Politics
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Graham Platner is scheduled to meet with Democratic U.S. senators and raise money in Washington on Tuesday while facing further questions over sending sexually explicit text messages to other women after his marriage.
The Platner campaign said the trip, which was first reported by Axios, was pre-planned. The meetings come just days before the June 9 primary in which Platner is expected to clinch the Democratic nomination to face U.S. Sen. Susan Collins in November.
The Wall Street Journal and New York Times published stories Saturday about the messages, which Platner’s wife, Amy Gertner, had flagged to the campaign aides in August. The Bangor Daily News reported Sunday that a top Platner adviser warned a former aide she would be accused of lying and sabotage if she cooperated with the outlets.
Maine Democrats have publicly stuck by Platner, as have many of their national counterparts. Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, said over the weekend that Platner has questions to answer.
“Yes, I have concerns,” Booker said on ABC News. “That guy has questions to answer. And that’s what campaigns are for.”
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Platner’s campaign confirmed the existence of the messages and said he texted up to six women after his 2023 marriage to Amy Gertner. She was the initial face of the campaign’s response, shooting a 5-minute video criticizing the media outlets for reporting on the messages and saying the couple has worked on their marriage.
While in Washington, Platner is also scheduled to attend fundraisers, including one hosted by Ron Klain, who was the chief of staff to President Joe Biden, Axios reported. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, had backed Gov. Janet Mills before she suspended her campaign last month.
