Platner Adviser Warned Ex-Aide Over Sexting Story as Candidate Faced Reports Involving Up to 6 Women
Updated
Updated · Bangor Daily News · May 31
Platner Adviser Warned Ex-Aide Over Sexting Story as Candidate Faced Reports Involving Up to 6 Women
3 articles · Updated · Bangor Daily News · May 31
Morris Katz, a strategist for Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner, warned former aide Genevieve McDonald on Friday that the campaign would accuse her by name of lying and sabotaging the race if she cooperated with reporters.
The warning came before the Wall Street Journal and New York Times published Saturday reports on sexually explicit messages Platner sent to women; a campaign official told the Times the communications involved up to six women.
McDonald, who shared Katz’s message with Bangor Daily News, had already left Platner’s campaign last fall and quit Jordan Wood’s House campaign on Saturday, saying she wanted to shield it from fallout.
Platner’s team confirmed the messages exist and has framed them as a private marital issue addressed in counseling, with wife Amy Gertner fronting the response in a 5-minute video attacking media coverage.
The episode hits 10 days before Maine’s June 9 primary, as Platner heads toward a matchup with Susan Collins after consolidating Democratic support and posting a 9-point lead in a recent poll.
When does a candidate's personal history cross the line from a private matter to a public disqualification for office?
A candidate's poll numbers rise despite serious scandals. What does this trend reveal about what voters now value in a leader?
Scandal, Controversy, and Party Division: The Graham Platner Senate Campaign’s Impact on Maine’s 2026 Election and the Future of Democratic Vetting
Overview
Graham Platner’s Senate campaign was rocked when his wife, Amy Gertner, revealed sexually explicit texts she found on his phone, just as the campaign was preparing for a major rally and a key endorsement. This sexting scandal, along with allegations of explicit exchanges with several women and the discovery of a Nazi tattoo, quickly became public and gave opponents new ammunition. The fallout led to staff departures and internal disputes, while national Democrats began backing alternative candidates. Despite these controversies and strained party relations, Platner’s campaign has tried to project resilience, but ongoing scandals continue to shape his public image and threaten his Senate bid.