Bernie Sanders said he is standing by Graham Platner after reports about explicit text exchanges added scrutiny to the Maine Democrat’s Senate campaign.
Sen. Bernie Sanders said he is not reconsidering his endorsement of Graham Platner, the Maine Democratic Senate candidate facing new scrutiny after reports that he exchanged sexual texts with several women after marrying his wife in 2024.
Asked Monday whether he was rethinking his support, Sanders answered, “certainly not,” according to Fox News Digital’s account of his comments. The Vermont independent argued that the focus should remain on economic concerns rather than Platner’s marriage.
“Sixty percent of our people are living paycheck to paycheck. People can't afford healthcare. They can't afford groceries. They can’t afford to fill up their gas tanks,” Sanders said, according to the report. He also said wealthy interests were preparing to spend heavily in Maine to defeat Platner.
The remarks keep one of the left’s most prominent national figures firmly aligned with Platner as the candidate works through a damaging personal controversy early in his Senate bid. Fox News reported that Platner’s campaign confirmed the text exchanges to Politico after The Wall Street Journal reported that Platner’s wife, Amy Gertner, told a campaign aide about the messages when the campaign was reviewing potential vulnerabilities.
According to the Fox report, the Journal said Gertner discovered the messages months after she and Platner married in 2024. The available account does not include the content of the messages or identify the women involved.
Sanders also defended keeping the campaign focused on policy, saying his understanding was that Gertner had indicated the couple loved each other. When pressed separately by reporters Monday on whether he still supported Platner, Sanders said, “Of course,” and, “Why would I not?” according to The Associated Press, as cited in the Fox report.
Gertner publicly defended her husband’s campaign in a video posted Saturday on X, criticizing attention on what she called gossip rather than issues including health care, education and child care.
“Being newly married is hard. Being newly married and going through infertility is hard. Being newly married, going through infertility, and a Senate campaign is hard,” Gertner said in the video, according to the report.
The immediate political question is whether other allies follow Sanders’ lead or put more distance between themselves and Platner as the Maine race draws national attention.
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