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RandySF

(79,936 posts)
Wed Nov 12, 2025, 06:45 AM Nov 12

ME-SEN: Graham Platner's online history means he'd lose to Susan Collins, Dem poll warns

Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner’s social media history is a major general election liability, a new Democratic polling memo warns.

The survey, conducted on behalf of the Democratic group EMILYs List and obtained by POLITICO, finds that most voters wouldn’t support Platner over Republican Sen. Susan Collins after learning of his past social media posts in which he called himself a communist, denigrated the police and characterized white people in rural Maine as “stupid” and “racist.”

When voters are read direct quotes from Platner’s since-deleted Reddit posts, he loses to Collins by double digits. And in a test of
potential campaign messaging, a positive narrative about Platner that includes his life story as a veteran and oyster farmer and his apology for the posts fails to make up the gap.

Before testing a matchup between Platner and Collins, the poll summarizes pro-Platner messaging — including his military service and his promise to “fight the billionaire class” and make politics work “for regular people” — along with likely Republican attacks about the communist label and his comments about police. With that information, Collins leads Platner 51 percent to 42 percent.



https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/12/poll-graham-platner-maine-senate-emilys-list-00647389?nid=0000014f-1646-d88f-a1cf-5f46b7bd0000&nname=playbook&nrid=0000015d-667e-d075-a77f-e77ee1da0000

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FBaggins

(28,594 posts)
2. I don't think she led in any polls six years ago
Wed Nov 12, 2025, 06:50 AM
Nov 12

(Other than the one that counted)

we definitely can’t afford to start off behind.

Chasstev365

(6,774 posts)
3. Get behind Janet Mills NOW!
Wed Nov 12, 2025, 06:56 AM
Nov 12

I cannot stomach the thought of Collin's :Katherine Hepburn like voice" telling how "concerned" she is, yet voting with Trump 95 % of the time for another 6 years.

Fiendish Thingy

(21,590 posts)
7. NO! Maine can do better than Mills or Platner
Wed Nov 12, 2025, 09:11 AM
Nov 12

Jordan Wood, Katie Porter’s former chief of staff is also on the ballot.

Mills is pro-filibuster, and will be 79 at the start of her senate term.

Fiendish Thingy

(21,590 posts)
13. Maine can still do better than Mills or Platner
Wed Nov 12, 2025, 09:34 AM
Nov 12

The primary is eight months away, and the candidate filing deadline is six months away.

BannonsLiver

(20,126 posts)
16. How about we let people in Maine figure that out.
Wed Nov 12, 2025, 11:20 AM
Nov 12

I know it’s close to Canada but this isn’t horseshoes or hand grenades.

dsc

(53,268 posts)
4. To be honest the rural voter comments are the most worrying
Wed Nov 12, 2025, 07:03 AM
Nov 12

I mean how many years ago did Obama say his stuff about god and guns and people still whine about it. And of course, we hear endlessly about the basket of deplorables from Clinton. These comments are exponentially worse. I am certainly not in love with the other stuff he said, but people who have the opinions I have will vote for anyone over a Republican at this point, the middle of the road voter won't. And they are offended by these comments.

2naSalit

(99,025 posts)
5. When you put this up against...
Wed Nov 12, 2025, 08:31 AM
Nov 12

Janet Mills, He's probably not going to fare well. She's been a good Governor for the state and was one of the Governors who told the rumpster to fuck off and found funding for SNAP in the state. We already have food banks in every small town.

She's going to win it even though I see a lot of yard signs for platner all over central Maine. She hasn't really started campaigning since she's busy with her current job and people are weary from all the politics of late.

Don't forget ranked choice voting which is what gave it to collins the last time.

I will be registered as a voter by the end of January and plan to make use of it at every opportunity. I have to establish a permanent residence, happens in a couple weeks, then change my ID to here and then I can register. Can hardly wait to have that all in place.

Fiendish Thingy

(21,590 posts)
6. Jordan Wood, Katie Porter's former chief of staff, is also on the ballot
Wed Nov 12, 2025, 09:09 AM
Nov 12

Maine can do better than Platner or Mills.

Celerity

(53,139 posts)
15. Oh, I agree. The choice between Platner and Mills is depressing. Mills only looks good in comparison to Platner
Wed Nov 12, 2025, 10:08 AM
Nov 12

and Collins. She is too centrist, will be 85yo at the end of her first term, and as you have already pointed out, is pro-filibuster. Despite her statement saying she was against the cave-in Senate deal, I could easily see her joining her fellow New England centrists who DID vote for it (King of ME, and the two NH Senators, Shaheen and Hassan) if she was in the Senate now. She of course will be far better than the asshole Collins, but that is a low bar.

Platner, on the other hand, IMHO, likely cannot overcome the past damage. I am very upset that he was not properly vetted, as if he did not have that shitshow past, he would be the clear favourite and is far more ideologically closer to what I desire in a US Senator than Mills is.

Stephen King is 3 months older than Mills, so not much hope there that he runs. His chance came and went in 2020. I raged about his not running then for ages on here, along with many other great, stronger candidates in other states. Cortez Masto of NV and Schumer were somewhat of a disaster at recruiting that year.

mackdaddy

(1,913 posts)
10. 'We' elected Donald Trump. Twice.
Wed Nov 12, 2025, 09:25 AM
Nov 12

I don't live in Maine so not really invested in this primary.

But, I am not sure these kinds of things actually matter these days.

Probably should, but not so much as personality or at least public persona.

leftstreet

(38,430 posts)
14. They need to do Mills
Wed Nov 12, 2025, 10:06 AM
Nov 12
The poll did not test how Maine Gov. Janet Mills, the other major Democrat challenging Collins, would fare in a general election.

Torchlight

(6,152 posts)
18. I think Maine will do just fine with Mills
Wed Nov 12, 2025, 11:32 AM
Nov 12

She's experienced, stands firmly on the progressive side of health care, women's health access, the environment, and supports LGBT. From my chair, the concerns of gender, age, religion, etc. are at their very best, meritless bias.

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