Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) has pulled into a tie with embattled Democratic candidate Graham Platner following revelations that he sexted up to a dozen women on the skeevy chat app Kik while married.
The poll by Republican firm Fabrizio, Lee & Associates on behalf of the pro-Collins Pine Tree Results PAC showed Collins and Platner each receiving 46% support among likely voters, with the remaining 8% undecided. The results were first reported by Politico.
“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,” pollsters Tony Fabrizio, David Lee and Travis Tunis wrote. “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.”
In an ominous sign for Platner, the survey showed nearly half (49%) of respondents had an unfavorable view of the Democrat compared to 29% who had the same opinion in January. The candidate’s net favorability rating had also plunged into negative territory, with just 40% holding a favorable view — and only 4% saying they had never heard of Platner.
In addition, 59% of respondents said the revelations about Platner’s Kik activity would make them less likely to vote for him, while 33% said it would make no difference in their support.
The poll was taken before the New York Times published a story Thursday in which former girlfriends of Platner accused him of physical abuse and misogynistic behavior.
The main source for the Times story, Lyndsey Fifield, accused the paper early Friday of removing several damning accusations against the Democrat — including of sexual assault — as a “gift” to his campaign.
Platner confirmed his sexting activity in an interview with MS NOW Thursday night, but denied the claims in the Times report as “just not true.”
At around the same time Thursday evening, Collins was being honored on the Senate floor for casting her 10,000th consecutive vote, a Cal Ripken-esque streak that dates back to her first days in the chamber in January 1997.
“Susan Collins is a force of nature,” former Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said in a statement.
“Those who underestimate her firm resolve, her meticulous preparation, or her devotion to public service do so at their own risk. I have no doubt that my good friend will continue running up the score on behalf of the people of Maine.”
Platner currently leads Collins by 7.4 percentage points, according to the RealClearPolitics average of public polls. However, the average badly underestimated the Republican six years ago, when Collins defeated Democrat Sara Gideon by 8.6 percentage points despite trailing in every public poll prior to Election Day.
The Fabrizio, Lee & Associates poll surveyed 800 likely Maine voters June 1-3, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
