WASHINGTON (AP) — Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said Monday that he is standing by Graham Platner in the wake of media reports that the Maine Senate candidate previously exchanged sexually explicit text messages with several women while he was married.
Platner, a Democrat, posted a video over the weekend taken by his wife, Amy Gertner, who reportedly told his campaign of the text messages last year. In the video, Gertner decried coverage of the issue as “gossip” and said “being married is hard.”
Sanders, a critical early backer of Platner, told The Associated Press on Monday that he still supports the oyster farmer and combat veteran, who hopes to unseat veteran Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
“People can't afford healthcare. Can't afford groceries. Can't afford to put gas in their cars. And I think it might be a good idea if we focused on the important issues facing the working families of Maine and this country,” Sanders said.
Pressed later by reporters on whether he still backed Platner, Sanders was unequivocal.
“Of course,” he said. “Why would I not?”
The independent senator added that he was scheduled to meet with Platner while he's in Washington this week and feels the nation should “focus on issues more important than the Platner marriage.”
During the Washington trip, which a campaign official said has been in the works for weeks, Platner is expected to meet with other senators and attend a fundraiser co-hosted by Ron Klain, the former chief of staff to President Joe Biden.
Democratic senators returned from a 10-day recess to a barrage of questions about Platner. Many who have previously backed him stood by their support, while others avoided weighing in. California Sen. Adam Schiff said he would need to “follow up to find out the scoop on that before” he could comment.
Platner is seeking the Democratic nomination for one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country as Democrats hope to defeat longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins and regain control of the chamber. The Maine primary is June 9, and Platner's primary rival for the nomination, Maine Gov. Janet Mills, already suspended her campaign in April.
Platner is scheduled to appear in Bar Harbor Friday evening with progressive Rep. Ro Khanna of California and a pair of Democratic Maine candidates. It’s billed as a “get out the vote” rally and it’s taking place at a historic theater in the coastal resort town.
Whittle reported from Portland, Maine. Associated Press reporter Mary Clare Jalonick in Washington contributed to this report.
Graham Platner, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, left, join hands at an event in Orono, Maine, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
LIMA, Peru (AP) — Peruvian shamans gathered on Monday for a blessing ritual for the two candidates in the country’s presidential runoff next weekend, a decisive vote for the South American country that has seen a revolving door of presidents kicked out of office over corruption scandals.
The ritual is a tradition at the start of every year and before elections.
The shamans gathered by the sea on Herradura Beach in the Chorrillos district in Lima, Peru's capital, holding up posters of the two candidates.
The two — Keiko Fujimori, the conservative daughter of disgraced former President Alberto Fujimori, and Roberto Sánchez, a nationalist congressman and former minister — are neck and neck in the polls and will face off on Sunday.
Fujimori garnered just over 17% of the votes while Sánchez got about 12% in a crowded field of candidates in the first round of voting in April. That round was mired in logistical problems that left thousands in Peru and abroad unable to cast ballots. It then took weeks for the country’s electoral body to finalize the two contenders for the runoff.
In the blessing ritual, the shamans used flower petals, fruit, coca leaves and fragrant pieces of palo santo — or “holy wood” in Spanish — as well as black tobacco, swords and dolls. They also lit colorful flares and banged drums.
“The ritual we perform is primarily intended to ensure that the best candidate is the one who represents our Peru,” said shaman Andrés de los Santos, who had traveled to Lima from the north of the country.
Although the shamans made no forecasts this time, they have previously predicted the future. At the end of 2025, they predicted Venezuela's then-President Nicolás Maduro, now facing drug trafficking charges in the United States, would no longer be in office by the end of 2026.
The winner of the runoff will become Peru’s ninth president in just 10 years, replacing José María Balcázar, who was elected interim president in February. Balcázar replaced another interim leader, José Jerí, who was ousted over corruption allegations just four months into his term.
Peru's next president will be sworn in on July 28 for a five-year term.
Follow AP’s Latin America coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
Shamans perform a ritual holding posters of presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori, left, and Roberto Sanchez on Herradura beach in Lima, Peru, Monday, June 1, 2026, ahead of their presidential runoff election. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)
A shaman performs a ritual holding a poster of presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori on Herradura beach in Lima, Peru, Monday, June 1, 2026, ahead of a presidential runoff election. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)
Shamans perform a ritual holding posters of presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori, right, and Roberto Sanchez on Herradura beach in Lima, Peru, Monday, June 1, 2026, ahead of their presidential runoff election. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)
A shaman performs a ritual holding a poster of presidential candidate Roberto Sanchez on Herradura beach in Lima, Peru, Monday, June 1, 2026, ahead of the presidential runoff election. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)
