Senate candidate Graham Platner's wife reports explicit texts exchanged after marriage

Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Maine, reportedly exchanged sexual texts with multiple women after marrying his wife, Amy Gertner, in 2024. Platner's campaign confirmed the text exchanges to Politico, following a report from the Wall Street Journal that Gertner informed a campaign aide about the messages as they assessed potential political liabilities. Gertner discovered the texts months after their marriage. She stated that she shared personal details about their marriage with someone she considered a friend, who later spread the information. Gertner expressed her hurt over this betrayal but affirmed the strength of her marriage, stating they have worked through their challenges together. Platner, an oyster farmer and veteran, has faced previous controversies, including a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol and past comments on Reddit. Despite these issues, a recent poll indicated that Platner leads among likely Maine voters. He is viewed as the presumptive Democratic nominee following the withdrawal of Maine Governor Janet Mills from the race.