Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., said Sunday that Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner has “questions to answer” after reports surfaced involving sexually explicit text messages Platner allegedly exchanged with multiple women during his marriage, as reported by Trending Politics News.

Platner, a 41-year-old oyster farmer and veteran, has been described as a rising figure on the progressive left while running for the Democratic nomination in Maine’s U.S. Senate race. The primary is scheduled for June 9.

The latest controversy centers on reports from The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times that Platner sent sexually explicit messages to several women after marrying Amy Gertner in late 2023.

Per WSJ: “Days after Graham Platner announced his Maine Senate bid, his wife informed the campaign about a potential political problem she had previously discovered on the oyster farmer’s phone: sexually explicit texts with several women…”

The shocking thing is that the texts… pic.twitter.com/nJ7aGNe87G— Steve Robinson (@SteveRob) May 30, 2026

According to those accounts, Gertner discovered the messages on Platner’s phone in spring 2025.

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Gertner then informed a senior campaign aide shortly after Platner announced his Senate campaign in 2025. That aide has since resigned after a separate controversy involving a number of sexually explicit and violent comments made by Platner on Reddit.

Platner’s campaign later confirmed the exchanges in a statement to Politico. The reported messages involved the messaging app Kik and included explicit content.

Platner's wife, Amy, had this to say:

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The new report adds to a series of controversies surrounding Platner’s campaign. Earlier issues included resurfaced Reddit posts containing crude or controversial content, along with a tattoo that Platner has since covered that resembled a Nazi symbol.

Booker addressed Platner’s candidacy during Sunday’s installment of ABC’s “This Week,” where he stopped short of endorsing the Maine Democrat or saying whether he would campaign for him.

“Yeah, I have concerns. That guy has questions to answer, and that’s what campaigns are for,” Booker said.

Booker then turned to the broader issue of Senate control, but his remarks showed some distance from Platner as the Maine primary nears.

Other Democratic leaders have also avoided detailed comments about the controversies surrounding Platner.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., have largely deflected or declined to directly address the details when questioned by reporters in recent weeks.

Despite the scandals, Platner remains the overwhelming favorite to win the Maine Democratic primary. His position strengthened after Maine Gov. Janet Mills suspended her campaign, leaving him with a clearer path to the nomination.

The general election picture is less settled. Platner is seeking to take on longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins, and the seat has been viewed as a major pickup opportunity for Democrats.

The controversies have affected perceptions of Platner’s chances beyond the primary. On Polymarket, his odds reportedly fell from approximately 78 percent earlier this month to lower levels in the days that followed. Similar movement was seen on Kalshi.

Public polling still shows Platner leading Collins in some surveys. A recent University of New Hampshire poll showed Platner ahead 51%-42%.

The questions now facing Platner come less than two weeks before Maine Democrats choose their Senate nominee.

With Booker publicly acknowledging concerns and other party leaders keeping their distance, the race has turned into another headache for Democrats trying to flip a Republican-held seat.

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