Senate Dem Leaders Are Trying to Sink Graham Platner. Voters Aren’t Convinced.

Maine senatorial candidate Graham Platner, a 41-year-old oysterman-turned-politician, is leading in Democratic primary polls against Governor Janet Mills and outpolling Republican incumbent Susan Collins by a few points in the general election matchup. Despite his rising numbers and endorsements from Bernie Sanders, Ruben Gallego, and Martin Heinrich, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and DSCC Chair Kirsten Gillibrand are actively working to elect Mills instead. Platner has faced controversies including a Nazi Totenkopf tattoo that he apologized for and had inked over, as well as past Reddit posts with problematic language. His anti-war, economically populist campaign resonates with Maine's Democratic base, leading local labor leaders to urge Schumer to withdraw support for the 78-year-old Mills. If Platner wins the primary, Democratic leadership will face a choice between backing a left-leaning candidate who could flip the seat or potentially losing to Collins for another six years.