Graham Plautner holds town hall in Maine amid abuse claims

Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner is scheduled to face voters at a town hall in Portland, Maine, on Sunday evening, as he seeks to stabilize his campaign amid mounting allegations about his past treatment of women just days before the state's primary election. The event comes after a report published on Thursday detailed accounts from several former girlfriends who described Platner as volatile and, in one instance, physically threatening. The candidate has denied the most serious allegations, calling them politically motivated.

Platner, an oyster farmer and Marine Corps veteran, is heavily favored to win the Democratic nomination on June 9 to challenge Republican incumbent Senator Susan Collins in November. The Maine race is viewed as crucial for Democratic hopes of reclaiming the Senate majority. The recent allegations, however, have created significant unease within the party and threaten to erode support among women voters, a demographic where Platner had previously held a double-digit lead.

The controversy centers on a New York Times report featuring accounts from women who dated Platner. One former girlfriend alleged he repeatedly grabbed her by the shoulders...