Graham Platner Announces Shift in Support Amid Senate Race

Ellsworth, Maine — Graham Platner has decided to withdraw his support for Senator Chuck Schumer as the Senate Democratic leader, despite describing a “completely cordial conversation” with leading Democrats recently.

Platner, who is an oyster farmer and a veteran of both the Army and Marine Corps, is gearing up to challenge long-standing Republican Senator Susan Collins in the upcoming midterm elections in Maine, a state increasingly leaning Democratic. This particular race is significant, as it could influence whether Republicans maintain their slim majority in the Senate come 2026.

The first-time candidate, who has the backing of influential progressives like Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, became the likely Democratic nominee after his opponent, two-term Governor Janet Mills, fell behind in both polls and fundraising efforts and suspended her campaign just a couple of weeks ago.

Mills had previously received encouragement from Schumer to enter the race.

In his conversation with Schumer, Platner noted that while it could have been uncomfortable, it turned out to be friendly after Mills ended her bid. “He called to congratulate me on a good race,” Platner recalled. “Nothing unites people more than the view that Susan Collins shouldn’t be serving as a senator.”

Platner expressed confidence in the Democratic Party’s continued support, though he emphasized, “We’re going to keep doing what we’ve been doing, because it’s clearly effective.” A growing number of progressive candidates like him are vowing not to support Schumer for party leadership if they win their elections in November. However, Platner mentioned that their disagreement didn’t come up during his chat with Schumer.

His platform is centered on populist economic policies, critiquing corporate power and advocating for the working class.

In a recent discussion, Collins was asked whether she viewed Platner as too left-leaning for the demographic in northern New England. She suggested that the voters of Maine might likely see it that way, but she remained cautious. “Of course, I’m not taking anything for granted,” she stated, as she campaigns for a sixth term in the Senate.

On the other side, Platner criticized Collins, arguing she has been “too radical” in her legislative approach. He argued, “We’re fighting to lower living costs for working individuals. We’re trying to keep our communities vibrant, instead of letting them vacate because housing prices are unmanageable. Ensuring that Medicare serves its intended purpose and doesn’t exploit working-class people—that’s not radical,” he remarked. “I think that’s where most Mainers stand.”

Platner contended that Collins has been contributing to the issues the working class faces. “The real extremes are people like Susan Collins,” he stated, accusing her of prioritizing corporate interests over the working class and pushing for what he deemed “insane foreign wars.”

Just days after Platner became the presumptive nominee, Republican groups supporting Collins quickly aimed their attacks at him. They’ve criticized Platner’s past controversial Reddit comments on sensitive topics such as rape, alongside publicizing his tattoo, which some interpret as resembling a Nazi symbol.

Platner did express regret over his earlier Reddit comments from 2013 and clarified his tattoo origins, sharing that he acquired it while drinking with Marines and only learned later of its resemblance to a Nazi symbol. He subsequently covered it with a new design.

Despite the Republican attack ads, Platner remains unfazed. “The Democratic establishment tried to take me down, and they failed,” he noted, anticipating a similar fate for the Republican efforts. “People in Maine see through this negativity. They aren’t happy seeing significant sums spent on attack ads when there are more pressing issues at hand,” he added.

Regarding recent criticisms about his past on Reddit, Platner suggested that humor and context were important to understand those comments. “It was all about banter—the art of shitposting,” he explained, trying to clarify that his intent wasn’t to be taken seriously.

Minutes after casting an early vote in Maine’s primary, Platner held a campaign event aimed at presenting his energy plan, which he believes is crucial to lowering costs for families. His proposals include completely removing national gas and diesel taxes, freezing electricity rates, and investing in clean energy projects.

Platner emphasized that energy costs are a significant concern for working families and referred to the current situation as an “existential crisis.” Meanwhile, Democrats are keenly aware that this issue could play a pivotal role in the midterm elections, especially as they target cost of living more during their campaigns. Economic factors have historically been challenging for the party in power.

In addressing concerns about high living costs, Collins mentioned her support for assistance programs like the Low Income Heating Assistance Program and insisted that she opposes cuts aimed at low-income benefits, acknowledging the pressing needs of Maine residents.