Women romantically linked to Platner describe ‘toxic,’ ‘unsettling’ conduct: New York Times

Several women who were romantically involved with Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner described their relationships to The New York Times as “unsettling” and “toxic” — the latest scandal to rock his campaign for a seat long coveted by Democrats. 

Platner has faced a growing heap of scrutiny over his past, including recent reports that the candidate sent sexually explicit text messages to multiple women earlier in his marriage. He’s also drawn criticism for a since covered-up tattoo that resembled a Nazi symbol and a trove of now-deleted Reddit posts with controversial comments about Black people and sexual assault. 

The progressive oyster farmer is running to oust incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Maine, where Democrats see a rare opening in the race that’s key to taking control of the Senate in the midterms. 

But the new report from The New York Times, citing interviews with multiple women who had been romantically involved with Platner at different points in his life, adds more controversial claims to the pile ahead of the June 9 primary. 

Lyndsey Fifield, a Virginia conservative who reportedly dated Platner from 2013 to 2015, said Platner would discuss violence and could be rough with her, though she clarified that he did not hit or punch her. The newspaper also noted it could not independently verify the claims around roughness.

“He said this a lot: ‘If anybody ever broke in here, I would rape them,'” Fifield told The New York Times, referring to a hypothetical home invasion.

Platner’s campaign did not dispute those........

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