Maine Democrat Graham Platner seeks the Senate nomination Tuesday amid late controversies, while primaries in three other states set up major November races.
Graham Platner is seeking to secure Maine’s Democratic Senate nomination Tuesday, a pivotal step toward a November contest with Republican Sen. Susan Collins that Democrats view as one of their best chances to gain ground in the Senate.
Maine is one of four states holding primaries Tuesday, along with South Carolina, Nevada and North Dakota. The Maine Senate race has drawn the sharpest national attention because Collins is a long-serving Republican incumbent in a state Vice President Kamala Harris carried in 2024, and the nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the race a toss-up.
Platner, 41, a military veteran and oyster farmer, has built support among Maine Democrats by running as a working-class, anti-establishment candidate focused on challenging what he calls the billionaire class. But the primary also comes after a series of personal controversies and newly reported allegations that have raised questions about whether those issues could affect Democratic support in the general election.
The Wall Street Journal reported just over a week before the primary that Platner’s wife told his campaign he had sent sexually explicit text messages to other women soon after they married in 2023. The New York Times later reported allegations of unsettling behavior toward some women he dated, including one who described him as toxic and abusive, particularly when he had been drinking. Platner has denied physical abuse, suggested the allegations are politically motivated and acknowledged struggles with PTSD and alcohol during what he described as a dark period in his life.
Those reports followed earlier controversies over past online comments and a tattoo from his time in the Marines that is widely recognized as a Nazi symbol. Platner has apologized for the posts and covered the tattoo.
Still, Platner entered Tuesday as the overwhelming favorite for the Democratic nomination after Gov. Janet Mills ended her campaign in April. Mills, who was recruited and initially supported by national Democrats, remains on the ballot, as does David Costello. Collins is unopposed in the Republican primary.
Platner has also retained support from prominent progressive allies, including Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an independent who caucuses with Democrats. Rep. Ro Khanna of California said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” that Platner’s conduct should be acknowledged as wrong but argued the race should move back to issues including war and economic power, while adding that evidence of violence or sexual assault would change his support.
The contest is being watched as a test of whether Democratic voters prioritize Platner’s insurgent message and perceived strength against Collins over the late questions about his personal history. Collins, who has served in the Senate since 1997 and chairs the Appropriations Committee, has survived difficult reelection fights before, including in 2020 when Joe Biden carried Maine.
In Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, four Democrats are competing to replace retiring Democratic Rep. Jared Golden. The winner will face former Republican Gov. Paul LePage, who is unopposed in the GOP primary, in a district Donald Trump has carried in the past three presidential elections. The Cook Political Report rates the race likely Republican.
Maine voters are also choosing nominees for governor as Mills leaves office because of term limits. The state uses ranked-choice voting, and both major-party contests feature crowded fields. State Sen. Richard Bennett has qualified for the November ballot as an independent, setting up at least a three-way general election.
In South Carolina, Republicans are choosing among several candidates to replace term-limited Gov. Henry McMaster. Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette has Trump’s endorsement, while Attorney General Alan Wilson, Rep. Nancy Mace, Rep. Ralph Norman and others are also running. If no Republican wins a majority, the top two candidates will advance to a runoff later this month. Democrats are also holding a gubernatorial primary, though the state has not elected a Democrat statewide since 2000.
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham faces Republican primary challengers as he seeks a fifth term, but none are expected to dislodge him from the seat he has held since 2003. Democrats Annie Andrews, Brandon Brown and Kyle Freeman are competing for their party’s nomination.
In Nevada, Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo is expected to move through his primary, while Democrats Aaron Ford and Alexis Hill are competing for the chance to face him in November. Nevada’s governor’s race is a key Democratic target after the state backed Trump in 2024 and as voters continue to weigh economic concerns in a tourism-dependent state.
North Dakota’s main statewide federal contest is for its lone House seat, where Republican Rep. Julie Fedorchak is seeking a second term and faces a primary challenger. Democrat Trygve Hammer, who lost to Fedorchak in 2024, is unopposed Tuesday.
The first results Tuesday night will begin to show whether Platner’s Democratic support in Maine remains intact and which candidates emerge from the other primaries to shape the fall campaign.
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