims
Why it matters: Democrats see Maine as a key pickup against Susan Collins as primary voting is already underway.
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner is pressing ahead in Maine's race after a series of controversies, including fresh allegations from former romantic partners reported by The New York Times. With the primary only days away and ballots already being cast, Platner remains the leading Democratic contender to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November. Platner denied the latest allegations in an interview with Maine Public and said no national Democratic officials had urged him to quit. His campaign has also been hit by scrutiny over a tattoo resembling a Nazi SS symbol, deleted Reddit posts described as racist and victim-blaming, and a Wall Street Journal report that he exchanged sexually explicit messages with several women during the 2025 campaign.