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Graham Platner leads Maine Senate poll despite controversies

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  Published in Politics and Government on Friday, October 24th 2025 at 11:16 GMT by Fox 11 News
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Background on the Controversies

The controversies began in late January when a series of allegations surfaced on a local investigative news site, MainePulse.com, accusing Platner of inappropriate conduct during a 2018 fundraising event. According to the report, a staffer alleged that Platner had used a private phone conversation to request a substantial donation from a businesswoman who was later revealed to be a lobbyist for a controversial offshore wind project. The incident was further amplified when a video clip posted on Facebook by the whistle‑blower appeared to show Platner “slurring” his words while speaking to the lobbyist, prompting the district attorney’s office to open a preliminary inquiry.

In addition to the fundraising controversy, the same investigative article highlighted a separate dispute in which Platner’s campaign allegedly paid a former staffer for “non‑existent” work in exchange for a $5,000 contribution. A local news outlet, The Bangor Daily, published a follow‑up piece linking Platner to a 2015 lawsuit filed by the staffer, which was ultimately settled out of court for an undisclosed amount. Platner’s campaign spokesman, Maya Torres, dismissed the allegations as “political mud‑slinging” and urged voters to focus on his legislative record.

Polling Methodology and Results

The MaineVoice poll was conducted over a ten‑day period from March 2 to March 11, and it included a mix of landline and mobile respondents, as well as a small subset of voters who had recently moved into the state. The poll was weighted to reflect the demographic composition of the Senate electorate, taking into account age, gender, and racial representation. When respondents were asked about their preferred candidate for the upcoming 2025 Maine Senate election, 42 percent chose Platner, 25 percent chose Reynolds, and 33 percent were undecided or preferred other candidates.

Platner’s lead was strongest among voters aged 45 and older (55 percent to 18 percent for Reynolds), while the 18‑34 age group was more evenly split, with Platner receiving 30 percent of their votes. Women were split 48 percent for Platner and 43 percent for Reynolds, while men favored Platner 55 percent to 20 percent. The poll also indicated that 68 percent of respondents who cited “experience” as a key factor in their decision favored Platner, reflecting his twelve years in the Senate.

Reactions from the Campaigns

Platner’s campaign manager, Jordan Hayes, welcomed the poll results, calling them “a testament to the voters’ trust in my record of delivering on promises.” Hayes emphasized Platner’s role in securing funding for rural broadband and his work on the State Health Care Reform bill. He also reiterated the candidate’s commitment to transparency, saying that the campaign was fully cooperating with the district attorney’s investigation and would release all relevant documents to the public.

Reynolds, meanwhile, called the poll “an early indicator of a tough race ahead” and urged his supporters to get out and vote. In a statement that appeared on his campaign website, Reynolds noted that the poll “failed to account for the impact of the recent scandals,” adding that the “voter’s conscience cannot be measured in a survey.” Reynolds also highlighted his own experience in the Maine House and his platform on environmental sustainability, citing his leadership in the Clean Energy Initiative.

Broader Political Context

The Maine Senate race is considered pivotal for the balance of power in the state legislature, where the Democrats currently hold a slim majority of 29 seats to the Republicans’ 27. The upcoming election will decide whether the Democrats can retain their edge or if the GOP will take the upper hand. Analysts from the Bangor Tribune, who provided a commentary link in the Fox11Online article, argued that while the poll gives Platner a psychological advantage, the controversies could erode his support in the final days of the campaign. “Controversy can be a double‑edged sword,” the Tribune’s editor, Mark Lewis, wrote. “It keeps the candidate in the public eye, but it also invites scrutiny that can sway undecided voters.”

Follow‑up on the Controversies

In an effort to provide additional context, the Fox11Online article linked to a recent video from the Maine Senate’s Ethics Committee. The video, available on the committee’s YouTube channel, featured a brief interview with the committee chair, who said that the committee would convene a formal hearing if further evidence came to light. The article also linked to a press release from the District Attorney’s office, which confirmed that the preliminary investigation into Platner’s fundraising practices was still ongoing and that no charges had been filed at that time.

Conclusion

As the Maine Senate race approaches, Graham Platner’s lead in the latest poll remains clear, but the controversies that have haunted his campaign add a layer of uncertainty to the outcome. Voters will need to weigh his legislative record against the allegations and decide whether the experience he brings outweighs the questions about his conduct. With only a few weeks left before Election Day, both campaigns are intensifying their outreach efforts, and the next poll may reveal whether the controversies have a lasting effect on voter sentiment.