Democrats are hell-bent on flawed Platner. It may hand GOP a win. | Opinion

Keeping track of the scandals surrounding Maine U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner is like playing whack-a-mole.

They keep popping up.

Do Democrats care? Nope.

Maine's Senate primary is June 9, and Democrats are hoping to oust longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November – a race they consider vital to regaining control of the chamber.

Platner, an oyster farmer and veteran, is the heavy favorite to win the primary. He's so dominant that Democratic Gov. Janet Mills suspended her campaign in late April, though her name will remain on the ballot.

What's curious is that Democrats inside and outside Maine seem focused on one goal: unseating Collins. Platner's serious character flaws don't appear to matter to them at all.

The political newcomer may excite the Democratic base now, baggage and all. But if they choose him, they could be handing Republicans a gift.

Sexting scandal latest revelation for Platner 

Recent reports revealed that Platner sent sexually explicit messages to several women. His wife, Amy Gertner, discovered the messages in 2025 and alerted his campaign, though she allegedly hadn't wanted the story to go public. The two were married in 2023.

The couple says they have worked on their marriage. But Platner having his wife record a video about the messages after the news broke was off-putting. She's been through enough.

All marriages have rough patches. But Platner's bad decision-making is a pattern, and one that should give voters pause. The sexting comes on top of a Nazi tattoo he’d had for decades – covered up only after the media took notice – along with offensive Reddit posts and his own self-description as a "communist."

Sexual indiscretion can have severe consequences. Several members of Congress have resigned in recent months after their own bad behavior came to light.

Who knows what else will surface between now and November.

Democrats are standing by their man, no matter what

Democrats don't seem worried.

Take U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont. When asked June 1 about the latest scandal, he shrugged it off.

"Why would I not?" Sanders said about still supporting Platner.

Former Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau dismissed the extramarital sexting on social media, writing that "other factors in the race will have more of a direct impact on your life."

Writer and women's rights advocate Jill Filipovic acknowledged Platner's problems and pattern of bad decision-making, but concluded that they aren't "disqualifying for a senate seat."

Sunny Hostin, a progressive cohost of "The View," called Platner "a liar, a racist, an antisemite" on June 1 – and said she supports him anyway, because she wants Democrats in the majority.

Republicans are making their own risky bets. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who won the GOP Senate primary runoff over incumbent John Cornyn last week with President Donald Trump's backing, brings a checkered past that has put a safe Republican seat in play.

But Democrats have made their calculation: Win at all costs. Ignoring that kind of character record, however, is the sort of gamble that tends to catch up with you.

Ingrid Jacques is a columnist at USA TODAY. Contact her at [email protected] or on X: @Ingrid_Jacques