Several Democratic senators did not confirm their support for Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner amid allegations of leaked explicit sexual messages. Platner's controversy involves sexually explicit text exchanges with multiple women that became public while he was married. He also has an active profile on Kik, a messaging app known for facilitating anonymous encounters. Although Platner's campaign acknowledged the Kik account belonged to him, they stated he had deleted the app from his phone but did not deactivate the account.
Senator Ed Markey expressed support for Platner, citing his opposition to former President Donald Trump. Markey stated, "We have in Maine, a candidate, that is Platner, who wants to stop Trump’s authoritarian destruction of our democracy." Other Democratic lawmakers, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have continued to back Platner, emphasizing the importance of flipping Maine's Republican-held Senate seat.
However, not all Democrats endorsed Platner. Senator Jeanne Shaheen remarked that the decision should be left to Maine voters, while Senators Chris Coons and Brian Schatz declined to comment on their support for Platner. Platner had invited the Senate Democratic caucus to a meeting, but only a few senators attended. The primary election is scheduled for Tuesday, leaving Maine voters with limited time to consider the impact of the controversy on the race.
