In an Uber to New York City from my suburban home one morning a few weeks ago, I read and reread bombshell reporting from The New York Times that was both familiar and shocking: yet another man in politics accused of sexual misconduct. Just a few weeks earlier it had been Eric Swalwell, a Democratic congressman and candidate for California governor. This time it was a novice politician and national sensation running for the U.S. Senate in Maine, Graham Platner.
That day I was slated for the 9 a.m. hour on “Morning Joe,” where I have regularly appeared for many years, often addressing gender issues. The more I read about the allegations against Platner — who had previously drawn scrutiny for having a Nazi-linked tattoo and was now being accused of sending sexually explicit texts to multiple women while he was married — the more concerned I became. I’m a Democrat but I feel strongly about calling out bad behavior regardless of party. Plus, if this guy was the Democrats’ best hope for flipping the Senate, the odds looked less promising by the minute. I said so on TV that morning.
Two days later, as more stories emerged — including a follow-up piece in the Times that alleged more troubling behavior by Platner toward women — I picked up my phone and recorded an Instagram reel. Platner should leave the Senate race, I said. Maine Gov. Janet Mills remained on the ballot, though she had suspended campaigning. The primary was still a few days away. Too much was at stake for Democrats to get behind someone with so many skeletons emerging from his closet. I uploaded my post and went to bed.