Democrats Split Over Maine Senate Hopeful Graham Platner 2 Days Before Primary
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 7
Democrats Split Over Maine Senate Hopeful Graham Platner 2 Days Before Primary
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 7
Summary
Sunday reactions exposed a new Democratic divide over Graham Platner, the party’s presumptive Maine Senate nominee, after several women described volatile and “toxic” relationships with him ahead of Tuesday’s primary.
Ro Khanna, one of Platner’s most vocal backers, said he believed the account of a woman alleging physically threatening behavior and urged the campaign not to attack her, while Mark Warner called the allegations “beyond disturbing” but said Maine voters should decide.
The scrutiny intensified after a New York Times report Thursday cited 3 former partners describing demeaning conduct, following May 30 revelations that Platner had exchanged sexual messages with women outside his marriage as recently as last year.
Platner has strongly disputed claims of physical intimidation, saying he struggled with PTSD and alcohol during a “very dark period” before a later “transformation,” and has cast the reports as distractions from issues voters care about.