Platner leads Collins in Maine U.S. Senate race despite controversies

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(The Center Square) – Democrat and oyster farmer Graham Platner continues to out-poll incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, despite mounting controversies about his treatment of women, fellow war veterans, and a now-covered tattoo that resembled a Nazi symbol.

Platner became the presumptive Democratic nominee in April after Gov. Janet Mills dropped out of the race, citing lackluster fundraising.

As of Friday, the RealClear Polling average for a November match-up between Platner and Collins shows him 7.4% ahead of the five-term senator, whose moderate voting record has made her a prime target for Democrats hoping to tip the balance of power back in their favor.

Embraced by the party’s progressive wing, the Senate Majority PAC announced in late May that it plans to spend $31.4 million on TV ads backing Platner’s bid to unseat Collins. And the funding has remained, even amid a New York Times report that alleges Platner mistreated three former girlfriends.

“Throughout this campaign, I’ve been open about what was a very dark period of my life where I struggled with undiagnosed PTSD, too often self medicated with alcohol, and was a far from perfect boyfriend,” he said in a statement to the New York Times. “I take responsibility for all of that, and wish I had been better. Any characterization beyond that is false, and I believe, politically motivated. I’m not proud of who I was then, but I am proud of the work I’ve done since, and the movement we are building in Maine.”

The Center Square has not independently confirmed the New York Times report.

The Maine race is being watched by national political observers as Democrats push to retake the U.S. Senate – where Republicans currently have a 53-47 majority – in the midterms. Both the Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball have listed the Maine Senate race as a toss-up.

Chris Wade and Andrew Rice contributed to this report.