Maine Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner is facing increasing pressure from within his party to exit the race following revelations of past controversial online behavior and sexual assault allegations. The scrutiny comes as the Democratic establishment faces criticism for alleged vetting failures.
Platner, who is seeking to unseat Republican Senator Susan Collins, was recently reported to have repeatedly criticized former GOP Representative Duncan Hunter on Reddit for infidelity years before his own campaign confirmed he had sent sexually explicit messages to women early in his marriage. In posts made between 2018 and 2019, Platner referred to Hunter as a "real piece of sh-t" and a "garbage person" for allegedly bragging about extramarital affairs.
Platner's campaign has confirmed that he maintained an account on the messenger app Kik, where his profile image showed him topless wearing only a towel. The campaign stated that he had communicated with as many as six women, and that these conversations were not ongoing. Platner's wife issued a statement expressing hurt over the disclosure of intimate details about their marriage.
The sexually explicit messages were initially brought to light by Genevieve McDonald, Platner's former political director, who claimed Platner's wife had told her he exchanged sexual messages with up to 12 women.
This controversy follows separate allegations of rape made against Platner by a different ex-girlfriend, which he denies. Major Democratic figures are reportedly calling for Platner's withdrawal, and the party has a deadline of July 13 to replace their nominee.
Meanwhile, Tudor Dixon commented on the timing of the allegations, suggesting it could be a strategic political maneuver. Melissa De Rosa highlighted Platner's past, including a reported Nazi tattoo and disparaging Reddit posts, and criticized the Democratic establishment's vetting process.