Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) on Sunday urged Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner to disprove what Warner called “disturbing” allegations of emotional abuse of ex-girlfriends.
Speaking with ABC’s This Week, Warner was asked about allegations brought by former partners of Platner that accuse the Democratic candidate of emotional abuse and volatile, toxic behavior that were published by the New York Times on Thursday.
“If the allegations are true, they are disturbing,” Warner said.
When asked if Platner was handling the allegations brought against him correctly by denying them, calling them “politically motivated,” and pointed to his struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of his time as a Marine.
Warner compared the situation with Platner to President Donald Trump’s first presidential campaign when recordings surfaced of the president saying “very disparaging” things, the Virginia senator said.
“This whole realm changed dramatically when Donald Trump ran his first time, was caught on tape saying extraordinarily dispiriting things,” Warner said. “That seemed not to stop Trump getting elected.”
As for Platner, he encouraged the candidate to refute the allegations against him.
“I don’t know Mr. Platner, I’ve never met him,” Warner said. “I would just say this: The allegations are made. I think you ought to have at least some attempt to … disprove them, if that’s the case.”
Warner said that Maine voters will ultimately decide if the allegations against Platner and his past controversies bar him from serving as one of the state’s senators.
FOUR SCANDALS MAINE SENATE CANDIDATE GRAHAM PLATNER IS FACING
Democrats are focused on taking back control of the Senate, and defeating incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) is pivotal to that mission. Party leaders initially backed Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME) in the primary, but her withdrawal from the race led Democrats to stand with scandal-plagued Platner.
Platner has the backing of progressives such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), who have stuck with him and his candidacy throughout each controversy ahead of the June 9 primary. Other prominent Democrats, such as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), have taken a weaker stance, instead focusing on ousting Collins to take back the Senate.