Maine voters speak out on Graham Platner’s controversies
Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner is embroiled in controversy over his past behavior, including allegations of abuse from ex-girlfriends and a controversial tattoo he previously bore. Fox News correspondent Alexis McAdams details the divided opinion among Maine voters as Platner prepares for Tuesday’s primary against GOP incumbent Sen. Susan Collins. Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna’s support for Platner is also highlighted.
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Two top Democrat leaders who were hesitant to endorse embattled Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner by name amid his controversies finally relented Tuesday night after he cruised to victory in his primary election.
House Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., issued a seemingly half-hearted joint statement backing Platner as he continues to face heat stemming from a multitude of scandals.
“Over the past year, we have created a path to win a Democratic Senate majority and put a stop to the chaos and damage of the Trump administration by defeating the Republicans who enable his harmful agenda,” they wrote in a statement issued by the Democrat Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) just after Platner was declared the winner.
Graham Platner addresses the crowd at his watch party after winning the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate at a YMCA in Blue Hill, Maine, on June 9, 2026. Platner will face Republican Sen. Susan Collins in the election for the seat. (Matthew Symons for Fox News Digital)
“In November, Maine voters will elect Graham Platner, and we will win a Senate majority,” they concluded.
In the statement, the New York lawmakers attempted to paint moderate Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, as a radical pro-Trump Republican despite her several breaks with the president.
“Susan Collins has never been more vulnerable after she voted with Trump 96 percent of the time, confirmed his far-right judicial nominees, and took millions from special interests while voting to rip health care away from Mainers,” they listed.
SCANDAL-PLAGUED PLATNER CAPTURES DEMOCRATIC SENATE NOMINATION
Last week, Platner met with Gillibrand and Schumer, among other Democrats, during a crisis trip to Washington, D.C., in the midst of his latest scandal, which, at the time, was related to revelations of an account on a controversial messaging app.
After that meeting, Gillibrand refused to say whether she still supported the progressive candidate.
“I’m very confident we are going to win Maine,” she told reporters. “I do. I have confidence that we are going to win Maine and I have no doubt.”
Senate Minority Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks during a news conference following a weekly policy luncheon with Senate Democrats at the U.S. Capitol on June 2, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
WATCH: DEM SENATORS EXCUSE PLATNER’S CONDUCT AT CRISIS HUDDLE WITH EMBATTLED MAINE CANDIDATE
Schumer also attempted to duck direct questions from reporters at a Capitol Hill press conference following that meeting.
“I met with Graham Platner today, we’re going to beat Susan Collins and take back the Senate,” he said. “We’re going to beat Susan Collins and take back the Senate.”
After he was asked for the fifth time about the meetings, he begrudgingly used Platner’s name to back the candidate.
WATCH: SCANDAL-PLAGUED PLATNER DODGES QUESTIONS BEFORE DC MEETING WITH DEMOCRATS
“As I said, I endorsed Graham Platner,” he said.
Before that meeting, Platner was embroiled in controversy after it was revealed that he has an active account on Kik, an anonymous chatting platform notorious for lax identification methods that have enabled the proliferation of child sexual abuse material.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., leaves the Senate Democrats lunch in the Mansfield Room at the Capitol on March 15, 2023. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images)
Platner used as his profile image on the application a sexually suggestive photo of himself shirtless and wearing only a towel around his waist.
Just days after the meetings in D.C., the candidate was accused of physical misconduct, including aggressive behavior, with a former romantic partner. Platner denies those accusations.
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Platner’s previous scandals include sexually lewd Reddit posts, disrespectful comments made against a Purple Heart-winning combat veteran, a Nazi-linked tattoo on his chest that has since been covered up and reports he exchanged sexually explicit messages with several women while married.
Fox News Digital’s Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.