Fetterman, meanwhile, laid into Platner for reportedly having an account on the messaging app Kik with the username, “phustle0331.” “Oh, phustle,” Fetterman said of Platner. “What kind of a creep? What kind of a creeper has been on … a platform like Kik, and send a dozen explicit kinds of messages and who knows what else?”

Democrats, already facing a difficult path to recapture control of the US Senate, are now grappling with the latest revelations about Platner, the presumptive Democratic nominee set to face Collins in a must-win race for the party. Platner’s wife said in a statement Saturday that she was “deeply hurt” after details of her husband’s messages to other women became public, accusing a former campaign official and confidante of betraying her trust. The statement from Platner’s wife, Amy Gertner, came after both The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal reported that shortly after Platner announced his Senate campaign last year, Gertner flagged to campaign staff sexual text messages her husband had with other women.

CNN has not independently confirmed the existence of the text messages. CNN did verify that a Kik account with the user name “phustle0331” appears to belong to Platner. It features a profile photo showing Platner shirtless in a bathroom with a towel on his waist and uses a handle similar to ones on his since-deleted Reddit account and a now-deleted Instagram account.

CNN has reached out to Platner’s campaign to request comment on Fetterman’s criticism. Platner is also not a fan of Fetterman, whom he has called the “bane of my existence.” Platner has rejected comparisons to the Pennsylvania Democrat, who ran as an everyman outsider in his 2022 Senate race.

While Fetterman stopped short of calling on Platner to drop out of the race, he praised Maine Gov. Janet Mills, who suspended her primary campaign at the end of April due to lack of sufficient funds, as an “upstanding” and “committed Democrat.” It “seems like the only thing wrong with her is she happens to be 78,” he added.

Fetterman would not say if he would back Platner if he becomes the Democratic nominee. Pressed on if he would back GOP Sen. Collins over Platner in a general election, he said, “no, no, I don’t know,” before again referring to “whatever kind of creeper stuff” that Platner does online. Fetterman told CNN that if Platner does win the seat, “we’ll all have to work together,” even if he likes “being a tough guy behind the keyboard.”

Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith told CNN, “I think that Maine voters are going to decide what they think.” “He’s been a really exciting candidate, and I think that voters are, like, not that interested in people’s text messages. They’re interested in, like, what, you know, are politicians going to actually do something to make their lives work better, and I think that’s why Graham Platner has captured the imagination of so many people in Maine,” she said.

The Democrat, who is retiring after this term, said she doesn’t think this amounts to a stain on Platner’s character, saying, “far be it for me to look inside the complexities of people’s marriages.”

New Mexico Sen. Ben Ray Luján said Platner needs to “talk to voters and talk to constituents and answer questions. I think it’s important for people to be forthright and to be honest, and to talk to people, and that’s what’s going to be expected.” Asked if he backs Platner as the party’s nominee, Lujan responded, “look, he’s the nominee right now. He has to go and earn the trust of voters. And just like every other candidate has to do as well,” before railing against Collins for “devastating” Maine’s economy.

Sen. Elissa Slotkin, who won in battleground Michigan last cycle, told CNN, “I’m going to work with whoever the state of Maine elects” when asked if she has concerns about Platner.

Maine Senate Race Faces Scrutiny

The intersection of personal conduct and political viability defines the current Maine Senate race. As John Fetterman continues to highlight Platner's past associations and private communications, the Democratic party faces a delicate balancing act. While some leaders emphasize policy and donor opposition to protect the nominee, others urge transparency. The outcome will likely hinge on whether Maine voters prioritize electoral strategy over personal integrity, a dynamic that could reshape party dynamics in upcoming cycles.