Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate running for the US Senate in Maine, who defended a series of controversial Reddit posts he made between 2013 and 2021, said they were intended to provoke reactions rather than reflect his true beliefs.
“I was trying to get a rise out of people on the internet,” Platner told Tommy Vietor on Pod Save America. “My views at the time didn’t even reflect that.”
He added that Maine voters will see the dispute when they meet him in person on the campaign trail. “People will realize that it’s not the person they’ve come to know at all, and they’ll come into contact in reality,” he said.
Apologizing and acknowledging mental health issues
Despite his defense, Platner apologized in a video posted on social media Friday. He said the posts were made shortly after leaving the military in 2012 and reflected his struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.
“I still had the crude humor, the dark, dark feelings, the abusive language that was really the hallmark of the infantry when I was in it,” he said.
“I’m sorry about that. Just know that it doesn’t reflect who I am at all. I don’t want you to judge me for the dumbest thing I’ve ever put on the internet. I’d rather people judge me for who I am today.”
Platner also shared other posts on Reddit showing him encouraging veterans to seek mental health support and criticizing homophobia and misogyny in the military. One post described his disillusionment with the “rampant misogyny and queerness” in the Marine Corps, where he also served.
Campaign fallout and staff resignations
The reappearance of the contributions caused internal turmoil in Platner’s campaign. His political director, Genevieve L. McDonald, resigned after the controversy.
“While I am empathetic to Graham’s experience and respect his personal journey and growth, I cannot overlook the volume and nature of his past comments, many of which were made as an adult, not as a young man,” McDonald said in her resignation statement. “These statements were not known to me when I agreed to join the campaign, and they are not words or values that I can stand behind in a candidate for the United States Senate.”
Response from the Collins campaign
Sen. Susan Collins’ campaign on Friday addressed Platner’s past statements “demeaning everyone from people living in rural areas to police and the disabled.” The statement also suggested the dispute reflected deeper divisions within the Democratic Party.
Ongoing campaign amid controversy
Despite the setback, Platner continued to campaign across Maine, focusing on his political agenda. The Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat, which also features Maine Gov. Janet Mills, is expected to be one of the most closely watched races in the state next year.
