Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner will face voters directly at a town hall meeting Sunday evening in Portland, Maine, as his campaign works to address recent allegations concerning his past behavior toward women.
The gathering occurs just two days ahead of the Democratic primary election, where Platner continues to hold frontrunner status despite questions about whether the recent controversies have dampened voter support for his unconventional campaign.
Recent reporting by The New York Times on Thursday detailed accusations from a former girlfriend claiming Platner repeatedly seized her by the shoulders during disputes and on one occasion twisted her arm behind her back before confining her to a room. Platner has consistently denied these violence allegations as false.
Additional former romantic partners spoke with the Times, with some describing favorable interactions while others characterized him as unpredictable and demeaning. These revelations followed earlier reports disclosing that Platner had sent sexually explicit communications to multiple women during his marriage.
No prominent Democratic leaders who previously backed Platner have withdrawn their endorsements following these allegations. Platner seeks to defeat Republican Sen. Susan Collins in the November general election.
At a Friday rally in Bar Harbor featuring California Rep. Ro Khanna, Platner received enthusiastic applause and stated that Maine residents “have my back.”
The military veteran has acknowledged ongoing battles with alcohol dependency and post traumatic stress disorder following his service, while maintaining he has transformed as a person.
These recent developments have intensified concerns among some Democratic supporters regarding Platner, who previously drew criticism for social media content that minimized sexual assault and for displaying a skull tattoo associated with Nazi imagery. Platner has issued apologies for the posts and concealed the tattoo, claiming he was unaware of its meaning when he received it.
Rahm Emanuel, considered a possible 2028 Democratic presidential contender who was campaigning in nearby New Hampshire over the weekend, expressed uncertainty about Platner’s chances against Collins.
“Everybody is holding their breath whether this is the start of something or the end of something,” he said. “If it’s the end, that’s one thing. If it’s the beginning of something and we’re not done, that’s another thing.”
