Politics > Graham Platner

Concerning Platner, What Would Frederick Douglass Tell Maine’s Voters?

The primary is today—will honesty, truthfulness, and virtue show up at the ballot box?

James Zumwalt | June 9, 2026

19th-century writer and statesman Frederick Douglass warned us, “The life of the nation is secure only while the nation is honest, truthful, and virtuous.” Were he alive today, he undoubtedly would remind Maine’s voters that, for the nation to embrace such qualities, so must they.

It is befuddling in some elections to understand what motivates voters to cast their ballot for a particular candidate. As such, it has been interesting to watch the Democrats’ Senate primary race in Maine. That race is telling, both about the lead candidate and those supporting him.

The June 9 primary election involves three Democrat candidates (a fourth unofficially withdrew)—David Costello, Graham Platner, and Andrea LaFlamme. In late 2025, Platner—an oyster farmer—clearly led the pack with a 58% poll showing among Democrats. He has maintained a lead throughout his campaign, thus standing out as the Democrat candidate with the best chance to defeat Republican incumbent Susan Collins in the November 3 general election.

Platner maintains this lead despite a myriad of allegations about his past that, like a spoiled oyster, stink, particularly for someone who is to represent their state in the U.S. Senate. These independent and frequent allegations, coming not only from past girlfriends but from his wife as well, almost suggest he is a man capable of committing more than just the seven deadly sins, apparently having no guilt about doing so.

The list of Platner’s accusations is extensive—they include having adorned himself with a Nazi tattoo, abusive conduct (as reported by the liberal-friendly New York Times), sexual misconduct while married, violence, rape fantasies, sending explicit texts to younger women, trashing rural Americans,........

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