Graham Platner’s wife said she is “angry” and “disappointed” over reports that she told his campaign about his explicit texts to other women

Amy Gertner, the wife of Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner, has publicly responded to reports that she told her husband’s campaign about his history of sending sexually explicit text messages to other women. In a video released by the campaign, Gertner spoke directly about the situation and her feelings about how it has been handled publicly.

“It makes me really angry, disappointed,” Gertner said in the video, according to NBC News. “And I find it really shameful that there’s a group of media outlets and people who are willing to spread gossip instead of talking about real issues that Graham is running on.”

The reports about the text messages came after information emerged that Gertner had disclosed the behavior to campaign officials last year, reportedly during a conversation in which the campaign was reviewing potential opposition research. The campaign has confirmed that Platner did send such messages during the early part of their marriage.

Gertner says a former friend broke her trust by sharing private details about her marriage

In a separate written statement, Gertner said that a person she had previously considered a friend violated her trust by sharing personal information about her marriage. “I confided deeply personal details about my marriage to someone I considered a friend,” she wrote. “In the months since, I have had to watch as she spread malicious gossip to anyone who would take her call.”

Graham Platner also released a statement addressing the matter. He acknowledged that the early part of his marriage was difficult and credited both himself and his wife for working through it. “Amy and I went through something hard – because of me,” he said. 

“We did the work, and I’m grateful for her every hour of every day.” Platner has previously spoken about taxing the wealthy and taking on billionaire influence as central themes of his Senate campaign. Platner’s campaign has faced several other controversies since it launched last year.

These include the discovery of past Reddit posts in which he made comments about military sexual assault victims and rural populations, as well as a tattoo that was associated with Nazi imagery, which he later had covered. CNN was among the outlets that traced Platner’s deleted Reddit posts back to him after he removed them before launching his campaign.

The campaign has also faced scrutiny over an old Kik account, a platform known for anonymous messaging. A campaign spokesperson confirmed the account belonged to Platner but said the app had been deleted and the account had not been used in years.

Despite these issues, Platner has kept the support of several prominent national political figures. Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and Representative Ro Khanna have all endorsed him. Following the recent reports, Representative Khanna reaffirmed his support and confirmed plans to join Platner at a campaign event on June 5.

In the video, Gertner also spoke about the personal pressures the couple has been navigating, including a recent marriage, infertility treatments, and the demands of running a political campaign. The couple married in 2023 and has spoken openly about undergoing in vitro fertilization, including traveling to Norway for treatment. Gertner described her husband as a dynamic and wonderful person and expressed her continued commitment to him.

Platner is running for the Senate seat currently held by Republican Susan Collins. He has framed his campaign around issues he says affect everyday people in Maine, including paychecks, hospitals, and support for families, and has positioned himself as an alternative to what he characterizes as the broken politics of the past.