Graham Platner may be the presumptive Democratic nominee to take on Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in November, but Senate Democrats are keeping the progressive insurgent at arm’s length amid a new extramarital sexting scandal.Platner, who has already weathered scrutiny over past racist and sexist Reddit posts and for having a tattoo of a Nazi symbol, is now embroiled in a controversy involving alleged sexual messages texted to women other than his wife. Yet, few of Platner’s potential colleagues within the Senate Democratic Caucus are coming to his defense amid the new revelations.“I’ve been very busy in New Jersey with this crisis I’m having right now,” said Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ), referencing a hunger strike at an immigration detention facility in his home state.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) said she has not “been following the ins and outs” and will “work with whoever the state of Maine elects.” Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), a former vice presidential nominee, said he is simply “staying out of it.”
“If you want to ask me about it, you can ask me after the dust has settled from the primary next week,” Kaine said, noting there are also lesser-known Democratic candidates on the ballot.
Sen. Angus King (I-ME), an independent who caucuses with Democrats, does not “get involved in any campaigns involving a sitting colleague.” King, who works with Collins as part of the Maine delegation, would be in a similar position were Platner to win in November.
