Platner fuels anxieties among Democrats as Maine picks its candidate

Democrats are feeling a mix of anxiety and unease heading into Tuesday’s primary in Maine when it comes to Graham Platner, the oyster farmer and political neophyte whose campaign has been plagued by a series of controversies.

While the revelations about Platner’s past have rattled Democrats who are eager to flip the Senate seat in November, some say they have done little to tarnish Platner’s standing with primary voters. 

Platner is favored to win Tuesday’s contest, and Democrats said it appeared that many in their party were willing to set aside their concerns to defeat GOP Sen. Susan Collins in November. 

“I think nationally, there are a lot of nervous Democrats, and the concern is not ill-founded because Maine is so important to winning the Senate in 2026,” Democratic strategist Joel Payne said. “That said, I’m not sure I’ve seen overwhelming, compelling evidence that what is happening with him is disqualifying.” 

“If he can get this campaign back to being a referendum on Susan Collins, it’s a very winnable race,” Payne said. 

The key factor for Democrats to watch is how big the protest vote is for Gov. Janet Mills, who left the Democratic primary race last month but is still on the ballot. 

The New York Times published a report last week detailing accounts from three women who said they were in “toxic” relationships with Platner. One woman described Platner as being overly physical. Platner has denied anything physical. 

That report came on the heels of........

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