Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a self-described socialist, has doubled down on his support for Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner of Maine, who has faced a string of controversies ranging from a Nazi tattoo to graphic Reddit posts describing sexual acts in porta-potties, as well as recent questions about his marriage after reports surfaced that he sent sexually explicit messages to several women early in the relationship.
Abby Phillip on CNN with a JARRING list of just some of the scandals that Graham Platner is involved in:
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) June 2, 2026
“Democrat Graham Platner reportedly shared sexually explicit messages with multiple women in the early days of his marriage. His wife flagged the texts to a campaign aide… pic.twitter.com/FchtRqODFk
Despite the mounting controversies, Sanders has shown no sign of reconsidering his support. He defended Platner while largely sidestepping the more salacious allegations, arguing that backing the candidate remains important to advancing policies aimed at helping the working class. Apparently, however, as long as a candidate aligns with Sanders' socialist politics, there is no controversy serious enough to warrant withdrawing an endorsement.
Bernie Sanders doubles down on supporting Graham Platner even after he was exposed for posting explicit pictures on an app known for being a “predator’s paradise.”pic.twitter.com/2Qt41o4klO
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 1, 2026
"Sixty percent of our people are living paycheck to paycheck. People can't afford health care, they can't afford groceries, they can't afford to fill up their gas tanks. The oligarchs are planning to spend, I believe, some $90 million in a small state like Maine to defeat Graham Platner," Sanders said. "So I think maybe we should be focusing on the important issues facing working people throughout this country, not focusing on his marriage."
"And my understanding is that his wife, Amy, who I've met, indicated they love each other. But maybe we focus on the issues facing the American people, the people of Maine, and not the marriage issues facing Graham Platner," he added.
"But is sending sexually explicit messages, is that the right person for office?" a journalist asked. "Are you at all rethinking your endorsement?"
"Oh, certainly not," Sanders replied.
In particular, Sanders appeared most concerned with the controversy surrounding Platner, especially after Platner's wife accused the media of "gossip[ing]" about an issue that she herself had initially revealed as a potential concern during her husband's campaign.
Just days ago, she posted a video criticizing the media for focusing on personal controversies rather than the issues Platner is campaigning on, while insisting that she and her husband have a "great marriage."
Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner's wife says it is shameful that the media is sharing "gossip" that she first brought to light.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 31, 2026
The statement from Amy Gertner comes after the New York Times reported that she flagged s*xually explicit texts to his campaign.
"Graham and I… pic.twitter.com/NskOCYh4XA
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