Ex-Platner Aide Urges Democrats to Reject Him in Maine Senate Primary, Citing Past Allegations He Denies
Genevieve McDonald, who served as political director for Graham Platner’s campaign last year, published an op-ed Monday calling on Democrats to consider other candidates one day before the primary.
The HillFormer state Rep. Genevieve McDonald urged Democrats to consider voting for another candidate instead of Graham Platner in Tuesday’s Senate primary. McDonald, who served as Platner’s political director from August to October 2025, made the argument in a Monday op-ed in The Washington Post.
She stated that “Democrats are being sold a narrative that Platner is the only choice for the race against Republican Sen. Susan Collins. ” McDonald noted that two other named candidates remain on Tuesday’s ballot.
She added that if Platner wins the nomination but later withdraws, Maine Democrats can hold a convention and choose a different nominee. “The answer to a broken political culture is not to accept it,” she wrote. “Demand better from those entrusted with power or seeking it.
Platner is viewed as the presumptive Democratic nominee to challenge Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican who has served five terms. Gov. Janet Mills suspended her campaign in April 2026 after Platner consolidated primary support.
Mills has reminded voters that she remains on the ballot. McDonald confirmed in the op-ed that Platner sent sexually explicit messages to multiple women early in his marriage. The New York Times recently published accounts from several of Platner’s past girlfriends alleging physical roughness and that he knew a since-covered-up tattoo was a Nazi symbol.
Platner denied those allegations in an interview with MS NOW last week. “There are some allegations in this piece that, I just want to be kind of unequivocal about, are simply not true,” he said. “Anything alleging physicality, anything alleging that I knew what my tattoo was.
Platner also told MS NOW that one former girlfriend interviewed by the Times has worked on Republican causes. ” The Hill reported that Democrats in Washington have largely backed Platner, viewing Maine as a must-win state and Collins as the most vulnerable Senate Republican incumbent this cycle. The Hill has reached out to Platner’s campaign for further comment.
