Democrats’ Graham Platner Headache Isn’t Going Away

Democrats winced at new allegations of “toxic” behavior by several ex-girlfriends of Maine U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner, the oyster farmer and combat veteran who Democrats fear could cost the party control of the Senate next year.

“It raises some serious concerns,” Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, told NOTUS about the latest controversy. “Certainly he’s on the defensive at this point.”

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire) called the new allegations “troubling” but said it’s ultimately “up to the voters of Maine to decide.”

An ex-girlfriend, conservative activist Lyndsey Fifield, alleged that Platner once grabbed her hard enough to leave marks, yanked her out of a taxicab and once twisted her arm behind her back and locked her in a room, according to The New York Times. The report followed last week’s news that Platner had sexted other women while married.

Platner denied Fifield’s allegations in an interview with MS Now on Thursday, and said he has “not once” considered dropping out of the race.

“There are some allegations in this piece that, I just want to be kind of unequivocal about, are simply not true. Anything alleging physicality, anything alleging that I knew what my tattoo was. These are the statements of someone who is politically motivated,” Platner said.

Regarding his sexts with other women, Platner said, “At the beginning of our marriage, I made mistakes, and [my wife] helped me be accountable for them, and we worked through them, and the work that we did made our marriage significantly stronger, and who we are today is an incredibly faithful and happy married couple.”

Platner also accused Maine Gov. Janet Mills, who suspended her campaign for Senate in April, of “opportunism” after the governor said last week that her name is still on the ballot for the June 9 primary. The comment set off speculation about her potentially reentering the race.

It would be difficult for Mills to win the primary, which is just a few days away, with early voting well underway. However, Maine Democrats could replace Platner on the ballot in the event that he dropped out of the race by July 13, according to state election law.

And Mills isn’t exactly moving to tamp down speculation about a swap.

“The Governor remains on the ballot, and in the wake of this week’s stories, people across Maine are reaching out to tell her they’re voting for her and encouraging her to get fully back into the race,” a source close to Mills told NOTUS on Friday.

Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania), a vocal Platner critic even before the latest allegations, said Maine voters should get behind Mills.

“I think it is time for Maine voters to take a look at the sitting governor, an honorable woman, that is a committed Democrat, that’s already won statewide,” Fetterman told reporters Thursday.

But the governor has yet to make any overt moves to restart her campaign, frustrating some allies. One person close to the governor said they wished she would send a definitive signal of whether she was still interested in the nomination, allowing the party to either rally behind her candidacy or find an alternative.

“I hope she doesn’t string this on again,” said the Mills ally, granted anonymity to speak candidly. “I hope she just says, ‘If Graham is forced out, heck yeah I’m going to go for it,’ or, ‘I’m not going to do it.’”

“But she’s not acting like she has much interest,” the source said.

The governor’s ally added that he thought the party was currently in “purgatory,” with Platner damaged for the general election but not so hurt that he’ll be forced to end his campaign.

Some Democrats are defending Platner, dismissing the latest allegations as politically motivated.

“Seems like a lot of nothing,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island) told NOTUS, adding that he was “not impressed” by the Times story.

“I mean, the only one who had anything to say that seemed unsettling was a woman who works for right-wing political operations,” he added.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) — two of Platner’s most prominent supporters — both declined to comment. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-California), another Platner backer, defended him and is scheduled to campaign with him in Maine on Friday.

Platner effectively outmuscled the Democratic establishment with his insurgent, populist campaign that included progressive proposals like “Medicare for All.” He combined that message with sharp attacks against incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, whom he’s accused of being a “corrupt” insider who only opposes President Donald Trump when it suits her.

But now, Collins is sitting pretty as Democrats agonize over what to do about Platner and his odds of ousting the five-term senator known for her political resilience.

As Platner was answering uncomfortable questions about his personal life on MS Now on Thursday evening, Collins was in the Senate chamber being lauded by both parties for casting her 10,000th consecutive vote — a big milestone she’s likely to tout in her campaign for reelection.

“Mainers are known for their work ethic, and they deserve a senator who works just as hard for them,” Collins said in a speech on the floor. “Representing the state of Maine is the honor of a lifetime, and I will continue to serve with the diligence and responsibility that Mainers deserve.”