Ruben Gallego Picks the Wrong Hill in Graham Platner’s Susan Collins Attack, Gets Leveled

RedState reported Thursday on how Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) responded accordingly to a bizarre attack from presumptive Maine Democrat Senate nominee Graham Platner related to his military enlistment and her 2002 vote to authorize the use of military force against Iraq.

Platner has been repeating the argument that Collins sent him to war in Iraq, something he first claimed in a New York Times interview earlier this month. "The anger that I feel is for the people that sent me, who are frankly still the same people who are sending people off right now to be in harm’s way so we can have this stupid war with Iran. Susan Collins voted to send me to Iraq," he declared.

Collins was asked about it and correctly pointed out that he actually first enlisted well after the Iraq war started, and enlisted again a few years later, and then, after that, signed on to work for the "controversial" security company, Blackwater. In other words, Graham wasn't a "victim" of Susan Collins' vote.

The extended record shows, in fact, that Platner, who has also repeatedly disparaged other veterans, saying some of them who were wounded in combat "didn't deserve to live," was an eager participant in the war, expressing signing on due to an admitted desire to "kill some people," as RedState has also reported.

This Democrat icon, who some critics have likened to a degenerate human being, is being defended by the likes of disgraced former Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell's (CA-14) bestie, Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), which seems rather fitting when you think about it.

A little over a week after Gallego actually wrote with a straight face how Platner talking about self-pleasuring in porta-potties would make him sound "more relatable" to other veterans, Gallego has now moved to attacking Collins on Platner's behalf, using another lazy and dishonest line of argument:

It was Collins decision to vote and support the Iraq War.
Not understanding the difference between the power of a Senator to send our men and women to war and teenagers signing up to serve their country is disqualifying. https://t.co/lXGSo7UG9M
— Ruben Gallego (@RubenGallego) May 28, 2026

It was just... weird, especially when one considers the level of enthusiasm Platner had not just for signing up to "kill people" but how he maintained that level of enthusiasm much later, as Collins' campaign pointed out:

Apparently you haven’t heard this, Senator. “Wartime is still one hell of an awesome experience... I did love winning and that required killing" https://t.co/65fpmyRMDp
— Team Collins (@TeamCollins207) May 29, 2026

Platner did it more than once, into his early thirties. And worked for Blackwater. As a grown adult. Openly admitted he loved the macho feel of it all.
None of this is helping, people. https://t.co/8mnDaOtaia
— Yasmin Nair (One Tenacious B.) (@NairYasmin) May 29, 2026

Let's also not forget the Nazi tattoo, which Gallego apparently thinks is not disqualifying:

It was Graham Platner's own bright idea to adorn himself with a Nazi tattoo.
A man who does not understand why a Nazi tattoo disqualifies him is, by that very ignorance, disqualified twice over.
— Pedian (@S_Pedian) May 29, 2026

Both Gallego and Platner have well-documented histories of having zero shame whatsoever, something that was made even more evident by Platner tripling down on making it sound like Susan Collins was attacking veterans rather than nuking his argument - the same veterans he, you know, actually insulted:

One of our nation’s most precious resources is the willingness of young men & women to put on the uniform and lay down their lives for our country. It must never be abused.

Susan Collins clearly has no respect for it, though. She blames us for serving in the wars she sent us to. https://t.co/QYLuCj4v7l
— Graham Platner for Senate (@grahamformaine) May 29, 2026

It's all so stupid, so transparently obvious what they're doing. They're really going to roll with the "Susan Collins is attacking veterans" tactic over the course of the campaign when the trail Platner has left on this front is what is, in and of itself, what should be truly disqualifying:

You said a wounded vet was a dumb MFer who didn’t deserve to live. Are you going to apologize? pic.twitter.com/yNCjuePbTF
— Ryan James Girdusky (@RyanGirdusky) May 29, 2026

One would think that someone who has repeatedly touted his veteran status, as Gallego has, would understand this. But we have to remember that Gallego insists he had no idea his best friend and roommate of many years, Swalwell, was an alleged creepy repeat-sexual harasser and alleged rapist, so I guess we shouldn't be too surprised that he conveniently doesn't see the many flaws and holes in his defense of Platner, either.

Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.

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