# Are there any reasons to reject Graham Platner in Maine (campaign suspended July 8, 2026) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 4, 2026, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179 "2026-03-04T03:50:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 74
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1463 "2026-07-07T16:09:59Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > [NYT reporting Platner has conditions on dropping out.](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/07/us/politics/graham-platner-maine-senate.html?unlocked_article_code=1.v1A.ao9X.Ta1sm4ipFck6&smid=nytcore-ios-share) (Gift link) > > Basically he wants leverage over who replaces him on the ballot. If there are good reasons to reject Platner as a candidate, there also are good reasons to reject him as a kingmaker. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1464 "2026-07-07T16:13:26Z")
And also, it might be politically expedient to pick someone that the party likes and that he also likes. His political positions aren’t what’s wrong with his candidacy, at least, not to most Maine voters. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1465 "2026-07-07T16:19:16Z")
I’m curious to see who he wants. Would it be blue-collar Troy Jackson, who sounds like he’s already the favorite anyway? If so, then there might be some political needle-threading with the party picking him but trying to make sure that it was clear that it wasn’t because of Platner’s endorsement. If it’s anyone else, though, that would be very interesting. I’ve a hunch that he might wait until a favorite becomes clear, and then pick the person least like that candidate just to be a contrary troll. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1466 "2026-07-07T16:22:23Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > If it’s anyone else, though, that would be very interesting. I’ve a hunch that he might wait until a favorite becomes clear, and then pick the person least like that candidate just to be a contrary troll. He can’t wait **too** long; he has to withdraw in less than a week (the 13th is the last date). If he does, then the Democrats have until July 27 to announce his replacement. ---
**Author:** ![DeadTreasSecretaries](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deadtreassecretaries/32/4817_2.png) [@DeadTreasSecretaries](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadTreasSecretaries)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1467 "2026-07-07T16:23:03Z")
He’s revealing himself to have extremely poor political instincts and should just drop. If the party only picks a candidate with his approval that candidate is going to have guilt by association to a shitty person and also a loser. He seems to have more in common with Mills than we realized - not be willing to commit to being all the way in or out. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1468 "2026-07-07T16:47:44Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > One notable exception is Bernie Sanders. No longer an exception: > **[Bernie Sanders calls on Graham Platner to withdraw amid sexual assault claims](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/07/bernie-sanders-graham-platner-maine-senate-race)** > > More members of the Democratic party have asked Platner to stand down from US Senate race in Maine I’m not too chuffed about someone taking 24 hours to withdraw an important endorsement. Does Platner have any significant endorsements remaining? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1469 "2026-07-07T16:52:13Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Does Platner have any significant endorsements remaining? I think that was it. And I don’t mind if Sanders took 24 hours either. It’s not like he waited multiple days. This seems quick enough to me. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1470 "2026-07-07T18:15:29Z")
> [@pacheen1](#): > > Continuing the discussion from [Are there any reasons to reject Graham Platner in Maine](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine/1028179/1444): > > In her first account in the spring, she says he came over to her house while he was drunk. Then she waits until the primary is over and he’s won and the senate race is underway to accuse him of rape. Does anyone else find this suspicious? Why not come out with it right away? Why this teaser and then come out with the bombshell accusation and blow his candidacy and the Democrats’ chances of taking the senate? Why? She shared this info of Platner raping her with her therapist and other people long before Platner ran for senate, so that makes her claims very credible. Platner needs to drop out ASAP. Or be forced out of the race somehow. ---
**Author:** ![ZosterSandstorm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e0b2c6/32.png) [@ZosterSandstorm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZosterSandstorm)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1471 "2026-07-07T18:39:12Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > And also, it might be politically expedient to pick someone that the party likes and that he also likes. His political positions aren’t what’s wrong with his candidacy, at least, not to most Maine voters. Nothing about his candidacy was working. He was hugely behind with “white working class males” - and appealing to them was supposed to be the whole point of nominating someone like this. The problem, of course, is that as out of touch as Democratic political consultants as a whole are with what the electorate wants, the DSA types who engineered Platner are 10x worse. They’re all downwardly mobile rich liberal arts college grads who have never had a real job and their conception of the mythical WWC is “some sort of chimp-like creature who likes fart humor.” The artificiality and condescension of the kind of candidates that they put forward is easily felt. Everything prior to the rape scandal got Platner to a point where he was running far behind the “generic Democrat” ballot and the performance of Kamala Harris in Maine in 2024. He was a bad candidate period because, as it turns out, centrist swing voters in Maine _ **don’t** _ want to hear about his fake oyster boat and his conspiracy theories how “AIPAC” is making the price of eggs go up, no matter how much we’re reassured by Hasan Piker’s $5000 suit that this is the key to winning over construction workers. If Maine Democrats nominate the most boring, normal, straight-off-the-assembly-line man or woman who can just say they liked Obama and they want to do regular Democrat things and stop the LARPing and the far-leftism, they will be fine. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1472 "2026-07-07T18:43:52Z")
If only there had been a down the middle Democratic candidate like, say, Janet Mills, Platner never would have gotten the nomination, right? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1473 "2026-07-07T18:47:56Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > From a Newsweek article that I am having trouble linking to, about Troy Jackson Why not David Costello? He came in second. [https://ballotpedia.org/David\_Costello](https://ballotpedia.org/David_Costello) > **[Democrat David Costello says he’s a viable alternative](https://spectrumlocalnews.com/me/maine/politics/2026/05/01/with-mills-out-of-senate-race--democrat-david-costello-hopes-voters-give-him-a-look)** > > David Costello and Graham Platner are competing to take on Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican seeking a sixth term. Democrats hope to take control of the Senate by flipping four seats, with Maine considered a top pick-up opportunity. > Following Thursday’s bombshell announcement that Gov. Janet Mills is out of the Democratic U.S. Senate primary, another candidate says he’s sticking with the race. > > David Costello, 65, spent decades working in local, state and federal government. He knows he’s a long shot against oyster farmer Graham Platner, who has dominated headlines and the polls for months. > > But in a Thursday statement, Costello reiterated his commitment to the campaign. > > “I have no intention of dropping out,” he said. “I look forward to continuing to offer Mainers a well-rounded and experienced option in the race to replace Senator Collins in the U.S. Senate.” > > That experience includes 25 years of work in senior government positions in Maine, Maryland and Washington D.C. > [@iiandyiiii](#): > > If only there had been a down the middle Democratic candidate like, say, Janet Mills, Platner never would have gotten the nomination, right? I realize you are being sarcastic, but there was- Constello. > [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > The strange thing isn’t that she waited to come forward. The remarkable bit is that she chose to come forward at all, knowing how awful folks would be to her. The only thing suspicious was the timing. She is pretty believable, and doesnt work for the GOP. As far as we know, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![ZosterSandstorm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e0b2c6/32.png) [@ZosterSandstorm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZosterSandstorm)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1474 "2026-07-07T19:28:59Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > If only there had been a down the middle Democratic candidate like, say, Janet Mills, Platner never would have gotten the nomination, right? Yes, it certainly is a problem when voters in the primary lose sight of the electability of candidates in the general election and get conned by extremists with fake personalities who turn out to be lying rapist alcoholic disability fraudster Nazis who love killing people and end up harming the entire Democratic campaign effort nationwide by being associated with the party brand. Maybe the process that led to that outcome should be examined and changed. Great point. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1475 "2026-07-07T19:42:07Z")
Best to probably spit in all those voters’ faces. It’s not like the party should actually try to get those voters’ votes, right? That wouldn’t be pure! Best to insult them. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1476 "2026-07-07T20:20:30Z")
> [@ZosterSandstorm](#): > > They’re all downwardly mobile rich liberal arts college grads who have never had a real job and their conception of the mythical WWC is “some sort of chimp-like creature who likes fart humor.” Can’t we just [leave the downwardly mobile alone](https://phoebemaltzbovy.substack.com/p/leave-the-downwardly-mobile-alone)? ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1477 "2026-07-07T21:41:49Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Why not David Costello? He came in second. I hear there’s talk of running a primary vote, or at least a reputable poll, the weekend before that July 27 deadline. Something to make this NOT a case of ‘back-room’ choices. And they definitely do not want it to be a case of “Platner’s choice.” A vote or well-regarded poll could save Maine from either. > [@pacheen1](#): > > Then she waits until the primary is over and he’s won and the senate race is underway to accuse him of rape. Does anyone else find this suspicious? No. As has been mentioned, she described the rape to friends and to a physician years before Platner was ever mentioned as a candidate. The delay could be down to (as also mentioned) a wish to avoid the spotlight. I believe she’s said outright that she didn’t want to be known as a rape victim. Also, she has said that she likes Platner’s policy positions. If she thought that her accusation would be all----that there are no other women who will be coming forward after the change-deadline----then maybe she would have stayed silent. But it was all too likely that Platner would have been hit with multiple accusations. So she spoke up while there is still time to replace him. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1478 "2026-07-07T21:51:51Z")
> [@ZosterSandstorm](#): > > his conspiracy theories how “AIPAC” is making the price of eggs go up Why am I certain that a request for a cite will be ignored? ---
**Author:** ![Calder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Calder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calder)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1479 "2026-07-07T22:04:41Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > Well, not everyone is jumping off the bandwagon…MTG says she believes him! I honestly couldn’t tell whether that said more about me or more about her that I had to Google it before I knew if it was real. Politics has gotten so absurd over the last decade that every headline feels like it could be either satire or breaking news. ---
**Author:** ![Calder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Calder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calder)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1480 "2026-07-07T22:29:57Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I also don’t agree with any parallels with Trump’s supporters. What I saw were frustrated responses to bad arguments and highly implausible scenarios, not blind faith. Said frustration is no lower for me, as those who held fast to bad arguments will see this as evidence they were right. I’ll freely admit that the people arguing he was a secret Republican planning to switch sides were making fanciful arguments. But the counter‑argument some posters made — that a self‑described WWII buff who served two tours in two different branches of the military in a war zone, who appeared on multiple military podcasts, who posted in a Reddit thread about **Totenkopf** — somehow wouldn’t recognize one of the most infamous military symbols of the 20th century because “my brother once played a war game and didn’t know what it was,” for example, is equally silly. To claim Platner went twenty years without watching a WWII movie and noticing that SS officers have the death’s‑head insignia is just not plausible. ---
**Author:** ![Calder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Calder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calder)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1481 "2026-07-07T22:42:58Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > I hear there’s talk of running a primary vote, or at least a reputable poll, the weekend before that July 27 deadline. Something to make this NOT a case of ‘back-room’ choices. And they definitely do not want it to be a case of “Platner’s choice.” There’s talk of doing a caucus, similar to how Iowa handles things. And honestly, I agree that we need some kind of actual vote or structured process so Collins can’t turn around and claim it was all **back‑room politics** and that “nobody even voted for him.” A transparent, public mechanism — whether a caucus or a reputable poll — at least gives the eventual choice some legitimacy and avoids the narrative that the decision was made by a handful of insiders. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2026, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/1482 "2026-07-07T22:55:13Z")
A caucus or similar would also avoid the twin traps of “You just picked that guy because Platner endorsed him” and “You just picked that guy because Platner endorsed someone else”. I just hope they can put it together quick enough. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179.md?page=73) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179.md?page=75)