Opinion

MARK PENN: Democrats ignored every warning sign in Graham Platner’s Senate disaster

Graham Platner was unqualified to serve as a United States senator from the start

By Mark Penn Fox News

Published July 8, 2026 11:49am EDT | Updated July 8, 2026 11:50am EDT

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Marc Thiessen: Democrats should have been running from Platner months ago

Fox News contributor Marc Thiessen weighs in on the mounting problems facing Democratic Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner. Thiessen argues that Democrats were aware of Platner's controversial past, including a Nazi tattoo and allegations of physical violence, but only reacted once a new rape allegation surfaced, making his candidacy untenable.

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Federalist No. 62, written by James Madison, outlines the nature of the Senate and the qualifications of senators — they were older, more removed from politics, with six-year staggered terms, and meant to cool the hot-tempered passions of the House of Representatives. Guess Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner and the party organizers didn’t read that one.

They are recruiting senators with exactly the opposite qualifications — inexperienced, reckless, flamboyant and unstable. Platner was unqualified from Day One — he had zero life accomplishments of any note, his political viewpoints were extreme, and he had no understanding of the complex issues........

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