Maine voters split on Graham Platner allegations ahead of Senate primary

MAINE — A new round of explosive allegations has thrust Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner back into the spotlight ahead of Tuesday’s primary, but voters who spoke to Fox News Digital were split on whether the scandals will affect their votes.

“This is not a good situation,” said Jeff of Waterloo, Maine, one of the residents interviewed outside a shopping center in Biddeford, adding that choosing the “lowest common denominator” should not be the answer.

“I’m a conservative, but he’s so overloaded that I think if Democrats want a winner they need to find someone else because he’s not that guy, he’s just too much,” he said.

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Sheila, of Harrison, Maine, said the scandals will “absolutely” negatively impact the vote.

He said Platner lacked the judgment and values ​​he expects from someone serving in Congress.

“Everyone who represents our country or represents us in Congress needs to be held to higher standards, and I don’t think he has any standards,” he said.

Just days before the Democratic Senate primary in Maine, ex-girlfriends told The New York Times that Platner drank excessively, had violent episodes, and discussed rape fantasies; Platner denied these accusations.

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U.S. Navy and Army veteran and oyster farmer Graham Platner is running for the Democratic Party for U.S. Senate in Maine in August. (Graham Platner Senate campaign)

The Marine Corps veteran has also faced criticism for a series of controversies, including reports that he sent sexually explicit messages to young women, a Nazi-related tattoo and online comments mocking the Purple Heart veteran.

While some voters said Platner raised red flags, others didn’t mind.

Asked if Platner’s comments about women bothered her, Ellen, of Acton, Maine, said, “As far as my vote is concerned, no.”

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Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Maine, points to a covered tattoo previously considered a Nazi symbol during an interview in Portland, Maine, on October 22, 2025. (WGME via AP)

“I trust his wife,” he said. “He knows her better than anyone. He’s far from perfect. A lot of this, I understand, happened during a difficult time in his life. The latest accusations, yes, are more recent, but I still trust that you know who he is morally.”

“I think he’ll do a good job for me as well as what he can do in his marriage as a representative of Maine,” he added.

Jane, of Wells, Maine, said her plans to vote for Platner have not changed.

“I still like him,” he said. “Oh yes. I love it.”

Jessica, from Biddeford, Maine, said she ignored the news because she did not follow the controversy surrounding Platner, arguing that the media was distracting people from “important issues.”

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“Instead of fighting with each other over things that don’t matter, we’re better together,” he said.

Platner will be on the ballot alongside David Costello and Janet Mills in Maine’s Democratic Senate primary on June 9, with the winner facing five-term incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November.