The wife of Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner has issued a forceful defense of their marriage following reports that she discovered her husband sending sexual text messages to another woman during his Senate campaign.
Amy Gertner addressed the controversy in a video shared on Platner's official campaign page, responding to recent coverage by The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. According to those reports, Gertner discovered in the spring of 2025 that Platner had sent sexual text messages to another woman during their marriage, after he had announced his Senate run. She subsequently alerted his campaign staff to the matter.
In the video, Gertner characterized the media coverage as "gossip" that made her "really angry" and "disappointed," according to TMZ.com. She argued that the headlines detract from the substantive issues of Platner's campaign, which she identified as healthcare, childcare, and education for Maine residents.
Despite her defense, Gertner acknowledged that the couple faces challenges. She revealed that both she and Platner are attending marriage counseling together, and each maintains individual counseling sessions as well. "No marriage is perfect and I don't want a perfect marriage. I want my marriage," she stated, according to TMZ.com.
Platner and Gertner have been married since 2023. The sexting revelation represents the latest in a series of controversies that have shadowed the Marine Corps veteran's Senate campaign.
Earlier in his campaign, Platner faced intense scrutiny over a chest tattoo that resembled a Nazi symbol. The candidate claimed he obtained the tattoo in 2007 and only recently understood its problematic symbolism, subsequently covering it up.
Additionally, CNN reported that Platner had previously referred to himself as a "communist" in since-deleted social media posts. The network also uncovered posts in which he stated that "all" police are bastards and characterized rural White Americans as racist and stupid.
The accumulation of these controversies presents significant challenges for Platner's Senate bid as he seeks to represent Maine in Washington. Gertner's public statement appears designed to refocus attention on policy matters while acknowledging the personal difficulties the couple continues to navigate through professional counseling.
