The scandal-plagued oyster farmer voters hope is the Democratic Donald Trump
Beset by scandal after scandal, and leading in the polls nevertheless - Graham Platner may just be the Democratic answer to Donald Trump.
Platner was a complete unknown a year ago, but has risen from a small-town oyster farmer to one of the best chances Democrats have of taking back the Senate.
Graham Platner is one of the Democrats' best hopes of picking up a Senate seat, despite his personal history. AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty
Along the way, controversial details from his past keep emerging.
But issues that would have sunk the campaigns of previous politicians seem to have had no effect on the gruff former soldier.
The northeastern state of Maine is on paper the best pickup opportunity for Democrats in the narrowly held Senate this November.
Won by every Democratic presidential nominee for a generation, moderate Republican Susan Collins has managed to keep her job for decades.
But Democrats in Washington were confident they could finally win the seat if Governor Janet Mills jumped in the race.
But before Mills could throw her hat in the ring, Platner emerged.
And the Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran with a trucker cap and a long list of progressive policies immediately became a sensation in Maine.
Polling and focus groups have shown that more than policy or resumé, what Democratic voters are looking for right now is a fighter.
And Platner rode a wave of voter discontent over politicians seen as being too polite.
Bernie Sanders was a prominent early endorser of Graham Platner. AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty
Then the scandals hit.
In the weeks before Mills announced her run, a series of embarrassing Reddit posts were attributed to Platner.
Using an anonymous profile, Platner had questioned why black people didn’t tip at restaurants, declared himself a Communist, accused rural Maine people of being racist and criticised rape victims if they made “a choice to consume enough of a substance to lose your self control”.
Perhaps even more concerning was a tattoo Platner got in his time in the military, a skull-and-cross bones symbol used by the Nazi SS.
Platner apologised for being “an a–hole on the internet” while he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. He said he never realised the tattoo had Nazi ties and has had it removed.
And when he went head-to-head with Mills in Democratic primary polls, he was far more popular than her.
Graham Platner has been mired in scandal but remains ahead in the polls. AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty
After a few months in the race and going backwards in the polls, Mills dropped out of the race.
Last month it was revealed Platner had sent sexual messages to women who were not his wife.
Then this week, more from Platner’s past emerged in a damning article from the New York Times.
Three ex-girlfriends alleged Platner had been threatening and intimidating.
Lyndsey Fifield alleged while he never hit her, Platner had once twisted her arm during an argument.
Fifield said Platner had referred to his tattoo as “my Totenkopf”, the word used by the SS for the symbol.
Platner has denied Fifield’s version of events.
Susan Collins has repeatedly defied the polls and the statewide partisanship by winning again and again in Maine. AP
His campaign described Fifield as a conservative operative “who’s dedicated her career to electing Republicans”.
Nevertheless, Platner has comfortably won the primary today, though Mills’ name remained on the ballot.
“I voted for Platner,” famed Maine author Stephen King wrote today on Bluesky.
Platner’s victory speech spoke about redemption.
“I’ve made mistakes in my life,” he said.
“I’m still far from perfect. Every day I wake up and try to be a little bit better and a little bit kinder.”
He did make a pledge to voters which got the crowd of his supporters roaring.
“No matter the challenge or the expense, I will fight for you,” he said.
“I have been willing to die for my country.
“There is nothing that I will not do for the state of Maine.”
Collins did not release a statement immediately after the election results became clear, but her Republican colleagues have already attacked Platner.
“Platner is weird just like the Democrat Party is weird,” Senator Josh Hawley said.
“They think men belong in women’s sports.”
Recent polling shows Platner well ahead of Collins, though most of those surveys were conducted before his latest scandals emerged.
Election Day is November 3.
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