Graham Platner's Honeymoon Is Over

"When Democrat Graham Platner entered the race to unseat incumbent Republican senator Susan Collins in August, he immediately clicked with Maine voters. An oyster farmer and ex-marine who looks the part of a rugged Down-Easter, Platner's brand of left-wing populism, focused squarely on the state's cost-of-living crisis, resonated broadly. Platner has raised an impressive $4-plus million, gotten reams of positive press, drawn large crowds across the state, and received endorsements from Bernie Sanders and several progressive organizations. He has successfully positioned himself as the insurgent alternative against the Democratic Establishment's pick to take on Collins: Maine's 77-year-old governor, Janet Mills, who finally joined the race this week with the backing of national figures such as Chuck Schumer."

"A major part of Platner's appeal is that he is the opposite of a seasoned politician. But given that he was basically unknown before the summer, it seemed inevitable that his lack of polish would come with a few downsides."

"So it was perhaps not shocking when CNN's investigative reporter Andrew Kaczynski - known for exposing politicians' unsavory pasts - published an article that included several eye-opening internet comments made by Platner during his pre-politician days posting on Reddit, mostly from 2020 and 2021. Some of the most notable: In one now-deleted Reddit comment from 2021, Platner responded to a thread about people becoming more conservative as they age by saying: "I got older and became a communist." The comment was made on a subreddit called r/Antiwork, a far-left forum "for those who want to end work." In one deleted comment, in a thread about a Black army lieutenant who was held at gunpoint and pepper-sprayed by police during a traffic stop, one Reddit user wrote, "Bastards. Cops are bastards." Platner replied, "All of them, in fact.""

Graham Platner, an oyster farmer and ex-marine, entered the race to unseat Republican senator Susan Collins and quickly gained traction with Maine voters. Platner emphasized left-wing populism and the state's cost-of-living crisis, raised over $4 million, attracted large crowds, and secured endorsements from Bernie Sanders and progressive organizations. He presented himself as the insurgent alternative to Democratic governor Janet Mills, who later entered the race with national backing. Investigative reporting resurfaced deleted Reddit posts from 2020–2021 in which Platner made provocative comments, including saying "I got older and became a communist" and replying "All of them, in fact." about police.

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