Maine's Democratic Hopeful: From Online Rants to Political Stage

Graham Platner, a Marine vet turned oyster farmer, is making waves in Maine's Democratic Senate race. But before he entered politics, Platner's online posts revealed some strong, and sometimes controversial, views. He once called himself a "communist, " criticized police, and made remarks about rural White Americans. These posts, made around 2021, were deleted before his campaign launch. Platner, now 41, has distanced himself from these old comments. He told CNN that he was going through a tough time and expressed his anger online. He said those posts don't reflect who he is today. "I'm not a communist. I'm not a socialist. I own a small business. I'm a Marine Corps veteran, " he said. In one post, Platner talked about his life after the military. He said he was a "vegetable growing, psychedelics taking socialist" and didn't believe in the "patriotic nonsense" that led him to enlist. He also mentioned he still had guns because he didn't trust "fascists to act politely. " Platner entered the race in August to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins. He's raised over $4 million since announcing his candidacy and has the backing of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. His campaign is fueled by progressive organizations and grassroots Democrats who support his economic populism. Some of Platner's harshest online comments were about police. In one post, he said "All of them, in fact" when referring to cops being bastards. He also criticized police violence and misconduct. But he told CNN that he has friends who are police officers and doesn't think they're all bad. Platner also made controversial remarks about rural White Americans. In one post, he said they "actually are" racist and stupid. He told CNN he didn't recall the specific post but suggested it was part of an online argument. In another post, Platner insulted a Canadian commenter, calling them "retarded" and telling them to "fk off and die. " The comment was about a power-transmission project between the US and Canada that Maine voters opposed. Platner's online posts also revealed his frustration with his military service in Iraq and Afghanistan. He said his combat experience reshaped his politics and left him disillusioned with America's wars. But he told CNN that he still loves his country and the people around him. Platner said he still believes some of the ideas he posted online, but not the specific rhetoric. For example, he still condemns the conduct of January 6 rioters. In a 2021 post, he called them "traitors, " "fking morons, " and "worthless p*ssies" for supporting what he described as "a coup attempt. " In another post, Platner criticized musician Ted Nugent, a conservative activist. He said Nugent's warmongering made him want to puke. Platner told CNN he wasn't really regretful of that post.