Scoop: Platner heads to D.C. as Democrats worry over his campaign

Maine Democratic Senate primary frontrunner https://www.axios.com/2026/06/01/graham-platner-maine-democrats-collins-trump" target="_blank">Graham Platner is scheduled to meet with Democratic senators in Washington on Tuesday afternoon, according to two people familiar with the plans.

Why it matters: The long-planned meeting will give senators an opportunity to ask Platner directly about allegations that he sent sexually explicit text messages to as many as a dozen women in 2023, according to reporting by https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/graham-platners-wife-flagged-sexually-explicit-texts-to-his-senate-campaign-628ec832?st=SVGnMD&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_axiosam&stream=top" target="_blank">The Wall Street Journal and https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/30/us/politics/graham-platner-maine-senate-texts.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_axiosam&stream=top" target="_blank">The New York Times.

• Over the weekend, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) indicated he had questions about the allegations.
• "Yes, I have concerns," https://abcnews.com/Politics/booker-absolutely-expecting-republican-opposition-trump/story?id=133462204" target="_blank">Booker said on ABC News. "That guy has questions to answer.

  And that's what campaigns are for."

Zoom out: Democrats are increasingly concerned about Platner's viability in a must-win Senate race and whether the revelations about the text messages represent the campaign's final embarrassment — or merely its latest.

• Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) backed Gov. https://www.axios.com/2026/04/30/janet-mills-maine-senate-platner" target="_blank">Janet Mills in the race, but she suspended her campaign last month.
• Platner is also scheduled to attend a couple of fundraisers in DC, including one hosted by Ron Klain, a former chief of staff to former President Biden.

State of play: Platner has disputed aspects of the reporting, but his campaign has not denied its central claim — that he sent explicit text messages to other women after marrying in late 2023.

• "Graham isn't saying the texts to other women at the start of the marriage are not real.

  They are," a campaign official told media outlets. "He's frustrated by the sensationalization of several private facts relayed by a former confidante to journalists."

• "Amy and I went through something hard — because of me.

  We did the work, and I'm grateful for her every hour of every day," Platner said in a statement Sunday.

• "Being married is hard," his wife, Amy Gertner, said. "Being newly married is hard.

  Being newly married and going through infertility is hard.

  Being newly married, going through infertility, and a Senate campaign is hard."