PORTLAND, Maine (AP) 鈥� Graham Platner is set to take questions from voters Sunday at a town hall-style event in Maine as the Democrat moves to stabilize his Senate campaign after new reports about his past treatment of women.
The evening event in Portland is taking place two days before a Democratic primary that is still seen as Platner’s to win, but which could provide clues as to whether enthusiasm for his iconoclastic candidacy has softened.
The New York Times on Thursday reported an ex-girlfriend’s allegations that Platner repeatedly grabbed her by the shoulders during arguments and once twisted her arm behind her back and locked her in a room. Platner has repeatedly called those allegations of violence untrue.
Other Platner ex-girlfriends interviewed by the Times described positive experiences, while some said he was volatile and insulting. That story came days after news reports revealing that Platner had exchanged sexually explicit messages with several women while married.
Despite the allegations, no major Democrats who had previously endorsed Platner have rescinded their support. Platner is running to oust Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November.
with California Rep. Ro Khanna in Bar Harbor on Friday, where he received a standing ovation and declared that Mainers 鈥渉ave my back.鈥�
A combat veteran, Platner has repeatedly said that he struggled with alcohol and post traumatic stress disorder after his military service, but says he is a changed man.
The latest news has deepened some Democrats鈥� nervousness about Platner, who already faced scrutiny over online posts that were and a skull tattoo recognized as a Nazi symbol. Platner has apologized for the posts and , saying he didn’t realize its significance when he got it.
Rahm Emanuel, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate who spent the weekend in neighboring New Hampshire, said the 鈥渏ury is still out鈥� on whether Platner can beat Collins.
鈥淓verybody is holding their breath whether this is the start of something or the end of something,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f it鈥檚 the end, that鈥檚 one thing. If it鈥檚 the beginning of something and we鈥檙e not done, that鈥檚 another thing.鈥�
Kurt Fedora, 62, a mental health worker from Buxton, said he attended Sunday’s event to hear Platner talk about working-class issues and fighting corruption. He said he鈥檚 unmoved by recent revelations about Platner鈥檚 history, and considers them a smear campaign by conservative opponents.
鈥淢aybe there will be something to it, but they鈥檙e really reaching far to try to pin something on him. And it鈥檚 politics as usual,鈥� Fedora said.
Others worried that Platner at times reminded them of President Donald Trump.
Debbi Conley, a 69-year-old retiree from Gorham, said she wanted to learn more about Platner even as she’s almost certain he’ll win on Tuesday, but she鈥檚 skeptical of him at the moment.
鈥淚 think people have been frustrated with Susan Collins, so they鈥檙e looking for alternatives,鈥� Conley said. 鈥淢y concerns with Graham Platner are that he鈥檚 talking about change, but sometimes it reminds me of the same talk that Trump had like 鈥榙rain the swamp鈥�.鈥�
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Associated Press writer Steven Sloan contributed to this report from Warren, New Hampshire. Kruesi reported from Providence, Rhode Island.
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