Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner is facing renewed scrutiny after a report revealed that his wife allegedly alerted campaign officials about sexually explicit text messages he exchanged with several women before he officially launched his campaign.
According to a report published Saturday by The Wall Street Journal, Platner’s wife, Amy Gertner, informed a campaign aide about the messages during the summer of 2025 after discovering them earlier that year.
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The disclosure reportedly occurred as campaign staff conducted opposition research in an effort to identify potential vulnerabilities before Platner entered the race.
A campaign official told the Journal that the aide ultimately determined the matter was a private issue between Platner and his wife and believed the couple was addressing it through marriage counseling.
Gertner defended her husband and their marriage in a statement provided through the campaign.
“We did the hard work that marriage requires,” she said.
“We went to counseling. We were honest with each other in ways that weren’t easy,” Gertner continued.
“And we came through it, not in spite of how much we’ve been through, but because of how much we love each other and the life we’ve built. Our marriage today is stronger than ever before,” she added.
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She also expressed her continued support for Platner.
“I know who Graham is. I know the man I married and the husband he has been to me on the best and the worst days of my life. That hasn’t changed, and it won’t,” she said.
The report adds another chapter to a campaign that has already been dogged by controversy stemming from comments Platner made years ago on a now-deleted Reddit account.
Those posts resurfaced earlier this year and generated widespread criticism.
Among the most controversial comments was a 2013 post in which Platner wrote: “How about people just take some responsibility for themselves and not get so f——- up they wind up having sex with someone they don’t mean to?”
Other posts drew criticism for comments involving military veterans, law enforcement officers and race.
According to reports, Platner mocked a Purple Heart recipient, referring to the wounded veteran as a “dumb motherf——-” who “didn’t deserve to live.”
He also reportedly described police officers as “bastards,” agreed with comments characterizing some rural Mainers as “racist and stupid,” and questioned tipping habits among Black Americans.
Platner has publicly apologized for the remarks.
He attributed the comments to a difficult period in his life following military service in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The candidate said the posts reflected struggles with mental health, isolation and the lingering effects of exposure to violence during combat deployments.
He has described the remarks as “stupid joke comments” and acknowledged they were inappropriate.
The controversy surrounding the old social media posts became a significant issue during the Democratic primary campaign and fueled attacks from political opponents.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills, who had been running in the Democratic primary, suspended her campaign ahead of the June 9 primary election, leaving Platner and businessman David Costello as the remaining major contenders for the nomination.
Costello previously ran against Republican Sen. Susan Collins two years ago.
The latest report about the text messages is likely to generate additional questions about what campaign officials knew before Platner formally entered the race and whether the issue was fully vetted during the campaign’s internal review process.
Neither Platner nor his campaign has indicated that the report will alter his plans moving forward, The Washington Times reported.
The Democratic nominee will ultimately face the challenge of taking on Collins, a five-term Republican senator who remains one of the most recognizable political figures in Maine.
As Platner’s scandals mount, that should make it easier for Collins to keep her seat and keep President Donald Trump’s agenda on track.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
