Several Democratic senators declined to state their support for Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner following the surfacing of explicit sexual messages. While some, like Sen. Ed Markey, cited opposition to Donald Trump, others, like Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, deferred to Maine voters. Sens. Chris Coons and Brian Schatz also declined to comment.
The evasion by Democratic senators on supporting a candidate embroiled in scandal highlights the tension between political priorities and personal conduct, potentially impacting voter perception and the outcome of closely watched Senate races.
Several Democratic senators have repeatedly declined to state whether they still support Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner, following the public surfacing of leaked explicit sexual messages. Platner's controversy involves sexually explicit text exchanges with multiple women while he was married to Amy Gertner. His campaign previously acknowledged an active Kik account, created in 2016, belonged to him, though he had deleted the app without deactivating the account. Senator Ed Markey stated his support for Platner, citing Platner's opposition to Donald Trump and his stance on preserving democracy. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also confirmed support, emphasizing the political priority of flipping Maine's Senate seat. However, Senator Jeanne Shaheen indicated that the decision ultimately belongs to the voters of Maine, stating that inappropriate sexual behavior should not be approved but that voters must decide. Senators Chris Coons and Brian Schatz also declined to weigh in on the controversy or their support for Platner. Platner invited the entire Senate Democratic caucus to a meeting, which was attended by about half a dozen senators, including Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand, Tina Smith, and Peter Welch. The primary election is scheduled for Tuesday.