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Graham Platner, Maine\u2019s presumptive Democratic nominee for Senate, defended himself Friday night against a new set of allegations from a New York Times<\/a> report this week in which multiple women accused him of disturbing behavior and creating \u201ctoxic\u201d relationships\u2014telling supporters at a rally that his past was being \u201cweaponized\u201d against him just days after he and his wife dismissed separate reports he sexted other women while married.<\/p>\n Platner is the presumptive Democratic nominee for the Senate race in Maine (Photo by Joe Raedle\/Getty Images).<\/p>\n Getty ImagesKey Facts<\/p>\n Platner said, \u201cevery single piece of that past and journey gets dug up, litigated, and weaponized, you have my back.\u201d<\/p>\n Platner asked his wife, Amy Gertner, to stand during his rally, with supporters giving her a standing ovation as they chanted her name.<\/p>\n Some of the women interviewed by the Times described Platner as fun, caring and safe to be around, though others detailed \u201ctoxic\u201d relationships they had with him.<\/p>\n Lyndsey Fifield, 40, who said she dated Platner from 2013 to 2015, told the Times that Platner was \u201ccavalierly contemptuous of women\u2019s emotions, of our \u2018weakness.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Fifield also accused Platner of being rough with her while he drank, clarifying to the Times she was never struck by him but was regularly grabbed by the shoulders.<\/p>\n Jenny Racicot, 41, who said she dated Platner between 2019 and 2021, referenced controversial online posts he made in the past about sexual assault and rural white Americans, saying she \u201crecognized a version of him that I had experiences with.\u201d<\/p>\n Forbes has reached out to Platner\u2019s campaign, which told the Times he \u201cstrongly disputes\u201d claims of physical intimidation or altercations\u2014though it did not dispute the claims around his remarks.<\/p>\n The Times noted it could not independently corroborate Fifield\u2019s claims regarding physical contact.<\/p>\n Platner\u2019s Initial Response To The New Allegations<\/p>\n In an MS NOW interview, Platner was confronted with the latest allegations and he said they were not true. After interviewer Chris Hayes read out a snippet from the article, the Democratic candidate responded: \u201cThere are some allegations in this piece that I just want to be kind of unequivocal about, are simply not true. Anything alleging physicality, anything alleging that I knew what my tattoo was, these are the statements of someone who\u2019s politically motivated.\u201d Platner noted that the reporting about him \u201cstruggling, not being a good boyfriend, certainly self-medicating with alcohol,\u201d is something he\u2019s been \u201cvery up front since the beginning of this campaign that that was a pretty dark period of my life after I came back from my combat service.\u201d He added there are things in the article he \u201cabsolutely will take responsibility for\u2026But those serious allegations are just not true.\u201d<\/p>\n What Do We Know About Platner\u2019s Sexting Scandal?<\/p>\n Last weekend, The Wall Street Journal<\/a> and The New York Times<\/a>, reported that Gertner, told his Senate campaign last year about sexually explicit texts he sent to several women to ensure they didn\u2019t impact his campaign. Former Maine state legislator Genevieve McDonald, who also served as the Platner campaign\u2019s political director until October last year, told the Times that Gertner reached out to her before a rally with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., to inform her about the texts he sent to as many as a dozen women. McDonald also told the Times the Senate is \u201cnot a training ground for redemption,\u201d and instead a \u201cplace for proven leaders with moral clarity and integrity.\u201d<\/p>\n How did Platner and his campaign respond to the sexting scandal?<\/p>\n After a campaign event on Sunday, Platner was asked about the reports and said he wasn\u2019t surprised that \u201cestablishment media outlets\u201d were running \u201cgossip\u201d instead of issues that \u201cactually matter in this race.\u201d The Democratic candidate, who was standing with his wife, accused the Times and the Journal of \u201cjournalistic malpractice\u201d and claimed that they ran stories without any evidence \u201cbesides the gossip from a former staffer\u201d He added: \u201cI\u2019m confirming that what Genevieve McDonald said in the New York Times is not true.\u201d His campaign also released a video statement from Gertner in which the Democratic candidate\u2019s wife said she was \u201creally angry, disappointed\u201d that her disclosure was made public and she \u201c[finds] it really shameful that there\u2019s a group of media outlets and people who are willing to spread gossip instead of talking about real issues that Graham is running on.\u201d<\/p>\n How have betting markets reacted to Platner\u2019s scandals?<\/p>\n Platner\u2019s odds of winning Maine\u2019s Senate race against Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins have plummeted this week on election betting markets. Bettors on Kalshi predict the race is now a toss up with the Democratic candidate\u2019s odds falling from 72% last month to 54% early on Saturday. On the crypto betting platform Polymarket, Platner\u2019s odds have a similar drop, falling from 78% in on May 23 to 60% as of early Saturday.<\/p>\n Crucial Quote<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s be very clear: This is a lifelong G.O.P. operative who\u2019s dedicated her career to electing Republicans.\u201d Platner\u2019s campaign told the Times about Fifield, who has worked for Republican campaigns in Virginia.<\/p>\n WHAT TO WATCH FOR<\/p>\n Maine\u2019s primaries are June 9.<\/p>\n Further Reading<\/p>\n