Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) acknowledged Sunday that the controversies surrounding Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner could undermine Democratic efforts to capture the seat, saying the candidate “has questions to answer.”
Appearing on ABC’s “This Week,” Booker was pressed by host Jonathan Karl on whether the string of controversies—including reports that Platner shared sexually explicit messages with multiple women—might endanger the party’s prospects in Maine. “Yes, I have concerns,” Booker replied. “That guy has questions to answer. And that’s what campaigns are for.”
Booker, however, quickly pivoted to the broader stakes of the midterm elections, arguing that without Democratic control of both chambers, “we will continue to have an out-of-control president.” He highlighted the struggles of New Jersey residents facing rising health care costs and difficulty affording gas and child care, framing the Senate race as part of a larger fight for working families.
The reports, published Saturday by The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, detail how Platner’s wife, Amy Gertner, told a former senior campaign staffer, Genevieve McDonald, about sexually explicit messages she had found on her husband’s phone early in their marriage. Gertner reportedly expressed concern that the messages could become a political liability. Campaign staff at the time viewed the matter as private and suggested the couple seek counseling.
The accounts differ on the scope of the communications. McDonald told the Times the messages were sent to as many as a dozen women, while a current campaign official put the number at around six.
Platner’s strategist, Morris Katz, dismissed the allegations on X, writing that what happened in the candidate’s marriage is “no one’s f—ing business.” He accused the former aide of violating privacy and betraying trust for political gain. Gertner herself accused McDonald of spreading “malicious gossip.”
This is not the first public relations crisis for Platner, an oyster farmer who leads incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) by nine points in a recent University of New Hampshire poll. Earlier, he faced backlash for past Reddit posts in which he called himself a “communist,” referred to police as “bastards,” and described rural white Americans as racist and stupid. He also drew fire for a chest tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, which he later covered up after initially disavowing it.
The tattoo controversy has divided Democrats. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), who is running his own Senate campaign, praised Platner for taking responsibility. But Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) called the tattoo “disqualifying.” Moulton’s backing of Platner highlights the party’s internal tensions as it seeks to unseat Collins in a state that has trended Democratic in recent years.
The latest polling shows Platner with a 9-point lead over Collins, suggesting the race remains competitive despite the controversies. But with Booker’s public expression of concern, and the ongoing fallout from the explicit messages, Democratic strategists are watching closely to see whether the candidate can weather the storm. The UNH poll underscores Platner’s strength, but the coming weeks will test whether his campaign can maintain momentum amid the turmoil.
