Graham Platner abruptly postpones town halls in Gorham, Sanford
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner speaks during a primary election night watch party after winning the Democratic nomination Tuesday, June 9, 2026, in Blue Hill, Maine. (Robert F. Bukaty/Associated Press)
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Graham Platner has abruptly postponed two town hall events scheduled for Monday.
The moves come amid rampant social media speculation that a national news outlet is preparing to publish a harmful report about the political newcomer’s personal history.
Platner had been scheduled to hold town hall events in Gorham and Sanford on Monday evening. Both of those events were removed from his website on Monday morning. His campaign did not respond to questions about why.
Democrats in Gorham said on social media that Platner wasn’t feeling well. And the Sanford-Springvale Democrats posted a similar message. Both groups said their respective town halls would be rescheduled.
Platner had also been scheduled to hold a town hall Sunday in Augusta, but that event was also postponed.
Platner, a 41-year-old oyster farmer and combat veteran, was nominated by Democrats last month to take on Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, 73.
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The race is expected to be one of the most closely watched in the country. Democrats need to flip four seats to control the Senate, and Maine is one of their best opportunities. Collins is the only Senate Republican running in a state won by Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.
Platner’s schedule changes came as speculation swirled on social media about another damaging story about his past. The story was expected by some to be published by a national news outlet either Monday or Tuesday.
The candidate has weathered similar stories in the past. His grassroots movement helped push out his main rival for the Democratic Senate nomination, Gov. Janet Mills, in late April. And he won the June primary with more than 71% of the vote.
Related
A timeline of Graham Platner’s controversies during his Senate campaign
The Wall Street Journal wrote in May about Platner’s wife, Amy Gertner, flagging explicit text messages that Platner exchanged with women early in their marriage.
The New York Times then reported on Platner’s “unsettling” behavior described by some ex-girlfriends. One woman, Lindsay Fifield, a conservative who has worked for Republican groups, said Platner was physical with her; she described how he grabbed her by the wrists, shoulders and arm during arguments.
Platner has denied all accusations of physical abuse. But he has spoken about his struggles with alcohol, PTSD and depression after returning from four combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has made his healing and transformation a central part of his campaign.
Platner met with several Senate Democrats in D.C. in June and assured them than no credible allegations of assault were forthcoming, the Wall Street Journal reported.
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Tagged: election 2026, Graham Platner, senate 2026
Randy Billings is a government watchdog and political reporter who has been the State House bureau chief since 2021. He was named the Maine Press Association’s Journalist of the Year in 2020. He joined. More by Randy Billings
