A U.S. Senate hopeful from Maine is facing serious accusations from former romantic partners who claim he engaged in physically aggressive behavior during their relationships over a decade ago.
According to a recent New York Times investigation, Lyndsey Fifield has accused Graham Platner of repeatedly gripping her forcefully enough to create bruises, yanking her out of a taxi by her wrist, and in one particularly troubling episode, forcing her arm behind her back before pushing her into a bedroom and preventing her from leaving the room. Fifield, who works as a conservative activist, told the newspaper that while Platner never struck or punched her during their approximately two-year relationship beginning in 2013, these encounters left her frightened and disturbed. At the time, Platner was attending George Washington University after completing his military service.
The Times investigation examined Platner’s romantic history, interviewing multiple former partners who offered varying perspectives – some spoke favorably of him while others described patterns of insulting language, unpredictable behavior, or infidelity.
A second woman, Jenny Racicot, shared her own troubling experiences with the publication. Racicot, who identifies as a Maine Democrat, said she had an on-and-off relationship with Platner from 2019 to 2021. She recounted an incident in 2021 when Platner arrived at her residence intoxicated despite her explicit request that he not visit. She characterized his actions as “reckless” and “unsettling.”
The 41-year-old oyster farmer and military veteran, who is expected to secure victory in Tuesday’s Democratic primary, has categorically rejected claims of violent behavior in his response to the Associated Press. The Times reported that he refused their interview requests.
“Throughout this campaign, I’ve been open about what was a very dark period of my life where I struggled with undiagnosed PTSD, too often self medicated with alcohol, and was a far from perfect boyfriend. I take responsibility for all of that, and wish I had been better,” the statement said. “Any characterization beyond that is false, and I believe, politically motivated. I’m not proud of who I was then, but I am proud of the work I’ve done since, and the movement we are building in Maine.”
The Associated Press was unable to contact either Fifield or Racicot for additional comment.
Platner has gained significant attention throughout Maine with his powerful speaking style and progressive political positions. Despite having no prior experience in elected office, he has built his campaign around working-class concerns including expensive housing and healthcare costs. His expected matchup against Republican Sen. Susan Collins this November represents a crucial opportunity for Democrats seeking to regain Senate control.
Describing a specific incident, Fifield told the newspaper that during arguments involving alcohol, Platner could become physically rough. She detailed one episode where he forced her arm behind her back, pushed her into a bedroom, and held the door shut from the outside, trapping her inside.
“It hurt,” she told the paper, adding: “It didn’t cause an injury, it didn’t break my arm.”
During a Thursday evening appearance on MS NOW, Platner directly contradicted Fifield’s account of being forced into a room, telling host Chris Hayes that her version of events was untrue. He suggested the accusations stemmed from political motivations.
“There are things in this that I absolutely will take responsibility for and have been speaking about openly for months,” Platner said. “But those serious allegations are just not true.”
In her Times interview, Fifield firmly rejected any suggestion that political considerations influenced her decision to come forward.
This latest controversy follows recent public disclosure that Platner sent sexually explicit messages to multiple women during his marriage.
Additional questions have emerged regarding a skull tattoo that experts recognize as a Nazi symbol. Platner claims he was unaware of its meaning until several weeks after launching his campaign, at which point he had it modified with a different design. He maintains he was ignorant of the tattoo’s significance.
However, Fifield told the Times that he made jokes about its Nazi connections and referred to it as “my Totenkopf.”
During his MS NOW appearance, Platner once again insisted he was unaware of his tattoo’s meaning.
Notable supporters including independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders have maintained their backing despite these revelations. As of Thursday, no prominent Democratic figures had publicly withdrawn their endorsements.
U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat scheduled to join Platner at a Maine campaign event Friday, condemned the behavior described in the Times as “wrong and toxic,” but added, “Graham has acknowledged that and sought redemption. The people of Maine deserve a senator who is going to stand up to the billionaire class, against genocide, and for the working class.”
Platner has also faced scrutiny over previous Reddit posts that minimized military sexual assaults and contained homophobic language, issues for which he has issued apologies.
His campaign has survived these earlier controversies in what was previously viewed as a highly competitive Democratic primary before Gov. Janet Mills withdrew from the race in late April citing insufficient campaign funding.
