Gov. Janet Mills of Maine suggested she remains an option for Democratic voters. This comes after Graham Platner, the likely Democratic nominee for Senate, faced allegations of sending sexually explicit texts to women outside his marriage. Mills had stepped down from the race a month ago.
In an interview with The Portland Press Herald, Mills stated, “People have the impression that I ‘withdrew’ or ‘dropped out.’ I simply suspended active campaigning. I am still on the ballot.” These remarks were made to Steve Collins, a columnist at the state’s largest newspaper.
The controversy surrounding Platner, 41, has created political tension. An oyster farmer and newcomer to politics, he energized progressives which initially led Mills, 78, a governor endorsed by Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, to pull back from her campaign in late April.
The recent allegations involve admissions from Platner about sending explicit texts to up to six women since his marriage in 2023. His campaign has faced challenges before, including a contentious tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, which Platner has since covered, and inflammatory posts on Reddit.
The scandal has overshadowed Democratic efforts to unseat Senator Susan Collins, a five-term Republican. Collins has continued to secure re-election victories even when Democratic presidential candidates have won Maine.
Maine is a crucial battleground for the Democrats, as it is the only state Vice President Kamala Harris won in 2024 with a competitive Senate race for a Republican-held seat. Flipping this seat is essential for Democrats who aim to gain control of the chamber in November. They need to maintain all Democratic-held Senate seats and win at least four currently under Republican control.
In response to reports from The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times on his texting history, Platner criticized the journalism as “malpractice.” He emphasized that the focus should be on significant issues rather than his personal life, asserting, “Our opponents want politics to be empty of content and empty of actual change — and beating that is exactly what our movement is about.”
Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a supporter of Platner, commented on Monday, “It is important for us to focus on the issues facing working families a little bit more than Graham Platner’s marriage.” He added that Amy Gertner, Platner’s wife, “is standing by her husband, and I wish their marriage the very best.”
Annie Karni and Katie Glueck contributed additional reporting. Reid J. Epstein is a Times reporter covering campaigns and elections from Washington.
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