US Senator Cory Booker has voiced concerns about Democratic candidate Graham Platner's campaign for the US Senate in Maine, following revelations that Platner sent sexually explicit messages to other women while married. In an interview on ABC's This Week, Booker stated, "Yes, I have concerns. That guy has questions to answer – and that's what campaigns are for."
Booker Emphasizes Stakes in Midterm Elections
Booker highlighted the importance of Democrats winning control of the US House and Senate in the November midterm elections, which fall midway through Donald Trump's second presidency. He warned that without Democratic majorities, the country would continue to face challenges such as rising prices and the unresolved conflict in Iran. "So much is riding on Democrats taking control," Booker said. "If we do not get the votes necessary to take care of the House and the Senate, we will continue to have an out-of-control president."
Leaked Texts and Campaign Fallout
The New York Times and Wall Street Journal reported that Amy Gertner, Platner's wife, discovered sexually explicit text messages on her husband's phone in spring 2025. She shared them with Genevieve McDonald, the campaign's political director at the time. McDonald later resigned in October 2025 after controversial Reddit posts by Platner from 2009 to 2021 surfaced, along with reports of a Nazi symbol tattoo. McDonald stated, "The United States Senate is not a training ground for redemption. It is a place for proven leaders with moral clarity and integrity."
Gertner criticized the leak, noting that she and Platner sought marriage counseling after she found the texts. "I confided deeply personal details about my marriage to someone I considered a friend," she said. "I trusted this person with the most private chapter of our lives – the early days of our marriage before any campaign was on our mind."
Primary and General Election Outlook
Platner is the presumptive Democratic nominee ahead of the 9 June party primary. He is set to face Republican US Senator Susan Collins in the November general election. Maine Governor Janet Mills, another Democratic contender, dropped out of the race in April.
