Khanna condemns Platner’s past actions, but “they didn’t come as a surprise” to Maine voters

Washington — Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California on Sunday condemned Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner’s alleged conduct toward women, but said he has taken “accountability” for his actions. 

“His actions were misogynistic, they were shameful, they were wrong, but they didn’t come as a surprise to a lot of the folks in Maine,” Khanna said in an interview with “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.” 

Khanna campaigned with Platner on Friday in Maine as Democrats seek to flip the seat held by Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November in what is one of the most closely watched races in the country. Any hope for Democrats to take control of the upper chamber includes flipping Collins’ seat, and she is the only Republican senator representing a state won by Kamala Harris in 2024. 

“The Maine voters that I met said they don’t like it. They knew that he had these chapters. They are willing to extend him grace and redemption and they’re focused now on what he’s running for,” Khanna said. 

After the disclosure last week that Platner had sent sexual messages to women who were not his wife, allegations about the candidate’s behavior toward ex-girlfriends also surfaced. A later New York Times report described Platner’s “unsettling” behavior, including one claim that he was physically abusive, which Platner denies. 

According to the Times, Platner’s then-girlfriend, Lyndsey Fifield, said that while they were dating a decade ago, he “regularly grabbed her by the shoulders — sometimes hard enough to leave marks.” During one argument, he “twisted her arm behind her back, shoved her into a bedroom, and held the door closed from the other side so she couldn’t get out.” 

Some Democrats questioned the timing of the allegations — days before Platner’s primary — and the credibility of Fifield —  who the Platner campaign points out. 

But Khanna said he believed Fifield. 

“I don’t think our side should be attacking her, and I appreciate her courage in coming forward,” Khanna said, calling her political background “irrelevant.” “I believe her.” 

Asked whether he was confident all of the damaging information has come out against Platner, Khanna said, “That’s what he says.” 

“Obviously, look, if there was evidence of violence, I would not support him. If there was evidence of sexual assault, I’d have zero support for him,” Khanna added. 

On the allegations detailed by the Times, Khanna pointed to Fifield saying that she was not injured. 

“They said there was no harm, no injury. There was toxicity, and there was verbal intimidation, which I condemn. But Graham has made it clear that there was no evidence of violence. That to me is a red line,” Khanna said.