Maine Senate Candidate Graham Platner Denies Allegations of Past Misconduct

Graham Platner, a Democratic U.S. Senate candidate in Maine, is addressing new allegations about his past conduct in a previous relationship. A recent New York Times report revealed accusations from some of his former partners.

An ex-girlfriend accused Platner of being physically intimidating during arguments, describing behavior that made her feel uncomfortable. This report is one of several scrutinizing Platner’s personal history as he remains a key Democratic contender in the closely followed Senate race in Maine.

In an interview with Chris Hayes on MS Now, Platner directly addressed the accusation of being physically threatening in a past relationship. “Did that happen?” Hayes asked. “No, it did not,” Platner replied. He acknowledged the allegations in the report but strongly denied any involvement in physical intimidation or abuse. “There are some allegations in this piece that are simply not true. Anything alleging physicality, these are statements of someone who is politically motivated,” Platner stated.

“Anything alleging physicality, anything alleging that I knew what my tattoo was, these are the statements of someone who is politically motivated,” Platner said to Hayes.

Newsweek sought additional information from Platner’s campaign via email on Thursday night.

Details from the New York Times Report

The Times article involved interviews with over two dozen people, including several women who had romantic relationships with Platner. One former girlfriend, Lyndsey Fifield, alleged that Platner grabbed her shoulders during arguments, with other women expressing concerns about his behavior and past comments. However, some former partners described Platner positively, with one calling him a “gentle giant.”

Fifield claimed that during an argument, Platner twisted her arm behind her back, pushed her into a bedroom, and prevented her from leaving. She said she eventually fell asleep and left the next morning. “It hurt,” she said, clarifying that “It didn’t cause an injury, it didn’t break my arm.” She also stated Platner “never hit me, he never punched me.” The Times reported it could not independently verify Fifield’s account.

Jenny Racicot, another former partner, described Platner’s conduct as “reckless” and “unsettling,” alleging he once arrived at her home drunk against her wishes. Fifield, who has worked in conservative politics, clarified she has no connection to Susan Collins’ campaign, Platner’s Republican opponent in the Senate race.

Additional Scrutiny

These allegations come amidst growing scrutiny over other controversies facing Platner during his Senate campaign. Reports include sexually explicit text messages sent to women and renewed questions about a tattoo linked to Nazi imagery. “When did it stop?” Hayes asked about the texting. “It stopped when it was happening,” Platner said, adding, “It happened soon after we got married. And we dealt with it very, very early in our relationship.” Despite these issues, Platner insists he will continue his campaign. The primary in Maine is set for Tuesday.

Current Polling

A new Public Policy Polling survey shows Platner leading Collins by 4 points. Conducted on June 2 and June 3 with 670 registered Maine voters, the poll indicates Platner at 49 percent to Collins’ 45 percent, with a 3.8 percent margin of error. The Times notes this survey was sponsored by Platner.

Another survey from UMass Lowell/YouGov last month showed Platner with 48 percent of the vote compared to Collins’ 43 percent. Six percent remained undecided, and 2 percent supported other candidates. Conducted among 650 likely Maine voters from May 13 to May 26, it had a 4.9 percent margin of error.