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By Khaleda Rahman
National Correspondent
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Graham Platner's campaign for U.S. Senate in Maine has been powered by a striking advantage among women, according to two recent polls. But reports about the leading Democratic candidate's history with women could derail his party's chances of unseating Republican Senator Susan Collins and taking back the Senate in November.
On Thursday, The New York Times reported on Platner's relationships with previous girlfriends, some of whom viewed him positively and others who described him as sometimes insulting, volatile or unfaithful.
One woman said Platner twisted her arm during an argument and locked her in a room. Platner has denied the allegations, saying they are "simply not true" and calling them "politically motivated."
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Platner, an oyster farmer and Marine veteran, was already facing scrutiny over reports that he sent sexually explicit text messages to several women while married.
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Why It Matters
Platner is key to the Democratic Party's hopes of reclaiming the Senate in November, with Collins defending a seat in a state that Democrats carried by almost 7 points in the last presidential election. Without Maine, Democrats' path to a majority would have to run through much redder states.
Women voters have historically been a swing bloc for Collins, but the five-term senator has managed to fend off Democratic challengers in the past by winning over independents and maintaining meaningful support among Democrats, particularly women.
Platner's double-digit strength with women signaled the group was a winning coalition for him and a real vulnerability for the incumbent. However, damaging stories about him could erode that support, and he may become a liability that threatens Democrats' midterm chances.
What Polls Show About Platner's Edge With Women
Platner held a double-digit advantage with women voters in two recent polls.
A poll by the University of Massachusetts at Lowell and YouGov, released on Thursday, gave Platner a 5-point lead over Collins. The survey also found that 54 percent of women supported him, while 35 percent backed the incumbent.
Conducted among 650 likely Maine voters between May 13 and 26, the poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points.
Last week, the University of New Hampshire's Pine Tree State Poll found Platner leading Collins by 9 percentage points. The poll also gave him a significant lead with women, with 56 percent supporting Platner and 36 percent backing Collins.
The poll surveyed 1,397 Maine residents online between May 21 and 25, and it had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percent.
Platner's Advantage Under Threat
Platner's campaign has already weathered scandals, including over a since-covered tattoo of a Nazi symbol and years of offensive social media posts.
But the latest reports bring uncertainty into the race at a crucial moment, with the primary election scheduled for June 9. While the impact remains unclear, early signals—including shifts in prediction markets—suggest Platner's support among women may be slipping.
If the Democrat's standing with women erodes, even modestly, it could fundamentally reshape the race, given his path to victory relies on consolidating and expanding support in that demographic. The same voters who abandoned Collins could now be reassessing their options and provide her with a path to victory in November.
Costas Panagopoulos, a political science professor at Northeastern University, said the allegations against Platner could be enough to affect the outcome of the race.
"These allegations can be very damaging, especially for female voters," he told Newsweek. "Polls suggest this has always been a tight race, and in such cases, any such revelations can be sufficient to affect the outcome."
"It's unclear how this will play out, but it puts Platner on the defensive and will likely distract him from his message and his policy priorities," Panagopoulos continued. "It's a serious matter, and he should take it seriously as a candidate."
Prominent supporters standing by Platner could also prove damaging, since it undermines attacks on President Donald Trump and other Republicans, according to Grant Davis Reeher, a political science professor at Syracuse University.
"Democrats have been tying themselves in logical knots to remain actively supportive of Platner's campaign, and his baggage cuts against some of the main points of personal criticism of President Trump," Reeher told Newsweek.
"Combine this with the redistricting hypocrisy, and it's hard for the party to maintain meaningful distance between themselves and Republicans on the personal decency and pro-democracy fronts," he added.
What To Watch Out For
There has been no new polling since The New York Times published its report about Platner, so it remains to be seen whether his advantage with women will hold.
However, prediction markets have already reacted sharply, signaling increased uncertainty about the race. Still, the more telling indicators will be the next round of polls. If Platner retains a significant margin with women in polling, Democrats may still have a strong path to unseating Collins.
Platner's performance in Tuesday's primary will also serve as an indicator. He is on the ballot along with David Costello, a former Maryland Department of the Environment official, and Maine Governor Janet Mills, who dropped her bid for the Senate in April.
What Controversies Has Platner Faced?
Platner has apologized for past social media posts that were dismissive of sexual assault and disparaging of rural white residents, which he attributed to years of depression and isolation following his combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In October, he covered up a skull and crossbones tattoo that his campaign acknowledged bore a Nazi association. Platner said he got the tattoo with fellow Marines while on leave in Croatia, and that he had it for 17 years without it flagging on two security clearance screenings. He lost top campaign staff amid the controversies.
More recently, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times reported that Platner's wife had told a senior campaign aide that he sent sexually explicit messages to multiple women during their marriage.
A campaign official confirmed to Newsweek that the texts existed but said Platner objected to the "sensationalization" of the coverage.
The Times' report on Thursday included allegations from Lyndsey Fifield, a conservative activist who said she dated Platner for about two years beginning in 2013. According to the report, she said Platner repeatedly grabbed her hard enough to leave marks, pulled her from a cab by the wrist and in one incident, twisted her arm behind her back and held her in a room.
Fifield told the Times that Platner never hit or punched her, but that the incidents left her shaken and afraid. The Times said it could not independently corroborate her account of the alleged incidents.
In a series of social media posts, Fifield has since criticized the Times' report, questioning how her claims were presented and saying key details were omitted.
Another woman, Jenny Racicot, who said she dated Platner on and off between 2019 and 2021, also told the Times about behavior that upset her. She said Platner once came to her house drunk in 2021 after she had asked him not to come over. Racicot, a Maine Democrat, said his behavior was "reckless" and "unsettling."
The Times also reported that several former partners described Platner positively, with one calling him a "gentle giant."
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