New Controversy Surrounds Democratic Senate Candidate in Maine

Democrats see an opportunity to challenge seasoned Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) due to a scandal emerging from the candidate’s past social media activity.

Graham Platner, a Marine Corps veteran, seems poised to secure the Maine Democratic Senate primary on June 9, especially after Gov. Janet Mills’ decision to step down. However, his previous Reddit posts have caused a stir.

One critical voice described him as “a person whose instincts are crude, reckless, and who appears to be very dishonest.”

Platner, under the now-deleted username “P-Hustle,” made peculiar statements about portable toilets and graffiti, which were uncovered recently. These comments are not relics from years ago; they date back to as recently as March 2021 when he was 36.

In a discussion titled “GWOT D*ck Art,” he recounted an encounter with graffiti in a portable toilet at Manas, an American military hub in Kyrgyzstan, stating it was “bizarrely beautiful.” He described it in a way that some may find exceptionally odd, likening it to a grand spectacle full of imagery.

He expressed, “I sat there in utter awe, but the happy feeling of being able to go home was overtaken by the joy that filled my soul at being allowed to witness such glory.”

Additionally, reflecting on a thread about “aromatherapy,” Platner admitted to frequently engaging in masturbation while in porta-johns, attributing it to the “blue water smell.” On March 8, 2017, he stated, “I still have to masturbate every time I sit in the portatter…the smell of that blue water keeps me in shape.”

In another context, Platner characterized himself as a “terrible atheist” and previously joked about religious figures. His past includes a tattoo compared to the Nazi SS Totenkopf, which he has since denied represents any alignment with those ideologies and has covered it up.

Mehek Cook, a Republican strategist, indicated that these revelations expose Platner’s history of vulgar and damaging comments. She asserted, “Mr. Platner is not a truth-teller… He seems very dishonest.”

Cook raised a key point: “If it truly was a ‘joke,’ why delete the post? It feels more like damage control than humor.”

As the campaign unfolds, it remains to be seen how these issues will play out.