In the face of recent revelations about sexually explicit text exchanges by Senate candidate Graham Platner, Senator Bernie Sanders has come to his defense. Platner, who is backed by Sanders in his campaign to unseat Republican Senator Susan Collins in Maine, faces criticism after reports emerged about texts sent early in his marriage.

Sanders emphasized that there are larger issues affecting working families, such as housing and healthcare costs, that deserve more attention than Platner’s past personal matters. He stated, ‘We got a housing crisis. People can’t afford healthcare, they can’t afford groceries, they can’t afford to fill up their gas tanks. And I think it’s important for us to focus on the issues facing working families a little bit more than Graham Platner’s marriage.’

Platner’s wife, Amy Gertner, has openly addressed the situation. In a video released by the campaign, she expressed frustration over the focus on her husband’s personal life, urging the electorate to consider the issues Platner is campaigning on. Her support remains, despite being ‘really angry’ about the surfacing of these reports.

Amy and I went through something hard — because of me, Platner acknowledged in a statement. We did the work, and I’m grateful for her every hour of every day.

Platner’s revelations came to light during discussions of potential opposition research and were confirmed by his campaign. Despite acknowledging mistakes, Platner aims to move beyond these personal controversies, emphasizing his campaign’s focus on addressing policy issues important to Maine residents.

Senator Ruben Gallego also expressed support for Platner, highlighting Platner’s honesty and growth throughout personal challenges. According to Gallego, voters are more concerned with immediate economic issues than past indiscretions.

Further backing Platner, Senator Martin Heinrich described the reports as a ‘tabloid story’ with little relevance to Maine voters, focusing instead on economic challenges in the region.

Platner, who has received endorsements from other progressives like Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Ro Khanna, has previously faced backlash from resurfaced Reddit posts and a controversial tattoo which he has since addressed.

Despite these challenges, Platner remains a strong candidate within the party, with polling favoring him among Democratic voters. However, Democratic Governor Janet Mills has clarified that, although she suspended her active campaign, she remains on the ballot for the upcoming elections.

Senator Collins commented briefly, stating that the ongoing revelations raise questions about Platner’s character.