# Are there any reasons to reject Graham Platner in Maine (campaign suspended July 8, 2026) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 4, 2026, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179 "2026-03-04T03:50:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 35
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/683 "2026-06-02T02:45:20Z")
You married? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/684 "2026-06-02T02:46:08Z")
Eh, sexting is cheating, unless you and your partner have an understanding that it’s okay to do that with other people. Sexting is more than flirting or looking. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/685 "2026-06-02T02:51:35Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Eh, sexting is cheating, Cheating- ie. sex is cheating. Not flirting not fantasies, and his wife big issue with it, is the way it has been reported- [https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5903669-platner-campaign-gossip-controversy/](https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5903669-platner-campaign-gossip-controversy/) > Amy Gertner, the wife of Maine Senate Democratic candidate Graham Platner, is calling coverage of her husband’s reported past texting with multiple women “shameful,” [arguing in a video](https://x.com/grahamformaine/status/2060870067189932409) it is “gossip” that takes attention away from serious issues. > > “If anybody knows me and Graham personally, you know that we got married in 2023. We live in Sullivan. We’ve got two dogs, and we love each other deeply,” Gertner said in a video message posted over the weekend on Platner’s account on the social platform X. If she is okay, then- who are we to say no? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/686 "2026-06-02T03:16:56Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > You married? He sure doesn’t sound married to me. > [@DrDeth](#): > > If she is okay, then- who are we to say no? She doesn’t sound all that okay with it. But i agree that it’s not a deal breaker. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/687 "2026-06-02T03:20:57Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > You married? Would you like me to also post other data for doxxing? Are you married? how long? Kids? We were warned about this- note. In fact, I live in a commune (not true) and have sixteen wives (same). Come on. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/688 "2026-06-02T04:15:56Z")
Look people, he SEXTED! It’s not like he had an affair with a porn star during his third marriage and tried to illegally pay her hush money like Republicans find totally acceptable. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/689 "2026-06-02T04:38:18Z")
“Better than Trump” is a pretty low standard. I’d vote for Susan Collins over Donald Trump in a heartbeat. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/690 "2026-06-02T05:37:45Z")
Honestly, I’m half-convinced at this point that the Democratic Party leadership is trying to sabotage Platner because they’d rather let Republicans keep the Senate than let progressives get elected and have people expect them to actually do things to help common people instead of kissing up to corporate interests and AIPAC. ---
**Author:** ![Calder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Calder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calder)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/691 "2026-06-02T06:04:24Z")
It’s the Democratic Party’s fault that Platner is a walking scandal machine who literally can’t go 4–5 months without some new issue coming out? That doesn’t make much sense. Arguing that his challengers in the Democratic primary shouldn’t bring up negative information about him defeats the entire purpose of having primary elections in the first place. Primaries are supposed to help choose the strongest possible candidate for the general election. The idea that Democrats should have just stuck their heads in the sand and ignored his issues also ignores reality: Republicans would absolutely spend far more money and effort on opposition research during the general election anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/692 "2026-06-02T06:05:39Z")
> [@Calder](#): > > It’s the Democratic Party’s fault that Platner is a walking scandal machine who literally can’t go 4–5 months without some new issue coming out? We saw them run this same playbook with Mamdani - they smeared him as being antisemitic and radical to try to kill his chances of winning the nomination, and when he won it anyway, they endorsed his opponent. The party leadership these days is more concerned with stopping progressives than it is stopping Republicans. > [@Calder](#): > > Arguing that his challengers in the Democratic primary shouldn’t bring up negative information about him defeats the entire purpose of having primary elections in the first place. He doesn’t _have_ challengers at this point. The only other significant candidate dropped out because he was leading by 30 points. He is the presumptive nominee. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/693 "2026-06-02T06:29:05Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Honestly, I’m half-convinced at this point that the Democratic Party leadership is trying to sabotage Platner because they’d rather let Republicans keep the Senate than let progressives get elected and have people expect them to actually do things to help common people instead of kissing up to corporate interests and AIPAC. You say “half convinced” here, along with quite a specific interest. > [@Smapti](#): > > The party leadership these days is more concerned with stopping progressives than it is stopping Republicans. And then you make another assertation here without the provisos, though not it’s not quite so extreme as the first. I’ll allow myself to be convinced, and you aren’t wrong that Mamdani got treated poorly, but when the writing was on the wall, I didn’t see any evidence that they supported his opponent _after the primary_, though sure the enthusiasm was **extremely** underwhelming. So, TL:DR - Cites? Feel free to take the Mamdani discussion to the [NYC Mayor’s election thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-mayor-election-thread/1020085) though if you feel it should be discussed outside the context of Platner’s treatment so we don’t hijack this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/694 "2026-06-02T13:04:58Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > We saw them run this same playbook with Mamdani - they smeared him as being antisemitic and radical to try to kill his chances of winning the nomination, and when he won it anyway, they endorsed his opponent. Unless by “party leadership” you mean Congressman Tom Suozzi by himself, you certainly saw no such thing. [Eta: saw the mod ~~note~~ non note post, I’m only correcting the record on a specific factual claim in reference to how Democrats treat people like Platner, not as part of a deeper discussion on Mamdani] ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/695 "2026-06-02T16:20:11Z")
Sexting is kinda sorta cheating. Which just goes to show the guy’s ineptitude. He can’t even figure out how to cheat correctly. We have had some great presidents who were bona fide cheaters… mostly Democrats. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/696 "2026-06-02T17:00:12Z")
> [@Jaycat.again](#): > > We have had some great presidents who were bona fide cheaters… mostly Democrats. I’d say probably a lot of them, of both parties. But nobody seems to care except when it’s a Democrat. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/697 "2026-06-02T17:04:15Z")
I’m sure the Republicans would care if it were a woman caught cheating. But i think they, in general, embrace the double standard, that it’s okay for strong men to cheat on their wives, because strong men are virile, and physical expressions of male virility are natural and good. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/698 "2026-06-03T00:09:15Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I’m sure the Republicans would care if it were a woman caught cheating. They didn’t, [Marjorie Taylor Greene affair](https://www.google.com/search?q=Marjorie+Taylor+Greene+affair&num=10&newwindow=1&sca_esv=a769f1ea62aa7e3c&biw=1227&bih=595&sxsrf=ANbL-n6ti6uPoplsMbjP6jETzdUjqAFZxw%3A1780445128576&ei=yG8fapj8IY6vptQP_fHQkA0&ved=0ahUKEwiYgLj74umUAxWOl4kEHf04FNIQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=Marjorie+Taylor+Greene+affair&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiHU1hcmpvcmllIFRheWxvciBHcmVlbmUgYWZmYWlySJhzUIAaWOllcAJ4AZABAJgBqAGgAfsDqgEDNC4yuAEDyAEA-AEBmAIAoAIAmAMAiAYBkgcAoAeeA7IHALgHAMIHAMgHAIAIAQ&sclient=gws-wiz-serp) [Lauren Boebert affair](https://www.google.com/search?q=Lauren+Boebert+affair&num=10&newwindow=1&sca_esv=a769f1ea62aa7e3c&biw=1227&bih=595&sxsrf=ANbL-n5jqm7aUlESIzLBb1owXFX9wSWN2w%3A1780445158445&ei=5m8fauf4GrqHptQPi7bVeQ&ved=0ahUKEwjng9iJ4-mUAxW6g4kEHQtbNQ8Q4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=Lauren+Boebert+affair&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiFUxhdXJlbiBCb2ViZXJ0IGFmZmFpckjtJFAAWJcacAB4AZABAJgBdKABjgKqAQMyLjG4AQPIAQD4AQGYAgCgAgCYAwCSBwCgB3WyBwC4BwDCBwDIBwCACAE&sclient=gws-wiz-serp) ---
**Author:** ![Section\_Maker\_Jupe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/section_maker_jupe/32/1424_2.png) [@Section\_Maker\_Jupe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Section_Maker_Jupe)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/699 "2026-06-03T13:59:47Z")
I heard a quote from one of the many Bulwark podcasts … paraphrasing a bit. “Platner is a scumbug…Maine voters need to vote for him”… (seems to relate to that other leftist Dem thread here) ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/700 "2026-06-03T16:50:13Z")
> [@Section\_Maker\_Jupe](#): > > I heard a quote from one of the many Bulwark podcasts … paraphrasing a bit. > > “Platner is a scumbug…Maine voters need to vote for him” … > (seems to relate to that other leftist Dem thread here) Akin to “ **Vote for the Crook: It’s Important** ”. Edwin Edwards, however, at least had a long political track record at the time including serving two prior terms as Louisiana governor. https://embed.reddit.com/r/PropagandaPosters/comments/r49ihk/vote_for_the_crook_its_important_sticker/?embed=true&ref_source=embed&ref=share ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/701 "2026-06-03T18:42:50Z")
Apparently just a couple of weeks ago Platner was asked if he had anything else he wanted to get ahead of, both at a town hall and at an interview, and of course he said no: > [@](#): > > Toward the end of a town hall meeting in Sabattus, Maine, in April, the night before Ms. Mills dropped out, a Platner supporter named Carolyn Greeley asked him a blunt question. > > “Is there anything you need to share with us?” she asked. > > Ms. Greeley was bothered by his past comments about women, she said, and wanted assurances that there would not be more damaging revelations to come. > > Mr. Platner was unequivocal in his response. Republicans would certainly “make stuff up” about him, he said. He had dated, had girlfriends, “gone through life.” But everything had already been “dragged up,” he promised the crowd. > > “In my past, there is not some big, dark secret,” he said. > > Asked in an interview how he could be so certain that there was no other information that would come out about him after the event, Mr. Platner was terse. > > “I lived my life,” he said. “That’s how.” [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/30/us/politics/graham-platner-maine-senate-texts.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/30/us/politics/graham-platner-maine-senate-texts.html) I guess we will see what else comes out about him. The sexting happened on Kik, an app notrious for the shady shit that goes on and the level of anonymity it provides. Platner’s account was still active on there as of a couple of days ago, and his profile picture was still him in a towel. And Kik has a very young user base. 70% of Kik users are between 13 and 24. At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see an October Surprise that results in criminal charges. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2026, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/702 "2026-06-03T19:42:37Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > Akin to “ **Vote for the Crook: It’s Important** ”. Edwin Edwards, however, at least had a long political track record at the time including serving two prior terms as Louisiana governor. And it was important to vote for the crook because the alternative was a white supremacist. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179.md?page=34) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179.md?page=36)