LEAD STORIES: Dem's Platner Problem, US and Iran Trade Attacks, Mamdani Skips Israel Parade

Three big stories you need to know and follow today. Plus, Russians may be souring on their country’s war on Ukraine. War is exhausting.

The scandal around Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner is complicating Democrats’ bid to retake the chamber in the 2026 midterms. Sen. Cory Booker said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” that he has “concerns,” answering affirmatively when asked whether Platner may jeopardize Democratic hopes of beating Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Maine. Booker said Platner “has questions to answer,” while stressing how much rides on Democrats taking the Senate to check an “out-of-control president.” Platner’s campaign confirmed that his wife, Amy Gertner, had flagged sexually explicit texts with several women to campaign staff, after reporting by the Times and Wall Street Journal. Despite the controversy, the political newcomer leads the June 9 primary, including a nine-point edge over Collins in one poll, leaving Democrats torn between his grassroots energy and his electability risk.

What to look for

Watch the June 9 primary: whether the sexting revelations finally dent Platner’s lead over Mills, and whether party figures move from quiet distance to open opposition. Look for wavering among his progressive endorsers, fallout from staff allegations that the campaign threatened a former aide, and any contingency planning to replace him.

The U.S. and Iran traded fresh strikes near the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend, testing a fragile ceasefire as talks to end their three-month war dragged on. U.S. Central Command said it conducted “self-defense” strikes on Iranian radar and drone command-and-control sites in Goruk and on Qeshm Island, citing the shootdown of a U.S. MQ-1 drone over international waters. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it retaliated against an air base used in the attack. Five U.S. service members were injured in a Saturday strike on Kuwait’s Ali Al Salem Air Base, hit again Monday. In an early-Monday Truth Social post, Trump told critics to “just sit back and relax,” insisting Iran “really wants to make a deal”, while jabbing at “Dumocrats” and “unpatriotic Republicans.” A proposed 60-day truce remained stalled after Trump sought “edits.”

What to look for

Watch whether Iran’s “ceasefire violation” charge triggers wider retaliation or talks yield a memorandum of understanding. Track the sticking points: Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, reopening the strait, and sanctions relief. Israel’s escalating war on Hezbollah in Lebanon could further derail diplomacy.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani did not attend the annual Israel Day parade on Sunday, breaking a decades-long custom because of his support for Palestinian rights. Once a must-attend event for mayors and governors courting the flag-waving crowds on Fifth Avenue, the parade went on without him. Mamdani, who has called himself pro-Palestinian and accused Israel’s government of genocide in Gaza, said he was honoring a campaign pledge and insisted his absence wouldn’t affect the city’s commitment to keeping the event safe. Two weeks earlier, his office released a video commemorating the Nakba. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who is Jewish, marched as grand marshal, calling it her decision to march proudly. Governor Kathy Hochul, Senator Chuck Schumer, and Attorney General Letitia James joined more than 50,000 marchers, while critics seized on the absence as fresh fuel against him.

What to look for

Watch whether Mamdani attends June’s Puerto Rican Day Parade and other ethnic celebrations, sharpening the contrast with his Israel Day absence. Expect continued attacks from Republican rivals like Mike Lawler and Bruce Blakeman, and watch how Jewish community leaders and his administration manage the rift going forward.

With the caveat that “Polling is a tricky business in an authoritarian state,” Washington Post opinion writer Vladimir Kara-Murza points out: “With this disclaimer in mind, it is nothing short of remarkable that last month’s polling by the independent Levada Center has shown that 62 percent of Russians favor peace talks with Ukraine, with only 27 percent wishing to continue the war. One can only imagine what the actual result would be if one removed the fear factor from the polling.”