Controversial Maine Senate Candidate Graham Platner Faces Allegations

Graham Platner, a left-handed Senate candidate from Maine, has recently come under scrutiny for alleged abusive behavior towards ex-girlfriends and for sending explicit messages without his wife’s knowledge. However, some recall his stint as a bartender at the Tune Inn in Washington, D.C., where he was described as particularly unpleasant.

During a recent incident, Wayne Lorgesen, an independent journalist, shared his experience with Platner, noting that he seemed “gloomy” and unapproachable behind the bar. “He just didn’t respond to any friendly attempts,” Lorgesen remarked, describing Platner as a “troubled, dark, surly, unhappy person.”

Platner, 41, worked at the Tune Inn for about five years while living in D.C. between 2011 and 2016. His time there coincided with a troubling phase in his life, which included a DUI arrest in 2011 due to heavy drinking.

A former editor, Laugesen, similarly described him as difficult to deal with and recalled relocating to a different bar whenever Platner was working. “He just rubbed me the wrong way,” he added.

Reports indicate that Platner often spent time at the bar even on his days off, sometimes drinking excessively. In 2012, he made comments about a tattoo on his chest associated with Nazi symbolism, referring to it in a way that an acquaintance found inappropriate.

Platner has denied accusations of locking an ex-girlfriend in a room or having any kind of sexual relationship with her. His campaign also faces backlash from past racist remarks made in online posts, where he questioned why Black customers tended not to tip. “There has to be a reason for that,” he wrote, which prompted considerable criticism.

Despite these controversies, Platner received backing from Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who endorsed him as part of his “Fight the Oligarchy” tour.

Interestingly, it was his time at the Tune Inn—often frequented by political insiders—that helped him gain connections. He became close friends with Ryan Grimm, a former HuffPost D.C. bureau chief, who supported his narrative of working-class struggles during their early interviews.

His campaign claims that he developed PTSD during his military service, and although he attended classes at George Washington University, he dropped out in 2016, returning to Maine. As of now, Platner’s campaign has not offered any comment amidst these swirling allegations.