Maine Senate Candidate’s Controversial Online Comments Resurface

Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate for the Senate in Maine, came under scrutiny recently after an Axios report revealed that he referred to his “armor” as “Antifa super soldier” in an archived Reddit post from October 2020.

Platner, who is both a Marine Corps veteran and an oyster farmer, paid homage to a particular company. The Reddit post mentioned this label, and he concluded it by encouraging others to “keep up the good work.” His campaign hasn’t commented on these revelations from the Daily Caller News Foundation.

In another instance from July 2020, Platner posted on the Politics Reddit channel, sharing a link to the Socialist Rifle Association. He urged people to join leftist gun rights groups, asserting that “there’s probably an active chapter in your area.” Despite this, he maintains he is not a socialist, claiming instead to be a small business owner and veteran. He later stated that comments like the “Antifa super soldier” line were merely “lame jokes.”

The candidate has been met with criticism after some of his past comments online were brought to light. Notably, in a now-deleted Reddit post from 2018, he suggested that an “armed working class is a requirement of economic justice” and hinted that those lacking good semi-automatic rifles should “read a little history.”

Moreover, Platner has previously labeled himself a “communist,” asserted that “all” police officers are “bastards,” and claimed that rural white Americans are “actually” racist. This information was reported by CNN K-FILE.

In a recent video, Platner expressed regret over his previous statements. He reflected on the “abhorrent words and statements” he had made and mentioned looking at the pathway of his life. In an interview on “Pod Save America,” he seemed confident, stating he doesn’t expect more troubling comments from his past to emerge.

A director from Platner’s campaign resigned after the resurfacing of his online remarks, as reported by Bangor Daily News.

In a broader context, an executive order signed by former President Trump in September designated Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization, underscoring ongoing tensions surrounding left-wing groups.