Graham Platner, a 41-year-old Marine combat veteran and oyster farmer who has never run for office, won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate in Maine on Tuesday, the Associated Press projected, overcoming a cascade of personal controversies that might have ended a conventional political career.
With about 10% of the vote counted, Platner led with approximately 75%, compared with 18.6% for two-term Gov. Janet Mills, who suspended her Senate campaign in April after Platner outpaced her in fundraising and support. A third candidate, David Costello, drew 6.3%, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Platner’s victory sets up one of the most closely watched races of the 2026 midterms. He will face Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican seeking a sixth term and the only GOP Senate incumbent running in a state that backed the Democratic presidential candidate in 2024. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 Senate majority.
During the primary campaign, Platner acknowledged exchanging sexually explicit messages with several women while married. An ex-girlfriend, Lyndsey Fifield, a Republican operative, alleged in the New York Times that more than a decade ago he twisted her arm behind her back during an argument and held her in a room against her will. Platner categorically denied that account.
Other controversies included a tattoo Platner wore for 18 years that matched a Nazi symbol, which he said he obtained without understanding its meaning and later covered up. Old Reddit posts resurfaced in which he used homophobic slurs and appeared dismissive of military sexual assault, according to reports. Platner said the online comments and his relationship with Fifield came during a “very dark period” when he was struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol abuse after multiple combat deployments.
“I had been a poor romantic partner at times but any characterization beyond that is false and, I believe, politically motivated,” Platner said, according to the Journal.
Platner’s wife, Amy Gertner, released a widely shared video after the text-message reports in which she called the coverage “gossip” and spoke candidly about the challenges of marriage, The Guardian reported.
Prominent Democratic progressives stood by Platner throughout the race. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) remained one of his staunchest defenders, arguing that voters cared more about healthcare costs and economic insecurity than the details of a candidate’s marriage, the Guardian reported. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) also refused to abandon him.
However, some Democrats expressed concern. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) told CNN that Platner should step aside. “How can you accept somebody who abused women?” Gottheimer said. “That’s going to affect us in other parts of the country and campaigns and I think really be an issue for the party.”
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) told MS NOW: “I look forward to the day where I am not answering every single week a question about bad behavior by another dude.” Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) said on ABC News that “if the allegations are true, they are disturbing. End of the day, though, Maine voters are going to decide this.”
Voters at Platner’s campaign events appeared largely unfazed. Jessica Butts, a 48-year-old Portland resident who works in the medical field, told the Journal: “I believe he has grown.” Connor Start, 18, a construction worker, said he had no concerns about the controversies and noted that some of the online posts were from more than a decade ago. “I’d like to believe that I’m a different person than I was when I was 5 years old,” he said, according to the Journal.
Aiden Grant, a 31-year-old student who moved to Maine from Texas, told the Guardian: “He actually cares about the Maine people and cares about the rights of minorities. I’m disabled and I’m queer so those are quite important for me.” Grant added that Platner “doesn’t try to hide it, which I value because everyone makes mistakes but, if you’re gonna fuck up, you’d better own it.”
Outside the Democratic tent, some voters remained unconvinced. Adam Jones, a 44-year-old farmer, told the Guardian: “I don’t think the man has the character befitting somebody to take public office.” Jones said he had overcome heroin addiction himself but questioned whether Platner had truly changed. “There has not been enough time to prove that he has actually changed,” Jones said.
Platner’s general election campaign is expected to emphasize his populist economic message — a pro-labor, Medicare-for-all agenda built around criticism of income inequality, soaring housing costs, and a healthcare system that many rural residents say has abandoned them. He has drawn support from independents and working-class voters who have drifted from Democrats in recent years.
At Platner’s primary-night watch party in a YMCA gym in Blue Hill, Maine, state Rep. Valli Geiger told the crowd: “I am so grateful that we refused to allow people who are oligarchs, people who are the press from all over the country to decide for us who we’re voting for and what we believe in. We don’t buy it. We’re here and I know, and they know, that Graham is the match that strikes the movement.”
Collins, who ran unopposed in her primary, has held her seat for three decades and repeatedly fended off Democratic challengers. She has aligned more closely with former President Donald Trump in recent years and played a central role in confirming his nominees, according to the BBC. Collins voted to convict Trump during his second impeachment trial in 2021. Strategists said that a favorable national environment and growing dissatisfaction with Republicans could make this her most difficult reelection campaign.