June 9 Primary Election Live Updates: Key races, results and turnout across 4 states

Senate Democrats offered mixed reactions when pressed about allegations facing Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner, with many declining to take a firm position and instead saying voters should decide his fate.

Several lawmakers sidestepped questions about whether they believed the women making the allegations, while others stressed that the decision ultimately rests with Maine voters.

One senator called the allegations "troubling and unsettling," while another said there was "no reason to disbelieve" the accusers despite lacking firsthand knowledge of the claims.

Platner has faced growing scrutiny in recent weeks after multiple women accused him of abusive behavior, fueling questions about his candidacy in the closely watched Maine Senate race.

Other Democrats declined comment or shifted focus to policy issues and other races. One senator said voters deserve more answers and clarification before making a judgment.

The responses underscore Democrats' reluctance to weigh in as scrutiny of Platner continues, with many party leaders deferring to Maine voters rather than taking a clear position.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., declined to answer a series of questions Tuesday about allegations facing Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner, whom the senator has previously campaigned for and continues to support.

As Sanders waited for an elevator at the Capitol, Fox News Digital asked whether he believed the women accusing Platner of abuse and whether he had any comment on allegations that Platner knew about a Nazi-linked tattoo that has become part of a broader controversy surrounding his campaign. Sanders did not respond.

The questions come as Platner faces mounting scrutiny over a series of controversies that have threatened to overshadow his Senate bid.

The Maine Democrat has been accused by multiple women of abusive behavior and has faced criticism over sexually explicit messages, offensive social media posts and allegations involving a Nazi-linked tattoo. Platner has denied wrongdoing and defended himself against the allegations.

Despite the backlash, Platner has retained support from several prominent Democrats, including Sanders, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.

Maine Democrats headed to the polls Tuesday to determine who will face Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, in November in one of the nation's most closely watched Senate races.

This is an excerpt from a story by Amanda Macias and Hannah Brennan.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) released a new ad Tuesday night boosting Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, while attacking Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner over a string of controversies.

The ad contrasts Collins’ upbringing and Senate record with Platner’s background, saying Collins “spent time as a kid picking potatoes in Maine,” while Platner “spent time as a kid at a $70,000 a year prep school in Connecticut.”

The spot also says Collins has brought “more than $1.5 billion back to Maine for hospitals, schools, roads and communities across the state,” while mocking Platner as running “a hobby oyster farm whose only customer is his mother’s restaurant.”

The NRSC ad then pivots to Platner’s controversies, saying Collins “doesn’t have a Nazi tattoo” and “doesn’t have an account on a notorious predator’s paradise app.”

“Graham Platner did for years,” the ad says, before showing an image of Platner's widely-shared shirtless bathroom selfie from the anonymous messaging app he was using.

The Republican campaign arm’s chairman, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., said in a statement accompanying the ad that “the choice in Maine is clear and nothing will be taken for granted.”

Platner is seeking the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Maine for the chance to take on Collins in November. Collins is running unopposed in the GOP primary.

A top Jewish Democrat and member of the House Intelligence Committee called for Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner to exit the race, adding that if the scandal-plagued oyster farmer were running in New Jersey, he would be "buried under the Meadowlands."

Rep. Josh Gottheimer, the subject of a recent profile that compared him to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and said he wants to be a "bulwark" against Democrats’ newfound leftist impulses, suggested there is no room for Platner on the party’s midterm ticket.

When asked by CNN if his aversion to Platner should be read as a recommendation that Democrats instead vote for moderate Republican Sen. Susan Collins, Gottheimer offered another off-ramp.

"No, what I would suggest is that Graham Platner get off if he wins today, which I assume he will because there's no one actively campaigning against him, that he get off the ballot and let another Democrat step in," Gottheimer said.

Platner is the frontrunner in Tuesday’s primary, as Gov. Janet Mills suspended her campaign and other candidates, including Bangor’s David Costello, have failed to gain traction.

"If this were Jersey and you had a candidate who abused women, obviously has a Nazi tattoo that — now it's clear that he knew was a Nazi tattoo: not to mention many of his other lies and his comments and extremist comments; pro Hamas — a terrorist organization — other things of that nature. He should get off the ballot."

Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner's escalating controversies are showing who Democrats really are, said the Purple Heart recipient whose video of being under siege by the Taliban was disparaged and mocked by the oyster farmer on social media.

Former Pennsylvania lieutenant governor candidate Teddy Daniels told "The Ingraham Angle" on Tuesday that PTSD is no excuse for such invective.

"I don't know a veteran who saw actual combat who came home and didn't deal with some form of PTSD... What I cannot do is excuse that for his poor decisions in life and [his] abhorrent behavior," said Daniels, who also recently ran for sheriff in Dare County on North Carolina's Outer Banks as a Republican.

Daniels said he'd be "highly concerned" if Platner were named to a committee such as the House Foreign Affairs Committee, given his comments and behavior.

He noted Platner also disparaged "American Sniper" Chris Kyle but waited until Kyle died to offer such invective.

"This man hates America," Daniels said.

Daniels said Platner's candidacy is the equivalent of Democrats pulling back the proverbial "curtain" on who they are and what they believe and stand for.

Democratic kingmaker James Clyburn secured his nomination in South Carolina's Democratic primary Tuesday, following months of controversy over Republican-led efforts to redraw the state's map.

Clyburn, 85, has represented South Carolina's 6th Congressional District since 1993 and is seeking reelection to an 18th term. The longtime congressman gained national prominence during the 2020 presidential race when he endorsed Joe Biden ahead of South Carolina's Democratic primary, a move widely credited with helping revive Biden's campaign and secure his path to the White House.

Clyburn's latest victory comes after months of controversy surrounding Republican-led redistricting efforts in South Carolina. GOP lawmakers considered proposals that would have significantly reshaped the boundaries of the state's lone Democratic-held congressional district, a move opponents argued was directly targeting Clyburn. The effort ultimately failed.

Clyburn's challenger, Duke Buckner Goodwin, put up very little fight in the primary race. Goodwin had no campaign website and reported no fundraising during his congressional bid. He also came up short in a run for Santee Town Council last year.

For nearly 20 years, Sen. Lindsey Graham has easily defeated his primary challengers, leading many observers to believe that tonight’s election will be no different.

In 2020, for instance, the South Carolina senator was accused by his primary opponents of having become too much of a Washington insider and of being, in their telling, not conservative enough for South Carolina.

Graham won a commanding victory in 2020, winning the support of roughly 70% of Republicans in South Carolina. The second-place candidate secured just 17% of votes in that election.

As Graham faces five challengers in the 2026 GOP Senate primary, many of the same accusations that were levied against him in 2020 have been resurfaced.

Graham’s other primary victories in South Carolina had similarly wide margins.

In 2014, for instance, the senator won 56% of the vote with his runner-up getting just over 15%. Six years earlier, in 2008, Graham took home roughly 67% of the primary vote

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., is breaking with fellow Democrats over embattled Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner, saying he refuses to defend the rising political star as controversies continue to pile up.

Platner has won national attention for his populist message and outsider image, but his campaign has also faced scrutiny over sexually explicit online messages, offensive social media posts, a Nazi-linked tattoo controversy, and internal campaign turmoil.

While top Democrats including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., have continued to back Platner, Fetterman has emerged as one of his sharpest critics.

"I really would encourage 'P Hustle' to answer basic questions," Fetterman told Fox News Digital, using Platner's former online alias.

The Pennsylvania senator questioned Platner's years-long activity on Kik and accused him of dodging concerns about his online conduct.

"'P Hustle' has a lot of serious questions and concerns about his judgment, but also his ethics too," Fetterman said.

Fetterman later summed up his view of the candidate in blunt terms.

"You know, candidates have baggage. In his case, he is baggage that incidentally might be a candidate," he said. "I'll be the one Democrat to refuse to defend that mess."

This is an excerpt from a story by Amanda Macias and Hannah Brennan.

Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, battled Southern Poverty Law Center interim President Bryan Fair over Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner's Totenkopf tattoo on Tuesday.

Gill pressed Fair on two public figures with notable chest tattoos, contrasting the treatment of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's Jerusalem Cross with Platner's ink, which is more commonly associated with German death camp guards.

"We oppose Nazis," Fair said of the SPLC.

When Gill asked whether someone getting such a tattoo is indicative of them being an actual Nazi, Fair demurred.

Fair said Gill should ask Platner for a true explanation.

When Gill asked whether Platner should serve in the Senate given the controversial ink, Fair remarked, "I wouldn't vote for that person."

RealClearPolitics founder Tom Bevan told "Special Report" later Tuesday that Fair's performance was one of the worst he has seen from a hearing witness.

Fair was "roughed up" repeatedly by Republicans and had no answers for allegations related to the funding of the Alabama-based watchdog organization, which critics have labeled a hate group.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said Tuesday that Maine voters will have the final say when asked about controversies surrounding Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner as voters cast ballots in the state’s primary.

“Personally, I don’t think that folks are ignoring it,” Ocasio-Cortez said in a CBS News video posted to X. “And also, I think that this is, frankly, an election for the people of Maine.”

“So, you know, their results and the ways that they turn out today will speak for themselves and their preferences,” she continued. “But certainly, you know, I think again, it’s an election. It’s up to the people of Maine and the choices they have before them.”

Platner is running in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in Maine for the chance to take on longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November. His campaign has faced scrutiny over past online comments, sexually explicit messages, allegations from former romantic partners and a chest tattoo that was identified as resembling a Nazi symbol. Platner has denied or sought to address the controversies publicly, and the tattoo has since been covered up.

The Maine race is one of Democrats’ top pickup opportunities as the party seeks to win back control of the Senate. Collins, a moderate Republican seeking another term, is running unopposed in the GOP primary.

Miami Republican Committeewoman Angie Wong suggested on X that it's possible that the Maine Democratic Party may replace Graham Platner with a more women-friendly candidate as the party's nomination — a similar to the move national Democrats made during the 2024 election.

"Graham Platner is bleeding support among Maine’s female voters," Wong posted on X. "Even if he wins tonight’s primary election, he may not survive the November election against Susan Collins. There is a strong possibility that Democrats could pull a “Joe Biden” and replace him with a “Kamala” i.e.  Governor Janet Mills."

During a Newsmax appearance, Wong shared that some Republican party activists are speculating about the possibility of Democrats making a late change to their nominee and that Platner may face internal pressure to step down.

Wong argued that female voters could ultimately determine the outcome of the race, arguing that Republican Sen. Susan Collins continues to maintain appeal among moderates and independents.

Maine Democrats have until July 13 to change its Senate nomination.

A former campaign staffer for Graham Platner is speaking out against his U.S. Senate bid in Maine ahead of primary elections on Tuesday evening, citing comments that led her to part ways with the campaign.

Genevieve McDonald, who worked briefly as Platner’s campaign director last year, said she was forced away by a Reddit post where Platner said that rural Americans are “racist” and “stupid" along with off-color comments about sexual assault and "feigned ignorance" about a Nazi symbol Platner had tattooed on his chest.

McDonald’s discomfort illustrates her fears that Platner’s many controversial comments will turn away voters who would otherwise support a Democratic candidate as the party look to unseat incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.

She recalled feeling misled by Platner’s characterization of his past.

"I realized the campaign had not been honest with me," McDonald wrote in an opinion article with The Washington Post. "As someone from a real working-class background, I knew this would undermine his cross-party appeal."

McDonald called on Democrats to explore candidates of stronger repute.

"If America wants a stronger democracy, elevating leaders with integrity is essential. Leaders with sound judgment and ethics. Leaders who embrace and live the ideals the nation stands for."

"If America wants a stronger democracy, elevating leaders with integrity is essential. Leaders with sound judgment and ethics. Leaders who embrace and live the ideals the nation stands for."

Rep. Nancy Mace, who is running for governor of South Carolina, claims that President Donald Trump refused to endorse her because she sought to have more files related to infamous pedophile Jeffrey Epstein released to the public.

“You know, I knew it was on the line when I voted to release the Epstein files,” Mace said when asked about the endorsement by Fox News Digital. “I’m a survivor. If the price to pay for an endorsement was to not release those files, I would never pay it.”

“I disagree with this endorsement, and I’m going to vote for myself. I’m asking voters in South Carolina to vote for me as well,” she added.

Mace, who has accused her ex-fiancé of sexually assaulting her, has recently launched a crusade against what she says is a culture of rampant sexual abuse in the nation’s capital.

Trump ultimately endorsed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette to succeed Gov. Henry McMaster, who is term limited.

Mace has a history of crossing Trump then working to reenter his good graces.

President Donald Trump threw his support behind the incumbent lieutenant governors of Nevada and Idaho, issuing endorsements for both Republicans as they seek re-election.

In a Truth Social post, Trump praised Nevada Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony, calling him “a fantastic Lieutenant Governor for the Great People of Nevada” and offering his “Complete and Total Endorsement” for another term.

Anthony quickly welcomed the endorsement, thanking Trump on social media and writing that he looked forward to seeing the president during an upcoming visit to Las Vegas.

Trump also endorsed Idaho Lt. Gov. Scott Bedke, describing him as “a tremendous Lieutenant Governor of Idaho” while noting his past electoral victories in the state. The president similarly offered Bedke his “Complete and Total Endorsement” for re-election.

The endorsements add to Trump’s growing list of endorsements for Republican state officials ahead of the 2026 election cycle. Last year, he also endorsed Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo and Idaho Gov. Brad Little as both prepared for their own re-election campaigns.

Trump’s endorsements remain highly influential in Republican primaries and are often viewed as a significant boost for candidates seeking statewide office.

The announcements come as Republicans continue preparing for a busy 2026 election cycle, with gubernatorial, congressional and statewide races across the country expected to play a major role in shaping the political landscape heading into the second half of Trump’s second term.

Maine Republican state Rep. Katrina Smith is adding her voice to the growing list of Maine politicians criticizing Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner, saying it's "incredibly embarrassing" that his name is even on the ballot.

Smith told Newsmax's Bianca de la Garza that it is "incredibly embarrassing for us" that Democrats continue to stand behind Platner, who is at the center of a sexting scandal involving Kik, an app that has been used by child predators.

The sexually charged messages between Platner and multiple women date back to 2023, shortly after he married his wife, Amy Gertner, who later discovered the messages and reported them to Platner's campaign.

"They’re making excuses for Graham Platner," Smith said of Platner's Democratic supporters. "Excuses after excuses."

On Monday night, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., stated that he "will do everything I can to make sure Graham Platner is the next senator from Maine."

Smith argued that Platner's personal conduct raises broader concerns about his ability to serve Maine voters. "How can we expect him to have our backs when he's only trying to protect his?" she said.

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., tore into South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette on Tuesday, accusing her Republican gubernatorial opponent of failing to forcefully condemn the alleged assault of a Mace supporter by a member of Evette’s campaign.

“Pamela Evette is a disgrace,” Mace said in a video posted to X a few hours before the polls closed in a heated GOP gubernatorial primary in South Carolina. Mace alleged that one of her supporters was physically assaulted Monday night by a member of Evette’s campaign and claimed the incident was caught on video.

“She could have condemned this last night — she did not. She could have condemned this this morning — she did not,” Mace said. “She waited to say anything until it was found out that there was a tape of the assault of one of my supporters. That is not courage, that is cowardice.”

The comments came as South Carolina voters cast ballots in a heated GOP gubernatorial primary to replace term-limited Gov. Henry McMaster.

Evette has been endorsed by President Donald Trump and McMaster, while Mace has sought to position herself as a conservative fighter and anti-establishment alternative.

Mace argued Evette’s response to the alleged incident was “disqualifying,” saying political violence must be condemned across the board.

“I don’t even think she qualifies to be in the lieutenant governor’s seat,” Mace said. “I think this kind of behavior and lack of moral courage to condemn political violence is disqualifying for anyone running for office anywhere.”

Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., announced that he will retire from Congress at the end of his current term, bringing to a close more than 15 years in the House.

“Serving the people of Nevada has been the honor of my lifetime,” Amodei said in a statement. “After 15 years of service, I believe it is the right time for Nevada and myself to pass the torch.”

Amodei said he plans to complete his term, which runs through January 2027, and emphasized that his decision was personal rather than political. He thanked constituents for the opportunity to represent Nevada and said he remains focused on finishing his work in Congress.

The veteran lawmaker represents Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District, a Republican-leaning seat that covers much of northern Nevada, including Reno. He has consistently won re-election by comfortable margins and defeated his Democratic challenger by 19 points in 2024.

Amodei currently chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, giving him a key role in overseeing funding for the Department of Homeland Security. He was first elected to Congress in 2011 and has built a reputation as a reliable conservative voice on Capitol Hill.

His retirement creates an open-seat race in Nevada’s 2nd District ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Republicans remain confident they can hold the seat, which is considered safely Republican and which Trump carried by double digits in 2024.

Amodei's announcement adds to a broader exodus from the House ahead of the 2026 midterms, with more than 20 Republicans already opting to retire or seek other offices rather than run for reelection.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., fleshed out his support for U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner in a video posted to X on Tuesday afternoon, saying the two share a passion for “opposing war.”

“You know Trump ran, saying he wasn’t going to get in these wars, then he starts this war in Iran,” Khanna said.

Khanna’s support comes as Platner looks to officially become the Democratic nominee to take on incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and furthers opposition to overseas entanglements as a position progressive candidates have used to contrast with Trump.

“If the Democratic Party is going to exist, it needs to become the anti-war party,” Platner said in Khanna’s video.

“I had frankly witnessed the most awful things a person can see, and it was all done in the service of seemingly nothing.”

Platner has attracted support from a wide range of progressives in Congress despite a series of scandals that have followed his campaign.

Among them, Platner enjoys the backing of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.

South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace on Tuesday resurfaced a clip of her fiery 2024 interview with George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s “This Week,” in which she sparred with the host over sexual assault and her support for President Donald Trump.

In the video, Mace accused Stephanopoulos of “shaming” her for endorsing Trump, who was found liable by a jury in 2023 for sexual abuse.

“I was raped at the age of 16,” Mace said. “It’s a shame that you will never feel, George. And I’m not going to sit here on your show and be asked a question meant to shame me about another potential rape victim. I’m not going to do that.”

While Stephanopoulos maintained that his questioning was not intended to “shame” her, he continued asking for clarification, a line of questioning Mace called “disgusting.”

Following the interview, Mace addressed the exchange on social media, calling it “inaccurate questioning about President Trump” and saying it pushed a “false narrative.”

Mace, who is running in South Carolina’s Republican gubernatorial race, is facing multiple candidates in a crowded primary, including Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, who has secured Trump’s endorsement.

North Dakota voters head to the polls Tuesday to choose nominees in several races, including the state's lone U.S. House seat.

Republican Rep. Julie Fedorchak is seeking re-election and faces a primary challenge from Alex Balazs in a rematch of their 2024 contest. The winner will advance to November's general election.

On the Democratic side, Trygve Hammer is expected to again carry the Democratic-NPL banner. Hammer, a former teacher and military veteran, won the Democratic congressional primary in 2024 before advancing to the general election, where he lost to Fedorchak in the heavily Republican state.

North Dakota's at-large congressional district has been firmly in Republican hands for years. Fedorchak won the state's open House seat in 2024 after former Rep. Kelly Armstrong ran for governor, defeating Hammer in the general election.

Tuesday's primary will help set the stage for another House showdown in November as Republicans work to defend their narrow House majority and Democrats look for opportunities to compete in traditionally red states.

Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, on Tuesday raised questions about Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner during a fiery hearing involving a civil rights group that officials alleged has ties to extremist organizations.

Bryan Fair, the interim CEO of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), appeared before the House Judiciary Committee in Washington as lawmakers examined allegations involving federal fraud and ties to neo-Nazi and white supremacist organizations.

During the hearing, lawmakers referenced Platner’s Nazi-linked tattoo resembling a Totenkopf — SS “death’s head” — which the Democratic nominee has said he received without understanding its origins.

Gill questioned Fair on whether Platner’s tattoo suggested ties to extremist groups.

"Do you think if somebody got a Nazi tattoo on their chest, that's indicative that they might be a Nazi?” Gill asked.

“You'd have to ask Mr. Platner why he has that symbol,” Fair answered. “I'd like to say that if it is a symbol of Nazism, we oppose Nazi.”

“You think that somebody who has a Nazi tattoo on their chest should serve in the United States Senate?” Gill added.

“I wouldn’t vote for that person,” Fair said.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday blasted Maine Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner as voters headed to the polls in the state’s primary.

The former Trump administration official urged Maine voters to exercise “good judgment,” describing Platner as unfit for the U.S. Senate.

“Graham Platner has no place in the United States Senate,” Pompeo said in a post on X. “I pray that the good people of Maine have the good judgment to keep him as far from the halls of power as possible.”

Platner, a Marine Corps veteran, has been widely viewed as the presumptive Democratic frontrunner in the race but has faced intense criticism from Republicans throughout the campaign amid a series of personal and political controversies.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., appeared in a campaign video posted by Graham Platner on Tuesday ahead of Maine’s Senate primary, urging voters to turn out in support of the presumptive Democratic nominee.

Sanders, who has endorsed Platner, said the candidate is key to fighting what he described as entrenched financial interests in politics, according to the video posted on X.

“In American politics right now, the oligarchs have unlimited amounts of money,” Sanders said. “But there's one thing they do not have that money can never buy. They do not have the people. They cannot put together enthusiastic grassroots organizations. That’s what Graham Platner is doing. Please come out and vote.”

“I am very proud to have Senator Sanders' support,” Platner added. “But we need your support too. It is only in each other that we’re going to find the power to take back our politics in this country.”

Platner, who has aligned himself with Sanders’ democratic socialist movement, has leaned heavily into anti-corporate messaging and sought to mobilize progressive activists throughout his campaign.

Maine Gov. Janet Mills was spotted at a polling location in Waterville on Tuesday ahead of the state's Democratic Senate primary, where her name remains on the ballot alongside frontrunner Graham Platner despite suspending her campaign earlier this year.

According to a video posted on X, Mills appeared at the site while accompanying her friend, former Maine state Rep. Hannah Pingree, who is running for governor.

In the video, Mills declined to comment on the state's key races but said she planned to return to her hometown of Farmington to cast her vote.

Mills, who is barred from seeking another term as governor under Maine's term-limit laws, previously entered the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat before suspending her campaign.

A source in Mills' broader political orbit confirmed to Fox News last week that the governor had received calls urging her to reenter the race amid controversies surrounding Platner.

Mills said in a recent interview that her name remains on the ballot, but there has been no active effort to revive her campaign.

The two-term governor, who was backed by Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and much of the Democratic establishment, dropped out of the race earlier this spring after significantly trailing Platner in both fundraising and polling.

Platner, a Marine Corps veteran, has been widely viewed as the presumptive Democratic nominee despite facing a series of controversies. Backed by progressive figures including Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., he faces two long-shot challengers in Tuesday's primary.

Fox News Digital's Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, told reporters on Capitol Hill on Tuesday that "the allegations against Graham Platner are extremely troubling and serious."

"And he owes the people of Maine a detailed answer and I haven't heard that yet," Collins added.

Voters are heading to the polls in Maine on Tuesday, where Platner is seeking to become the Democratic Senate nominee to challenge Collins in November.

"We're a long ways before the election. Today is primary day. Let's see what happens in the primaries," Collins also said.

Fox News' James Levinson contributed to this post.

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., claimed Tuesday that an employee of rival South Carolina gubernational candidate Pamela Evette’s campaign “physically assaulted a supporter of mine last night” and that “the violent offender was arrested.” 

“This is not the appropriate behavior of a sitting Lt. Governor or anyone wishing to become Governor. Pam needs to disavow this right now, fire the individual and apologize to the young man who was assaulted,” Mace wrote on X. 

Mace’s campaign released a statement saying “Blake Garrison Kirsch, a member of Evette’s campaign,” was taken into custody “on charges of Assault & Battery 3rd Degree after physically attacking a Mace supporter.” The campaign cited Greenville County court records for Kirsch’s arrest. 

“Mace’s supporter was attending a campaign event when Kirsch allegedly carried out the attack. Kirsch was arrested the same day,” the Mace campaign said.  

The congresswoman reposted a video on X purportedly showing a man walking up to another individual who was speaking into a megaphone near an Evette campaign bus. The man then tries to grab the megaphone away from him and a struggle ensues. 

In a statement to Fox News Digital, campaign manager Megan Finnern said, "Our team is deeply disappointed that this occurred."

"We support free speech and do not in any way condone violence. He is not, and has never been, employed by the Evette campaign," she added.

Kirsch was described as a volunteer on the Evette finance committee who has since voluntarily resigned.

Images are emerging Tuesday showing voters heading to the polls in Maine for primary elections. 

Graham Platner is seeking to become the Democratic Senate nominee and challenge longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins later this year. 

Platner is facing scrutiny of his past conduct, with controversies ranging from sexually explicit messages and offensive social media posts to a Nazi-linked tattoo and campaign staff upheaval. 

Fox News Digital's Amanda Macias contributed to this post. 

Graham Platner shouldn't be elected to represent Maine in the U.S. Senate, a former high-level staffer for the embattled Democratic candidate told voters just hours before polls opened in the state's Tuesday primary.

Genevieve McDonald, once a Maine state representative who worked briefly as Platner's campaign director last year, warned in an op/ed in The Washington Post on Monday evening: "Graham Platner is not someone who would be good for Maine or for the country."

While she overlooked his Nazi-linked tattoo and possible cheating scandal, McDonald said in the piece titled "I know firsthand why Graham Platner shouldn't be a U.S. senator" that she couldn't ignore how "he exhibits a pattern of dishonest behavior," and ultimately quit the campaign after just two months.

"I was one of the Platner campaign’s first gaslighting casualties," she wrote.

McDonald said she was "disturbed" by what she learned during her time on his staff from August to October 2025.

"If America wants a stronger democracy, elevating leaders with integrity is essential," she wrote in the opinion piece. "Leaders with sound judgment and ethics. Leaders who embrace and live the ideals the nation stands for."

Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner, in a message asking voters for their support, wrote on X Tuesday that “Meeting all of you has been the honor of a lifetime.” 

Polls are currently open across Maine until 8 p.m. ET. 

Platner has been considered the all-but-certain Democratic nominee after two-term Gov. Janet Mills, who was backed by longtime Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer and the Democratic Party establishment, dropped out of the race earlier this spring after significantly trailing Platner in fundraising and polling. 

He's facing two long-shot rivals for the nomination in Tuesday's primary, but Mills' name remains on the ballot, which she highlighted in a recent interview. A source in Mills' wider political orbit confirmed to Fox News last week that the governor was receiving calls urging her to get back in the race amid Platner's controversies. But there's no active campaign effort on behalf of Mills. 

Fox News' Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report. 

South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette said Tuesday that President Donald Trump “needs a strong partner as Governor who will deliver on our conservative America First agenda.” 

“It's why he gave me his ‘complete and total endorsement,’” she added in a post on Election Day urging voters to head to the polls in South Carolina’s Republican gubernatorial primary. 

Evette is seeking to succeed a top Trump ally, term-limited Republican Gov. Henry McMaster.  

She is facing off in the GOP primary against a handful of top rivals. They are longtime South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, nationally known Rep. Nancy Mace, Rep. Ralph Norman and multimillionaire businessman Rom Reddy. 

After Trump backed Evette, Mace said that her very vocal push last year for the Justice Department to release the files related to its probe into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein contributed to the president's backing of her rival. 

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report. 

LEWISTON, ME - As Maine voters head to the polls Tuesday to nominate a Democratic Senate candidate, a Republican lawmaker in the state says that Maine voters should be most concerned with the policies of Graham Platner, even though his political baggage has received most of the attention. 

"His personal life is a mess, right?" Maine Republican State Representative Laurel Libby told Fox News Digital on Monday. "We understand that. We've seen scandal after scandal come out. But what I think is incredibly dangerous are the policies that he's looking to advance."

Libby, who represents Maine House District 90, which encompasses Minot and part of Auburn, said one of the policies she is most concerned about is Platner’s support of the progressive "Green New Deal," sweeping legislation that would cost taxpayers tens of trillions of dollars and phase out fossil fuel production. 

"Taking the extreme green agenda to DC that has already made our cost of electricity skyrocket in our state under Democrat leadership for the last eight years," Libby said. "If we see that implemented in D.C., and we see costs increase across the country, it won't just be crushing Mainers, it will be crushing American families and workers across the board."

Libby told Fox News Digital that it "doesn’t surprise me" Democrats are poised to nominate Platner, despite his laundry list of controversies that critics have seized on, because Maine has been led by the "same kind of extremism" for eight years as the party controls the governor’s mansion and legislature. 

"We have seen 32 new or increased taxes, we’ve seen all of our overall cost of living increase and so Graham Platner has sprung out of that and is looking to take those same policies to D.C., harming not just Mainers but folks across the country," Libby said. "I think he's tremendously dangerous, and we can't have him in the Senate."

Fox News Digital's Kiera McDonald contributed to this report.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, repeatedly declined to weigh in on Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner's sexting controversy last week, opting to keep her distance from the escalating scandal as Maine voters head to the polls Tuesday.

"I really have nothing to add to it," Collins told Fox News Digital when asked about the allegations surrounding Platner, the Democratic frontrunner and her presumed opponent.

Collins reiterated that position when pressed further, declining multiple opportunities to comment as scrutiny surrounding Platner intensified ahead of the Democratic primary.

"As I said to you earlier, I do not have anything to add to this," Collins said.

Collins' refusal to engage comes as Republicans have increasingly made Platner's controversies a central line of attack ahead of the primary. Outside organizations backing Collins have aired ads and amplified criticism of the Maine Democrat, while the senator herself has largely avoided publicly weighing in despite being expected to face him in November’s midterms.

Collins' recent reluctance to comment differs from her earlier remarks about Platner. Last month, she criticized the Democratic candidate when speaking to Fox News Digital after he mocked a wounded U.S. soldier.

"It’s never appropriate to mock a downed American soldier," Collins said to Fox News Digital last month. "It’s just appalling."

Polls are now open Tuesday in Maine’s three largest cities – Portland, Lewiston and Bangor – as voters across the state are deciding the fate of Graham Platner, the Democratic Senate candidate who is aiming to oust longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins. 

Collins is a moderate who is running for a sixth six-year term in the Senate and has a history of voting against President Donald Trump's agenda. 

Polls will remain open across Maine until 8 p.m. ET. 

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report. 

As Primary Day arrives in Maine, Democratic candidate Graham Platner is facing arguably the roughest stretch to date of his campaign for the U.S. Senate, amid a slew of controversies that have been dominating the political spotlight.

Platner has been considered the all-but-certain Democratic nominee in Maine after two-term Gov. Janet Mills, who was backed by longtime Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer and the Democratic Party establishment, dropped out of the race earlier this spring after significantly trailing Platner in fundraising and polling.

Platner, who is supported by progressive champions including Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, is facing two long-shot rivals for the nomination in Tuesday's primary. But Mills' name remains on the ballot, which she highlighted in a recent interview.

A source in Mills' wider political orbit confirmed to Fox News last week that the governor was receiving calls urging her to get back in the race amid Platner's controversies. But there's no active campaign effort on behalf of Mills.

As votes are counted after polls close at 8pm ET, keep a close eye on how Mills performs.

A strong showing for the two-term governor could potentially renew calls for Platner to step aside.

But a big night for Platner could help him shift the spotlight off his political baggage.

until Republicans relentlessly go after him.

One week after President Donald Trump's endorsement-winning streak in high-profile Republican primaries was snapped, the president's immense clout over his party is facing another key test in South Carolina's GOP gubernatorial nomination face-off.

The president, a week and a half ago, handed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette 11th-hour support as she seeks to succeed a top Trump ally, term-limited Republican Gov. Henry McMaster.

Evette is facing off in the GOP primary against a handful of top rivals. They are longtime South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, nationally known Rep. Nancy Mace, Rep. Ralph Norman and multimillionaire businessman Rom Reddy.

Since no candidate was expected to top 50% of the primary vote and land a majority, the top two finishers will advance to the June 23 Republican runoff.

The brute force of the president's endorsement power has been on display in GOP primaries over the past month, with his candidates ousting incumbents he targeted in showdowns in Indiana, Louisiana, Kentucky and Texas that grabbed plenty of national attention.

But his last minute endorsement of Republican Rep. Randy Feenstra of Iowa — which came on the same day he also backed Evette — in the race to succeed retiring GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds wasn't enough to muscle the three-term congressman to victory.

Feenstra was narrowly edged by Zach Lahn, a businessman, farmer and former political strategist who was backed by the political wings of MAHA — the acronym for the Make America Healthy Again movement aligned with Trump Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — and Turning Point USA, the powerful conservative organization co-founded by the late Charlie Kirk.

In the South Carolina GOP gubernatorial primary, the major contenders had long been highlighting their support for Trump and his agenda, in hopes of landing his support.

Trump, after staying neutral for months, endorsed Evette, praising her as an "America First Patriot" and a "WINNER" in his announcement.

And the president headlined a tele-rally for Evette on the eve of the primary.

But Trump, in a social media post endorsing Evette, also said he expected Evette to choose Henry McMaster Jr., the governor's son, as her running mate for lieutenant governor.

The comment by the president led to blowback in South Carolina political circles and speculation that McMaster, who succeeded then-Gov. Nikki Haley when she stepped down to serve as U.N. ambassador during Trump's first term and who is in his 10th year as governor, was trying to give his son a political boost.

But McMaster denied any deal or pressure, and Evette has said she wouldn't name any running mate until after the primary is over.

And on Friday, the younger McMaster took his name out of contention, saying it was "incredibly humbling" to be mentioned as a possible lieutenant governor candidate, but that "now is simply not the right time."

BANGOR, Maine — It's judgment day for Graham Platner, the embattled Democratic Senate candidate in left-leaning Maine who is aiming to oust longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in a crucial race that's among a handful that will determine if the GOP holds its slim Senate majority in the midterm elections.

Platner, an oyster farmer and military combat veteran who is backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and other top progressive champions, is facing a slew of controversies, which could make his expected Democratic primary victory in Maine much more interesting than originally expected.

Platner has been playing defense the past month, amid mounting controversy. It includes inflammatory online comments made on Reddit, a well-publicized and now covered-up tattoo on his chest that resembled a Nazi symbol, recent reports that he exchanged sexually explicit messages with several women while married, and new allegations last week from ex-girlfriends of a history of rape fantasies, heavy drinking and violent episodes. Platner has called the latest allegations of violence untrue.

Meanwhile, one week after President Donald Trump's endorsement-winning streak in high-profile Republican primaries was snapped, the president's immense clout over his party is facing another key test in South Carolina's GOP gubernatorial nomination face-off.

The president, a week and a half ago, handed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette 11th-hour support as she seeks to succeed a top Trump ally, term-limited Republican Gov. Henry McMaster.

Evette is facing off in the GOP primary against a handful of top rivals. They are longtime South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, nationally known Rep. Nancy Mace, Rep. Ralph Norman and multimillionaire businessman Rom Reddy.

Read the full story here