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| Maine governor Janet Mills ends her senate bid. |
The Democrats are taking the gamble on a brash, somewhat unapologetic oyster farmer from rural Maine. They have concerns about tattoos, posts on Reddit, remarks when he served in the military and his past associations with people.
But many Maine residents should not care about this shit. They should be more concerned paying $4.59⁹ a gallon for gas. They should be angry they are watching their tax dollars go to the White House ballroom. They should be mad their representatives and senators took two week vacations while the government is still in a partial shutdown.
They should be mad that tourism is down.
They should be mad that Israel is getting billions in funding while Maine is struggling to keep their roads paved, bridges functioning, logging roads active and waterways necessary.
If Maine Gov. Janet Mills had the opportunity in her two terms as the incumbent, why on earth would she want a job as a senator who will just be a yes woman for the status quo?
Mills, a staunch supporter of Israel played every trick in the book. It didn't work.
Even with Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) backing her, it didn't help much.
Mills announced she will end her campaign paving the way for Graham Platner to be likely the nominee. It was a controversial fight.
Mills said on Thursday dropped her bid for the U.S. Senate, pointing to a lack of campaign funds to keep up in one of the most competitive races in the country that quickly became a reflection of an internal party debate over which candidates can win in high-profile contests.
The move now thrusts political newcomer Graham Platner as the expected Democratic front-runner against longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins, whose seat Democrats are targeting in their effort to win control of the closely divided Senate.
“While I have the drive and passion, commitment and experience, and above all else – the fight – to continue on, I very simply do not have the one thing that political campaigns unfortunately require today: the financial resources,” Mills said in a statement. “That is why today I have made the incredibly difficult decision to suspend my campaign for the United States Senate.”
Mills, a two-term governor and longtime Maine politician, was seen as one of Democrats’ top 2026 recruits when she entered the Senate race last year. She had the backing of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and prominent left-leaning advocacy groups hoping to unseat Collins in the chamber, which has 53 Republicans, 44 Democrats and three independents who caucus with the Democrats.
But Mills struggled to outshine first-time candidate Platner, her opponent in the June 9 Democratic primary. Platner has maintained strong popularity despite facing controversy over past comments he made online and a tattoo he had that is widely recognized as a Nazi symbol.
Mills did not endorse Platner in her campaign suspension announcement but instead promised to keep defending the Constitution and democracy while she’s governor for the remainder of her term.
Meanwhile, Schumer and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, both of New York, said they would work with Platner to defeat Collins.
“Our North Star is winning a Democratic Senate majority, and over the past year, Senate Democrats have carved out multiple paths to do that,” their statement said.
Democrats debate how to win back some power
The contest between Platner and Mills was part of a broader debate within the Democratic Party over how best to defeat Republicans and win back some power in President Donald Trump’s Washington, where the GOP controls the White House and both chambers of Congress.
Platner is backed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, and Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Ruben Gallego of Arizona and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico.
Mills had tried to convince voters that she was the best candidate to stand up to Trump, repeatedly noting she told the president she would see him in court, a reference to Maine officials’ lawsuit against the Trump administration over federal funding and a dispute over transgender athletes in sports.
Yet the message appeared at times drowned out by the popularity Platner attracted on the campaign trail. His events have attracted thousands of supporters as he pitched his populist message and flooded airwaves with his ads. He consistently outraised Mills every step of the way, raising $4 million while Mills raised $2.6 million in the latest fundraising quarter. Collins raised $3.1 million but has $10 million in the bank.
Age also became an issue in the race, as some Democrats want younger candidates to lead the party going forward. Mills is 78, while Plater is 41. Collins is 73.
So far this year, Democrats have largely avoided messy internal fights in their bid to retake the Senate. The Maine race was an exception, and with Mills’ decision, the Michigan Democratic primary could be the most heated campaign this year. Abdul El-Sayed, U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens and state Sen. Mallory McMorrow are locked in a competitive race there ahead of the August primary.
Many political observers initially anticipated that it would be Platner, not Mills, who would be forced to bow out of the race.
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| I do not need Chuck Schumer, John Fetterman or Janet Mills' support. |
Questions about Platner
Platner has been dogged by questions about the skull-and-crossbones tattoo recognized as a Nazi symbol that he said he got on his chest during a night of drinking while on military leave in Croatia. He has said the tattoo has been covered to no longer reflect that image. Additionally, there have been lingering questions about inflammatory comments he made in old online postings, which he has since disavowed.
Yet, Platner’s willingness to talk about his past mistakes has helped propel his favorability.
Republicans had already begun attacking Platner ahead of Mills’ campaign suspension announcement, pointing to the oyster farmer’s comments about his old social media posts that were dismissive of sexual assault. Among the comments, Platner once wrote on Reddit that people shouldn’t get so drunk “they wind up having sex with someone they don’t mean to.”
“Now with Chuck Schumer‘s reluctant support, Platner’s attempt at the Senate will be yet another fantasy that will end when Susan Collins grinds this fraudster into dust,” said Alex Latcham, executive director of the Senate Leadership Fund, in a statement.
Remember Republicans support President Donald J. Trump, an adjudicated sexual predator and seditionist. A man who lies more than he tells the truth. A man who found over 6,000 times in the Epstein files. A man who cannot run on a record of success.
We say dumb shit all the time. This cancel culture shit the Democrats latch onto hurt their chances with men. Men are struggling too.
Platner is reaching out to this base where Republicans held tight to. Maine a state with a 93% white population are aware of his past issues. Platner apologizes and we move forward.
An endorsement does not generate votes. We got to work hard to get candidates who want to work for their constituents not Israel or special interest groups.
Platner endorsed Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan as he is facing a bitter primary against Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) and state senator Mallory McMorrow. That race is facing a test of national consensus over how Democratic support for Israel is tanking. El-Sayed said he will not support Schumer as the leader.
Julia Stratton, the lieutenant governor of Illinois and senate nominee faces pressure to dump support for Israel. If elected she will be the sixth Black woman to be elected as a senator. Stratton said she will not support Schumer as the leader.
James Talarico is facing similar controversies. The bitterness of the Democratic primary in Texas against Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) has her supporters threatening to withhold their vote. Crockett, a brash controversial lawmaker who is aligned to the status quo lost in the primary because of her support of Israel and failure to reach to voters who saw her as a distraction. I look at her as the Black version Marjorie Taylor Greene. Unapologetic, loud and constantly generating attention. She was often on point with issues but the name calling and constant combativeness to lawmakers made her just as bad as Greene and others.
With the president, Congress and the Supreme Court at record low popularity, a civil war is brewing. Many people are not going to tolerate the elite and tone deaf.
Platner needs to prove he is not John Fetterman. Platner said Fetterman is "his bane of existence." He said he doesn't give two fucks about the independent Pennsylvania senator.
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