I have to say, for the first time in a long while, the nation is captivated by Maine politics. This state is not exactly a needle-mover on the broader stage, and frankly, the last time there was much excitement from Pine Country was back when Paul Kariya was hyped coming out of college. That is not to say there have not been notable pols from this area, but you have to go back to find a notable in Edward Muskie, who forged a lengthy career in D.C. (The less said about Susan Collins, the better.)
Largely, Maine is an afterthought to voters in the other 49 states. It is sometimes regarded as “The Switzerland of America”, and that may be the most apt descriptor you can find. But for the past six months or so, this region has been the focus of hot political debate regarding the upcoming election. That we are made to care about a Maine Senate race speaks to our warped political landscape.
Graham Platner has emerged as the anointed choice of the Democratic Party, and this is a reality that delivers no shortage of risible material. How did a man whose resume peaks with the title of Harbormaster, with no discernible political acumen and a rather aggressive public-facing demeanor, become the darling of the Dems? It is a mystery only the desperate DNC heads can explain, but they chased out incumbent Governor Janet Mills in favor of an oyster farmer with a past that is cloudier than the shallows where he plies his trade.
We do not need to rehash the issues that have arisen since Platner landed on the national headlines; we have already gone over his deeply questionable anti-social social media posts, his imbalanced quotes since then, and, of course, that small matter of him having a Nazi death squad insignia emblazoned on his chest.
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Dems Hitch Wagons to Graham Platner, but Impending Revelations May Have the Wheels Falling Off
What has been remarkable to watch is that as all of these problems came to light, Platner has not worked much on improving his lot, and the Democrats have been unwavering in their support. How does he grapple with the reality that he had a Nazi tattoo inked on his chest — for decades, mind you — while trying to assuage voters and assure them that he is not a Jew-hating fascist? Cleverly, in January, he sat in on a podcast with a noted antisemitic host. Ah, yes, that should go far in dispelling Nazi claims. And this was not an accidental appearance; Platner said he was “a longtime fan” of Nate Cornacchia.
He then masterfully followed that a month later with a social media post in support of neo-Nazi Stew Peters. After receiving some obvious backlash, his social media team came out to say the “despicable” content from Peters was errantly promoted. It soon joined in with the numerous other posts Platner had previously made that were expunged from his account. By this point, you have to wonder just what it would take for Democrats to be served an assembly line of Nazi/supremacist products from Platner and get to the point of disavowing this dolt.
Instead, as head-shaking as his lack of political prowess has been, Platner’s support from his party and the media has been the most surreal thing to behold. So hungry are those entities to obtain a blue seat in the Senate that they are fully embracing a guy who would not have lasted a few weeks after filing to run as a Republican. If the GOP did not toss aside someone of this caliber, the press would see fit to ostracize him in headlines within a week. Yet they blindly back this mess of a candidate. Look, as Krystal Ball insists, the man who displayed his anti-Jewish bona fides is allegedly against genocide.
Graham Platner's flawless victory against the sitting, Schumer backed Governor of Maine shows what a new day it is in the Dem party. He survived the oppo dump of all oppo dumps and it didn't even slow him down. Voters demand candidates who oppose oligarchs and genocide.
— Krystal Ball (@krystalball) April 30, 2026
The DNC and the press are working overtime to explain away every controversy, and the recalibration of what is acceptable in their minds is astounding to watch. We have been repeatedly lectured that this man, who has shown little to offer beyond being adroit at bivalve husbandry and has a recidivist history of sociopathic qualities, is a valid candidate. Just behold the contortions struck by the corrupted crew at The Bulwark.
“It is absolutely critical that the Democrats figure out how in the fuck to win working-class white people if they ever want to have power or control again.”@Timodc on why backing Graham Platner in the Maine Senate race may be a gamble worth taking. pic.twitter.com/W18E7IHjyc
— The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) March 4, 2026
“Yeah, the tattoo seems really dumb.”
“Some of his social media posts are pretty mean.”
“We’re going to be mad about him going on this podcast?!”
And on, the excuse-making went. They even praised Platner for making that recent post hailing Stew Peters, only to delete it. So now it is a positive selling point when someone memory-holes their declared intolerance! A reminder, this is the SAME outlet that was wailing about Pete Hegseth’s Jerusalem Cross being an intolerant and disqualifying tattoo.
And the desperation in the support is as amusing as it gets. We see that it is more vital to go on shows with a large audience, regardless of whether they are white supremacists. Former Obama Bro Jon Favreau had Platner on his show, in an effort to rehabilitate his image and basically excuse away all controversies. Later, Favreau completely denies that Cornacchia is a problematic host or that Platner ever appeared on his program.
Let me know when a far lefty candidate appears with a Nazi sympathizer and we can chat.
— Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) May 24, 2022
What the Democrats and the press have failed to rationalize is that they have completely undercut one of their favorite weapons used on those folks on the Right. The accusations of Trump, Republicans, conservatives, or simply anyone they disagree with on a topic being a “Nazi” have been legion, but this wholesale defense of this militant mook from Maine, who keeps tripping up and scuffing his jackboots, eradicates all of these charges going forward.
Just harken back to the past handful of years with the innocuous items we have been told are “proven” signs of hateful behavior, and served as disqualifying evidence. Working out is a tool of bigoted antisemites. Hawaiian Shirts are a symbol of white supremacy. And who can forget that anyone daring to flash the “Okay” sign with their hands was deploying a secret code shared among the Third Reich supporters.
Yet somehow today, having the Tottemkampf skull inked into your clavicle, making an appearance on an antisemitic podcast, and showing support online for Holocaust deniers are NOT disqualifying acts. This stark dichotomy of outrage is such that you might be tempted to say that all of this accusatory bluster from the Left is not rooted in anything tangible. Or sensible.
There is a rather harsh contrast on this matter between the parties taking place right now. In the Florida governor’s race, there is a candidate with whom Graham Platner might actually commiserate. James Fishback is a Groyper-adjacent figure and one who has delivered his share of questionable positions. The GOP response? Ignore the idiot entirely.
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The press has strained to make Fishback emblematic of the Republican Party embracing Nazism, despite not a single instance of support, and despite his having been connected to Nick Fuentes, who is encouraging his disturbed flock to (unsurprisingly) vote for Democrats. At the same time, the Florida GOP is backing the POC candidate Byron Donalds enthusiastically.
Oh, and just to add to the dismay that this marvel of a thinker delivers for his supportive party: Graham Platner freely uses “The R-word,” which we have also been told in the past is grounds to cancel an individual.
PLATNER IS LITERALLY STILL OPENLY USING THE "R" WORD IN CASUAL CONVERSATION. TODAY.
— Charles Gaba ✡️ (@charlesgaba.com) April 11, 2026 at 4:42 PM
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That said, I think we could simply turn to Graham to deliver the assessment of his party supporting him in this fashion. If there is a better word to describe why they are backing an avowed Nazi supporter, I’d love to hear it.
