Graham Platner, a Marine veteran and oyster farmer, has won the Democratic nomination for the US Senate in Maine, defeating Governor Janet Mills and David Costello with 72% of the vote. The victory sets up a high-stakes general election contest against Republican incumbent Susan Collins in November.
Platner's campaign was overshadowed by a series of personal controversies, including reports of sexually explicit messages exchanged with women while married, allegations of past physical abuse from an ex-girlfriend, a Nazi symbol tattoo, and old Reddit posts containing homophobic slurs. Despite these issues, he secured the nomination by convincing Democratic voters that his past mistakes were forgivable.
In his victory speech, Platner emphasised personal redemption, stating: 'If you believe, as I do, that we can change our politics and our country then you must also believe that people can change.' He credited his wife, Amy Gertner, who publicly defended him during the campaign, for his transformation.
Platner now faces Susan Collins in a race widely seen as crucial for Democrats to regain control of the Senate, where Republicans hold a 53-47 majority. He attacked Collins as serving Donald Trump and corporate donors rather than Maine residents.
The primary night event, held at a YMCA gym, featured supporters holding signs such as 'Families for Graham' and 'Labor for Graham'. Platner's candidacy has prompted debate within the Democratic party about balancing moral standards with electoral necessity.
