Susan Collins

Thursday brought other bad news for Platner: A June 1-3 poll from Fabrizio, Lee & Associates for Collins-aligned Pine Tree Results PAC found Platner’s public image had plummeted, with respondents expressing an unfavorable view of the candidate nearly doubling.

In January, 35% of those polled said they had a favorable view of Platner, a total that increased to 40% in June as the race heated up. As for those who reported an unfavorable view of Platner, that total was 29% in January, but skyrocketed to 49% in June.

“It is clear that the more voters learn about Platner the more they find they don’t like him, making the Senate race HIGHLY competitive. Senator Collins and her allies need to muster the resources to keep the pressure on Platner as the Democrat money machine tries

to salvage Platner’s candidacy,” the memo concluded.

PLATNER IS UNFIT FOR DUTY: THE MAINE DEMOCRAT WOULD BE BEYOND THE PALE IN ANY OTHER ERA

On Thursday, a piece from the New York Times detailed allegations of troubling behavior from the Senate hopeful against several ex-girlfriends. Platner has denied the accusations, but the repeated scandals have many Democratic strategists questioning his viability as a candidate.

“Democrats in Maine and throughout the country have got to decide what is their priority: Justifying Graham Platner’s behavior or winning the Democratic seat in Maine,” Robert Zimmerman, a New York-based Democratic National Committee member, told Politico. “It’s very clear that Platner has not been able to credibly justify his conduct and Democrats who defend him sound like Republicans defending Donald Trump after the Access Hollywood tape.”