Platner Leads Maine Democratic Senate Primary Despite Sexting, Intimidation and Tattoo Controversies

U.S. Senate. Graham Platner is the frontrunner to face incumbent Sen. Susan Collins in November. Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep.

Ro Khanna have formally endorsed Platner. Sanders and Platner appeared together at a "Fighting Oligarchy" tour stop at the Collins Center for the Arts on the University of Maine campus in Orono on May 24, 2026. Party leaders and allies have increasingly backed Platner as the primary approaches.

Sen. Susan Collins has repeatedly declined to comment on allegations surrounding Platner. "I really have nothing to add to it," Collins told Fox News Digital when asked about the allegations. "As I said to you earlier, I do not have anything to add to this," Collins said.

Rep. " With polls open Tuesday, Maine voters will determine whether Platner advances to face Collins in the general election. Collins' refusal to engage comes as Republicans have increasingly made Platner's controversies a central line of attack ahead of the primary.

Outside organizations backing Collins have aired ads and amplified criticism of the Maine Democrat, while the senator herself has largely avoided publicly weighing in despite being expected to face him in November's midterms. Collins' recent reluctance to comment differs from her earlier remarks about Platner. S.

Soldier. "It's never appropriate to mock a downed American soldier," Collins said to Fox News Digital last month. " But she has repeatedly declined to address the more recent sexting scandal allegations that occurred while Platner was married, which have dominated discussion of the race in the final days before the primary.

The silence also shows the difference in how Democrats have responded to the controversy. Democrats have directly targeted Collins over her voting record and argue that flipping the seat remains a top priority despite all the allegations surrounding Platner.

Platner has continued campaigning, with top lawmakers such as Sen. , and Rep. " With polls open Tuesday, Maine voters face a choice that could shape one of the country's most-watched Senate races, as Platner seeks to move past the controversy and secure a matchup against Collins.