WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is standing by his endorsement of embattled Graham Platner in Tuesday’s Maine Democratic main, even after a deluge of sexual misconduct allegations rocked the political newcomer’s marketing campaign within the lead-up to the election.
On Monday, Schumer dodged a reporter’s query about whether or not Democrats ought to again Platner in tomorrow’s main. The senator’s workplace additionally didn’t reply to requests for remark.
The 41-year-old veteran has been accused of getting “hated ladies” in relationships and being bodily abusive at instances, even twisting one in every of his exes’ arms earlier than locking her in a bed room throughout an argument, based on former girlfriends who spoke with the New York Instances.
A kind of ex-girlfriends, Lyndsey Fifield, stated that he “would joke” about having gotten “a Nazi tattoo” after serving within the Marines as a result of the troopers he served with “had been like a demise unit” and “had been killers” — regardless of Platner denying information that the skull-and-crossbones image was utilized by Adolf Hitler’s Schutzstaffel, or SS.
“All through this marketing campaign, I’ve been open about what was a really darkish interval of my life the place I struggled with undiagnosed PTSD, too typically self-medicated with alcohol, and was a removed from good boyfriend,” Platner shared later in an announcement.
“I take duty for all of that, and want I had been higher. Any characterization past that’s false, and I imagine, politically motivated. I’m not pleased with who I used to be then, however I’m pleased with the work I’ve achieved since, and the motion we’re constructing in Maine.”
Moreover, Amy Gertner, the Maine Democrat’s spouse, revealed to an aide final August, because the Platner marketing campaign was launching, that her husband had despatched “sexual” messages to a minimum of six ladies exterior his marriage, The Instances and Wall Road Journal reported.
Following all these stories, Schumer, who can also be the highest-ranking Jewish lawmaker in Congress, advised reporters at a information convention final Tuesday: “I met with Graham Platner in the present day. We’re going to beat Susan Collins and take again the Senate.”
The Senate Democratic chief repeated the assertion a number of instances as reporters peppered him with questions in regards to the possible nominee for his occasion in Maine’s race to unseat incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), solely as soon as altering course to underscore: “I endorsed Graham Platner.”
Although Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) haven’t wavered of their public help, a whisper marketing campaign has begun backing Platner’s former main opponent, Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills.
Each Schumer and Gillibrand had beforehand endorsed Mills earlier than she dropped out of the race. Schumer’s group even recruited her into the competition, viewing Maine as one of many Senate Democrats’ high pickup alternatives of the 2026 cycle.
Democratic insiders stated that swapping Mills, who suspended her marketing campaign in April, out for Platner could be unprecedented within the historical past of Maine politics and close to unimaginable with out risking an inter-party civil warfare, although the governor has famous she’ll nonetheless be on the June 9 main poll.
“The Governor stays on the poll, and within the wake of this week’s tales, individuals throughout Maine are reaching out to inform her they’re voting for her and inspiring her to get absolutely again into the race,” a supply near Mills beforehand advised CNN.
The Democratic Senatorial Marketing campaign Committee, which is chaired by Gillibrand, has additionally thought of yanking some advert spending within the wake of the allegations towards Platner, which embody him having maintained an account on the non-public messaging app Kik, which has been cited in courtroom circumstances as a platform frequented by groomers and sexual predators.
Platner’s account title, “phustle0331,” resembled the title of his pseudonymous account on Reddit, “P-Hustle,” on which he shared offensive remarks about rape and sexual assaults that happen within the army.
“Each Democrat is aware of P-Hustle has Nazi ink, was Captain D–k-Pic on Kik, abusive in the direction of ladies and slandered American troopers on-line,” Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) claimed to The Put up Friday.
The Pennsylvania senator later pledged he’ll put on a swimsuit “each day” if Platner can show he didn’t ship “d–okay pics” to minors on Kik.
“John Fetterman appears to genuinely suppose that the explanation nobody likes him is as a result of he refuses to put on a swimsuit. It’s not the hoodie, dude. It’s since you’ve develop into a stooge for AIPAC and the Republican occasion,” Platner responded on his X account.
His marketing campaign acknowledged that the Kik profile hadn’t been deactivated however advised the Journal that the candidate “had lengthy deleted the app from his telephone.”
