Graham Platner, a Democratic Senate candidate in Maine, faced serious concerns within his campaign last summer. His bid to unseat Republican Senator Susan Collins was gaining momentum when his campaign encountered potentially damaging news.
Amy Gertner, Mr. Platner’s wife, informed a senior campaign aide that he had been sending sexual messages to multiple women. This revelation risked undermining his campaign, especially in a state where female voters hold significant influence.
The allegations were verified by current and former campaign officials, though their accounts varied in some details. Ms. Gertner, who married Mr. Platner in November 2023, according to Sullivan, Maine’s town clerk, said they were addressing these issues in marriage counseling.
Genevieve McDonald, a former state legislator and the Platner campaign’s political director before her departure in October, reported that Ms. Gertner reached out before a major Labor Day rally with Senator Bernie Sanders. She expressed concerns about her husband’s behavior potentially becoming a political liability. Ms. Gertner indicated her husband had sent messages to up to a dozen women.
Leave a Reply