PORTLAND, Maine (AP) 鈥� Graham Platner was met by an enthusiastic and supportive crowd Sunday at a town hall-style event in Maine as the Democrat looks to advance his Senate campaign after reports about his past treatment of women just days before the state’s crucial primary.
The Democratic primary is still seen as Platner’s to win, but he is facing questions about his past that could make it difficult to defeat longtime incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to win on Tuesday and we鈥檙e going to win in November and we鈥檙e going to take power back for the people in this country,鈥� Platner said to about 400 people clapping and cheering him on in Portland.
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Despite the allegations, no major Democrats who had previously endorsed Platner have rescinded their support.
And at Sunday’s event, attendees avoided asking about Platner’s past and instead asked him about the U.S. Supreme Court, what committees he would want to work on once in the Senate, and whether he supports a federal wealth tax.
鈥淲hat has blown my mind is that everybody knows what鈥檚 going on,鈥� Platner said in response to a question about what outsiders watching the Maine Senate race are getting wrong about the state’s voters.
Platner said he hoped eventually to join the Senate Appropriations Committee, as well as the committees overseeing agriculture and health care, while mentioning he would like to work with Kentucky’s Republican Sen. Rand Paul because of his foreign policy positions.
Platner took a swipe at Sen. John Fetterman, who has criticized the Senate candidate recently, calling him a 鈥渃reep鈥� and likening him to a 鈥淣azi sympathizer.鈥� Some have questioned whether Platner would be similar to Fetterman, who has a reputation for speaking and voting against his party.
Platner said as a senator it鈥檚 important to build relationships and that 鈥漼ou can鈥檛 just go down there and be John Fetterman,” while also calling the Pennsylvania Democrat an expletive. He added that Fetterman 鈥渟aid mean things鈥� about him recently.
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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