“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 — and I am deeply hurt by her betrayal and the invasion of our privacy.”
Fresh turmoil is hitting Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner after his wife said she was “deeply hurt” by revelations tied to alleged extramarital sexting, while also accusing a former campaign official of breaching her trust.
The comments came Saturday as reporting from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal described claims that, shortly after Platner launched his Senate bid last year, his wife, Amy Gertner, raised concerns internally about sexual text messages allegedly exchanged between her husband and other women.
“I know who Graham is,” Gertner said in a statement delivered through Platner’s campaign. “I know the man I married and the husband he has been to me on the best and the worst days of my life. That hasn’t changed, and it won’t.”
https://twitter.com/grahamformaine/status/2060870067189932409
In the same statement, Gertner also addressed her interactions with campaign staff, saying she had shared private marital information in confidence.
“I confided deeply personal details about my marriage to someone I considered a friend,” Gertner’s statement 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 — and I am deeply hurt by her betrayal and the invasion of our privacy,” she said.
Former campaign political director Genevieve McDonald confirmed to CNN that Gertner had previously disclosed concerns about alleged sexting involving multiple women and that the campaign assessed the situation as a potential political liability.
CNN reported it has not independently verified the existence of the alleged text messages. The network did confirm that an account on the Kik messaging platform appears to be linked to Platner, using the username “phustle0331” and a profile image showing him shirtless in a bathroom with a towel around his waist.
According to earlier reporting cited by The New York Times, Gertner flagged the alleged messages during the campaign’s internal vetting process in 2025, after Platner entered the race to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
Platner, a Marine Corps veteran with no prior political experience, has faced sustained scrutiny since entering the race, especially for his chest tattoo of a Nazi symbol.
Libby’s Desk
Commentary and must-reads from Libby’s desk, straight to your inbox.
TPM Newsletter
The Post Millennial’s top stories, delivered to your inbox.
