I support Graham Platner.

[mr715]

Yesterday and today I found myself somewhat shaken and disappointed, but I remain committed to a Democratic Senate in 2027 and the defeat of Susan Collins.

[Miami Blue]

1. Totally

💪🏻

[orangecrush]

2. The establishment did the exact same thing to Mamdani

.That didn't turn out well for them

Neither will this.

[mr715]

3. Oh Mamdani, mayor of my heart.

The man brought enough good energy to empower the Knicks to win.

He's soooo dreamy.


Edit -- He went to my HS, Bronx Science. He's about 5-6 years my junior. He started the Bronx Science cricket club. Most problematic thing he ever did.

[Nixie]

7. I saw that Schumer had already met with him to offer support

as is his role.

Mamdani didn’t have these types of episodes to explain, which are from Platner’s own past — his own doing. Platner’s own wife brought up the sexting. But I realize it’s red meat to certain types to grouse over the “establishment.”

[SocialDemocrat61]

8. Huh?

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/democratic-national-committee-zohran-mamdani-endorsement-nyc-mayor-rcna237025

https://www.zohranfornyc.com/endorsements

[Cha]

15. Mahalo for this, SocialDemocrat.

That tired ol word "establishment" gets thrown around a lot.

I take it is supposed to be an insult... just a buzzword that makes me see .

Nothing wrong with working hard and being established.

All Dems need to be on Board to win the Midterms.. This is NOT about Division and trashing Dems.

It's about Unity.

[SocialDemocrat61]

18. Thanks

I'm so tired of the fiction that other democrats didn't support Mamdani.

[Cha]

22. They need to get their facts straight.

And, I'm tired of anyone texting that Dems aren't fighting for us.

Pressuminably to bulld themselves UP.

It's about the MIDTERMS. Get a freaking clue.

[Quiet Em]

72. Nearly all NY Democrats supported Zohran Mamdani

AOC and Tish James played a big role in helping to coalesce support.

And Mamdani himself was/is an excellent candidate with a great message and great character.

We need to find more Mamdani's and more AOC's, because these two know how to build coalitions, sell the message and excite the voters.

[Pototan]

19. Agreed

Nice to hear from you, Cha

[Cha]

23. Mahalo, Pototan, you too!

I'm glad you agree.

[AloeVera]

33. Your links actually support the claim establishment Democrats didn't support Mamdani.

National Democrats, leadership and high-profile Democrats were extremely slow to support him. Some coming out just mere days or weeks before the election, some not at all.

From your article, dated a mere weeks before the election:

The vocal support [from the DNC chair] comes as other national Democrats, including New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Senate Minority Leader and New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Minority Leader, have so far declined to endorse Mamdani.

In September, months after Mamdani advanced to the November general election in a June primary, New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul endorsed him.

In a New York Times op-ed, Hochul noted that while she and Mamdani have "had our disagreements," they also share similar goals, like making New York City more affordable for residents.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris, who was the Democratic party's presidential nominee in last year's presidential election, also offered a tepid endorsement of Mamdani last month, telling MSNBC's Rachel Maddow that, "Look, as far as I’m concerned, he’s the Democratic nominee and he should be supported."

As for the list of endorsements you linked to, 90% are state-level officials and reps. The remaining 10 include Sanders, Warren, AOC, Jayapal, Ryan, Vaelasquez, Nadler, Robert Reich and to round it off FORMER Rep. Jamaal Bowman.

So you were saying?

[SocialDemocrat61]

34. You're free to believe that

Have a nice day

[AloeVera]

35. I go by facts, not "belief".

And I don't like to see revisionism.

Have a nice day too.

[SocialDemocrat61]

48. Good because the facts are

that all these democrats endorsed and supported Mamdani:
Gov. Kathy Hochul, Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, state Attorney General Letitia James, Reps. Hakeem Jeffries, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jerrold Nadler, Nydia Velázquez, Adriano Espaillat, Pat Ryan and Yvette Clarke, state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, state Sens. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, John Liu, Julia Salazar, Jabari Brisport, Kristen Gonzalez, Gustavo Rivera, Michael Gianaris, Zellnor Myrie, Luis Sepúlveda, José Serrano, Nathalia Fernandez, Liz Krueger, Andrew Gounardes, and Samra Brouk, Bronx Democratic Party Chair and state Sen. Jamaal Bailey, Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair and Assembly Member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, Assembly Members Micah Lasher, Emily Gallagher, Phara Souffrant Forest, Marcela Mitaynes, Karines Reyes, Claire Valdez, Sarahana Shrestha, Khaleel Anderson, Robert Carroll, Jessica González-Rojas, Brian Cunningham, Steven Raga, Manny De Los Santos, Khaleel Anderson, Bobby Carroll, George Alvarez, Jordan Wright, Harvey Epstein, Al Taylor, Tony Simone, Emerita Torres, Landon Dais, Alex Bores, Maritza Davila, Monique Chandler-Waterman and Jo Anne Simon, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, City Council Members Chi Ossé, Justin Brannan, Shaun Abreu, Carmen De La Rosa, Pierina Sanchez, Jennifer Gutiérrez, Sandy Nurse, Lincoln Restler, Alexa Avilés, Tiffany Cabán, Shahana Hanif, Erik Bottcher, Crystal Hudson, Rita Joseph, Julie Won, Oswald Feliz, Diana Ayala, Kevin Riley, Chris Marte, Farah Louis and Amanda Farías, U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Chris Van Hollen, Reps. Pramila Jayapal, Ro Khanna and Jamie Raskin, former Rep. Jamaal Bowman, former Mayor Bill de Blasio, former U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez.

Anything else is just spin, revision and belief.

[Scrivener7]

36. Lol!

But, unless there's a big twist, Platner is the guy. Mainers seem to be unshakeable on him.

Do I like him? No. Do I want every possible seat to go to a Democrat so we get control of the committees and begin to save our Democracy? Yes. Does he seem to have the best chance of doing that? Yes.

Go Platner.

[SocialDemocrat61]

46. I don't live in Maine

It’s up to the voters there and non of my business.

[Scrivener7]

50. I don't live in Maine either, but as I say, I need Democrats to win as many seats as possible so Democrats can gain

control of the committees and save MY country. So this theme that seems to be developing on DU that says we must not have opinions about candidates in any state but our own is ridiculous. It most certainly is ALL our business.

[SocialDemocrat61]

52. I hope all democrats win in November

But the primary in Maine is next week. It's up to democrats in Maine to choose their nominee and none of my business.

[Scrivener7]

53. You go with that.

[SocialDemocrat61]

54. Thanks I will

since I don't live in Maine and not up to me who the voters there chose as their nominee.

[Cha]

10. Depends on who you're callingi "the Establisment"

Doesn't it, organgecruss?

Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin encourages New Yorkers to vote for Mamdani ahead of general election

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/democratic-national-committee-zohran-mamdani-endorsement-nyc-mayor-rcna237025

[Pisces]

27. This isn't even a comparison. Mamdani is Muslim and that is what they held against him??

[mr715]

69. He campaigned with Hasan Piker! GASP!

He would arrest Bibi GASP

He would stay in NY and not visit Israel GASP

He isn't a real Democrat, he's a socialist, GASP

He won the primary because he cannibalized a good, tried, experienced Democrat in Cuomo GASP

He has no experience and he lives in a rent stabilized apartment GASP

He orders egg and cheese with jalapenos GASP

[QueerDuck]

42. "the establishment" ... Oh good grief. 🙄🤣

[Bluetus]

76. The "establishment" is exactly the word.

It is AIPAC. It is Republicans that fear losing Collins' seat. It is corporate Democrats who are afraid of a populist energy taking over the party.

All of the above and more. The fact that AOC won multiple times, Mamdani won and has quickly transformed the NYC political calculus, and the fact that Platner is still standing tells us why the establishment is so fearful. They aren't afraid of Platner. They are afraid of Americans.

[orangecrush]

77. Truth

[mr715]

80. Interesting way of thinking.

They are afraid of Americans.

I don't know if I fully agree with this strong claim, but I generally agree with the sentiment.

They are fearful of a type of politics, a style of campaign that they have no experience in.

They are like toddlers going into a pool for the first time. They are tentative and they need water waders. This is not the election to be weak kneed

[Emile]

4. Rebuilding our failing healthcare system is in Platner's platform.

I support Planter too!

[JustAnotherGen]

31. That broken health insurance system

Won't be fixed until the white supremacists are brought to heel by white Americans. Last time it took 78 years.

That's not something I believe can be aspired to in my lifetime.

[Bettie]

37. Unfortunately, their lobbying groups have a TON of money to spread around

to ensure that there is no meaningful change....it's all about money, us peasants not dying isn't really part of the business plan.

[Just_Vote_Dem]

40. And now they've basically destroyed the Voting Rights Act

The bastards want us back to the 1700's

[Boo1]

5. What makes you think he can beat Collins

when ever week there will be a new scandal drop.

[mr715]

6. Anti-incumbent sentiment

and public polling showing him in the lead.

https://www.bangordailynews.com/2026/06/04/politics/elections/maine-election-graham-platner-umass-lowell-yougov-poll/

https://mainedems.org/new-poll-susan-collins-is-second-most-unpopular-senator-in-the-country/

[Big Blue Marble]

9. How many millions of negative ads

will drive those numbers down. It is long way from May until November and this is
fertile oppo material to work to build their case.

[mr715]

13. Or not.

He's been teflon so far.

Susan Collins isn't popular. She is old. She is an institution. People will be voting against institutional figures.

[Big Blue Marble]

21. You will see a firestorm of ads

reminding the voters daily of all of these flaws. Most Mainers are not paying attention and
you are correct they are ready for change, but Planter maybe a bridge too far,
They will revert to Collins, especially the women. He is far from a sure thing and risks
tainting our party.

[questionseverything]

28. Repubs and aipac are ready to spend over $200million against our senate candidates

You are going to see negative ads no matter what, as always they have money to burn 🔥

[Happy Hoosier]

43. As opposed to what? A candidate no one cares about?

Platner isn't perfect. He's a guy with a history. He wasn't my choice, but he's gonna win the primary. And he CAN win. Time to focus on the goal.

[Bettie]

38. Do you think Mills or Costello can beat Collins?

She's like a tick, hard to dislodge.

[mainer]

39. No.

The polls show both of them losing badly.

[Bettie]

45. I have known some toxic men in my life

grew up with them all around me. My family is mostly male, I have one cousin who is a woman, the rest of us "kids" are men.

Most of them are awful. They taught me not to trust men/boys.

Of those men, most of them kept on with it, but a few completely turned themselves around and became different people.

Since I've seen it, experienced the "then and now" difference, I tend to support positive change, because if you treat someone like their past is the only thing that matters, there is no reason to change for the better.

There are also people who change for the worse.

I can't know for sure which category Platner is in (no one can), but I sure hope he can dislodge Collins and that is the most important thing this cycle: getting D butts in seats.

[Boo1]

49. No they don't

The last poll taken of Collins vs Mills had Mills ahead. The latest polling shows Planter up by statistically the same margin.

[Emile]

51. You have a link to the poll that shows

Mills ahead of Collins? I haven't seen that one.

[Quiet Em]

57. A March Emerson poll had both Platner and Mills over Collins

Platner with a slightly larger lead, but both leads close.

Maine Democrats are going to vote for the Democrat on the Senate line even if they aren't thrilled with the choice. Maine Democrats are not going to vote for Susan Collins.

[Emile]

58. Yes, I researched that after I asked for a link. Out of 7 different

polls Platner lead Collins in all of them.

Mills leads Collins in 2 of the 7. Mills +1 & Mills +3

[mr715]

63. And, sorry for the pedantry, but a lead of +1 or +3 isn't a lead

It is a tilt explainable by chance, due to margins of error.

I believe only Platner polled outside the margin of error against Collins.

[mr715]

81. Statistically?

Are you the one doing the T-tests for significance?

Or are you just saying 'They're close'

[Boo1]

82. MoE are two tailed

A 2 point lead and a 4 point lead across polls are not statistically different.

[mr715]

85. Isn't Platner up by 6-8%?

[NNguyenMD]

11. I support Graham Platner. None of us has lived perfect lives. I want Collins OUT!!

The country elected a twice convicted felon rapist and Epstein’s best friend.

I can get over a guy who is right in the issues and regrets some past behavior. Who hasn’t done dumb shit in their lives. FDR, JFK LBJ weren’t exactly saints in their personal lives, but they pushed policies to improve the lives of people. That takes precedent over everything

[Big Blue Marble]

12. These are exactly the rationale (rationalizations)

that got Trump elected by Republicans. He is a horrible person but
he will accomplish our agenda. Have we not been telling ourselves we are better
than they are. We want to win and we want to stay true to our core values.

[mr715]

14. No more Alex Prettis or Renee Goods.

I am willing to bend my principles to protect the people.

[Big Blue Marble]

16. Then were do you draw the line..

where does the bending stop. Misogyny, lying are excusable. What would be too much?
Character does matter if we want to recover our lost values
and our democracy to the MAGA's.

Besides:
The weight of his flaws are too much; he will lose to Collins. We deserve so much better.

[mr715]

17. He is teflon and will win.

I'll seek atonement from a priest after the election.

[NoRethugFriends]

26. Fuck character. If he votes Democratic, that's what matter

The They go low, we go high" crap doesn't fly.

[PhilosopherKing]

32. You are correct

When Dems states were putting together redistricting commissions on the state level to make things “fair”, Repub states were gerrymandering the shit out of their states. When they go low we go high shit doesn’t work.

[standingtall]

30. Your rationale sounds a lot like the people who stayed home or refused

to vote for Kamala Harris over Gaza tell themselves. And what did their principles do for the people of Gaza? Nothing! What did it do for the American people? Also nothing besides having their rights further eroded. You principals mean nothing if they enable harm to be done to people those principals are suppose to protect. Susan Collins was deciding vote to put Kavanaugh on the Supreme despite claiming to be pro choice and had the nerve to give a partisan speech after it and she really should've lost the last time. Besides nothing that comes out against Platner so far is anywhere close to Trump or even Eric Swalwell if he gets to that level then maybe we can talk.

[Happy Hoosier]

44. We can't do 2) without 1)

We must win. At this point, that must be the focus. Platner is not a perfect man. But he can win.

[Skittles]

20. yeah

WE KNOW

[Sympthsical]

24. I will be very glad when Tuesday is over

California will be done, Maine will be done, and everyone will super duper be in Blue No Matter Who mode.

As prophecy foretold.

[Violet_Crumble]

29. The sole purpose of Primaries appears to be dividing the party...

At least that's how it comes across to me. A better way to do things would be to leave the mudslinging and attack dog behaviour to the internal mechanics of the party and let it decide who the candidates are. Far less drama, though I think the high drama and mudslinging is something a lot of Americans love. Preselection would cut the financial costs, which are obscenely huge in a country where a lot of people are far below the poverty line. Also, while I'm at it, introduce mandatory voting (cuts out the extremists and other highly motivated wankers), only have voting on weekends, and most importantly have sausage sizzles with Democracy Sausages. That'll solve a lot of issues.

[Midwestern Democrat]

61. I'm not at all in favor of letting the elites of what many think is a calcified, out of touch political establishment

decide who the candidates are. I'm also totally against mandatory voting - people shouldn't be forced to vote if they don't want to and frankly, I don't really want uninformed people voting.

[questionseverything]

68. Screw that crap, we need regular people deciding about candidates not party insiders

[mr715]

87. Primaries are good.

We are not a parliamentary system with a government and back benchers operating in the same body.

Voters decide who they want to represent them. Primaries get us people like Mamdani, who are not recognized by the upper echelons of the Democratic party. His raw talent and foot work put him on the map - and he won with votes, not the patronage of his party elders.

Primaries are an essential feature of modern American Democracy. They are good. They are healthy. They should be encouraged. They are effective. They disinfect and reveal the hidden. They show who really wants the job versus someone following the corsus honorem.

Mandatory voting? No. Make voting easy, incentivize it, and make it a holiday. But never take away from people the opportunity to say no.

[SlimPetey]

25. Coincident?

The NY Times interviewed six former girlfriends for the Planter story. Only one of them reported being physically hurt by him. And she just happens to be a GOP operative. What a coincidink!

[LetMyPeopleVote]

88. Welcome to DU

[Happy Hoosier]

41. Platner is flawed.

So are most of us. Ihave my reservations, but navel gazing will not help us. We must be ferocious to defeat the MAGAts. WE need to stop apologizing and focus on the goal.

You don't see the right-wing media hand-wriging over Paxton. They are attacking Talarico.

We need to stop forming the circular firing squad and focus on defeating "Concerned" Collins.

GTF over it.

[ColoringFool]

47. I'm In Pennsylvania.

Ask me about Fetterman.

[gab13by13]

56. I'm in Pa. also

gave money to Fetterman, voted for him, his stroke morphed him into a Magat.

[ZDU]

55. Circular Firing...

Tock tick, tock tick... the noise, the noise

Platner will prevail.

[awesomerwb1]

59. Do we have a choice?

Looking forward to seeing Susan Collins go away forever (hopefully).

Hoping this guy doesn't become Fetterman 2.0. I'm tired of this ****.

[MineralMan]

60. I have a solid hope that the voters in Maine will do the right thing

and dump Susan Collins. I don't vote there.

Now, meanwhile, I have a nasty Senate primary race in Minnesota to deal with. One of our Democratic candidates is running an awful Deep Fake AI ad against her also Democratic opponent in the primary. It's getting ugly. I do vote here.

No tattoos that I know of, though...

[Llewlladdwr]

62. I don't think you realize how badly this is going to go.

All the information being leaked about Platner so far has come from Democratic operatives. These are being done to get Platner to step aside. The Republicans are saving their oppo research for the general, and it's going to be much worse. I'm talking dick pics and chat logs worse because the one thing we know for sure is that Platner is a freak with poor impulse control. That shit is out there.

[Nanjeanne]

64. Really. We KNOW this. Ok.

[Llewlladdwr]

70. Well, he has admitted to it himself...

so yeah, I'd say we do KNOW that.

[questionseverything]

65. None of the other candidates have generated enough interest to keep the lights on

[mr715]

67. This.

It doesn't inspire confidence when you are unable to run a campaign long enough to get to the general.

Janet Mills had the support of the party apparatus and she was unable to break out because she was too institutional. This is going to be an election defined by anti-institutional, anti-incumbent sentiment, not scandals or endorsements.

If Sanders' endorsement was enough, solely, to propel Platner to the nomination that says a lot about where our party is and we need to recognize it. Personally, I don't believe Sanders has that level of power within the party, or on the party. I think he providing some kindling to a candidate whose messaging was ripe to take off.

Barring abuse, criminal activity, or legitimate questions of his electability in this cycle I will continue to pseudo-unapologetically support him because Susan Collins must not win.

The road to the Senate runs through Maine.

[mr715]

66. How do we know this isn't GOP operatives?

If it were Democratic operatives, shouldn't it have come out sometime before Janet Mills said she was out of money and effectively dropped out?

If it were Democratic operatives and they were trying to get Platner to step aside, which is the strategy in "keeping their powder dry" if there are dick pics etc.

How do we know dick pics will drive people away?

Maybe Mainers are interested in a person that reflects the current trend in online and social media culture?

I don't understand the gnashing of teeth and rending of garments over a candidate that has sex.

Yeah, he probably cheated a whole bunch. Bad. 90% of people in power do it. Hell, Susan Collins did it.

[Llewlladdwr]

71. But it's not just the sex crap...

It's the totenkopf, the misogynist comments, the racist comments, the homophobic comments...and we'll be hearing about all this every day between now and November...and every other Dem candidate in every other race better be prepared for questions about their support for him and his history.

[mr715]

78. Does the misogynistic, racist, homophobic comments...

cut into Collins' base?

Because I bet it does.

I bet there are plenty of Mainers sick of Collins and, on the right, are turned on by the candidate Platner presents himself as, irrespective of his policy or rhetoric. A penis and tattoos and a marine. That is all they need .

[Soul_of_Wit]

79. Context matters in a general election

Who will be doing the negative campaigning? What weaknesses does the opponent have? It is 2026, and Donald is well into his second term. A long Reddit history can be used to advantage. Simply shut down any drip, drip, drip attempts. It isn't hard to pivot from "asked and answered" to "my opponent is a loyal MAGA vote--every time."

Fellow Democratic candidates are not required to participate in pointless questions. Pivot from "I support all Democrats" to "Mr. Platner is more than willing to be transparent about any issues you wish to discuss with him." Politics is a whole lot of answering the questions which further your interests--without appearing to be dismissive.

[obamanut2012]

73. Yup, after next week's Primary, God knows what may come out

We dodged bullet with Swalwell here in CA, but just barely.

[LisaL]

74. It certainly was fortunate that information about Swalwell came out before the primary.

NT

[obamanut2012]

83. We were very lucky that blogger blew it up

Because you KNOW they would have waited until late August and released all of it.

[Just_Vote_Dem]

86. Oh, I'm sure they have some people tucked away ready to serve up some nonsense

That's how pubs roll, unfortunately. IMO doesn't matter who the candidate is, they'll have something to try and cause great concern

[Aepps22]

75. Hope the polls translate into Votes

Susan is hard to beat so I’m hoping that at some point Planter can clear the air on everything asap. Each day that he isn’t attacking Susan is a wasted day. Each day that he is having to defend something in his past is a wasted day. The sooner he can put this drama to bed the better shot he has but I stopped trusting Maine’s polls when they had Gideon beating Collins last time. There is a loyal block of dems in Maine that keep voting for Susan. I hope Platner has a plan for reaching them because we have to win.

[mainer]

84. The choice? A flawed candidate who will vote to preserve women's rights

vs. goody two-shoes Susie Collins, who will vote with the party that vows to take away women's rights.

Let's see. Whom should women vote for?