Bernie Sanders defends Graham Platner after sexually explicit texts
Sanders argued that Maine voters should focus on working families’ concerns rather than Platner’s marriage.
SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYCredibility rates NBC Bay Area, which republished this story. The other scores rate the article itself.
NBC News is an established news organization with identifiable reporters and a record of original reporting. The page is hosted by a local NBC affiliate, while the byline identifies NBC News journalists.
- Source type — An established television news organization distributed through a local affiliate.
- Author attribution — Two NBC News reporters are named in the byline.
- Editorial standards — The reporting attributes claims and quotations to named people and other news organizations.
The story identifies the reporting behind the allegations and includes statements from Platner, his wife, Democratic supporters and Collins. It offers limited detail about the texts themselves and relies on summaries of reporting by other outlets for how the messages came to light.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article includes Platner and his wife’s responses, supportive Democratic voices, and Collins’ criticism. It does not provide the underlying messages or a response from the women who received them.
- Omitted context — The texts themselves and the perspectives of the women who received them are not presented.
- Counterarguments presented — Collins offers a critical response, while Platner and his wife address the reports.
- Source diversity — Multiple Democratic officials, one Republican senator, Platner, and his wife are quoted or described.
The article reports statements from Democrats defending Platner and Collins criticizing him in straightforward, attributed language. It does not adopt an evident partisan position.
- Language tone — Mostly neutral wording, with charged descriptions attributed to the speakers or reports.
- Source selection — Includes several Democratic defenders and a Republican critic, alongside Platner and his wife.
- Framing — Frames the story around Sanders’ defense and the responses to the reports.
Republished
Republished from NBC News. The relationship between the two publishers has not been determined.
177 stories · 85–86 · updated Oct 6, 2026
This is NBC News's own score, and this article is credited to NBC News. The host score in the Source Check is NBC Bay Area's.
Bernie Sanders defended Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner after reports that Platner had exchanged sexually explicit texts with women early in his marriage. Sanders and other Democrats argued that voters should focus on economic issues, while Susan Collins said the reports reflected on Platner’s character.
Sanders said working families’ economic concerns mattered more than Platner’s marriage, and said Platner’s wife was standing by him. Platner’s campaign confirmed that he had sent sexually explicit texts to multiple women early in his marriage; Platner said he and his wife had worked through a difficult period, and she said counseling had helped them. The reports were attributed to The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, which cited former campaign staff and people familiar with the matter.
Ruben Gallego and Martin Heinrich also defended Platner, and Elizabeth Warren reiterated her support while criticizing Collins’ support for President Donald Trump and the war against Iran. Collins said there was “every day” a new revelation about Platner that reflected on his character. Janet Mills, who suspended active campaigning but remained on the ballot, said some people mistakenly believed she had withdrawn.
Community verdict
23 VOTES
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Maine Senate candidate whose campaign confirmed he sent the texts
Platner's version of this story ↗
Senator criticized by Warren and responding to the reports about Platner
President whose support for Trump and the war against Iran Warren criticized
Senator defending Platner
Senator reiterating support for Platner
Maine Senate candidate who suspended active campaigning
Representative who reiterated support for Platner
Senator defending Platner
Part of a bigger story
25 OUTLETSBernie Sanders reaffirmed his support for Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner after reports about sexually explicit texts Platner exchanged while married. Center outlets emphasize Sanders’s call to focus on economic and working-family issues rather than Platner’s marriage. Right-leaning outlets foreground the controversy around Platner and, in several accounts, portray Sanders’s continued support as politically or morally fraught.
- ARTICLES
- 27
- OUTLETS
- 25
- AVG CRED
- 73
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