Jun.10

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Oh, Graham!, Part II: Maine Voters

Today, with Graham Platner officially having advanced to the general election, we want to share some thoughts on him (and his latest scandal) from folks who will actually help decide his fate, namely readers who are registered voters in Maine. And away we go:

• P.R. in Saco, ME: I tell you whot, that D.E. in Lancaster is wicked smaht, ayuh. Nailed it.
  
  The Republicans are terrified of authenticity. (Please let that sink in.) Platner is likely to win the seat because Mainers see his authenticity. (But even if he doesn't, he's definitely on his healing path. Good on 'im. There but for the grace of God go I.)
  
  Finally, I get hints that Susan Collins might not fight as hard as she would. She knows her goose is cooked, between the Kavanaugh vote and her relationship with Donny. And, she might just be fine with being retired. She came out touting her 10,000 votes record, noted she is in deep doo-doo with him whose name is no longer on the Kennedy Center, weakly mentioned character in reference to a reporter's question about Platner, and weakly stated the people of Maine will decide.
  
  Which they will.
  
  
• B.C. in Walpole, ME: Okay, look, there's no such thing as an oyster boat. That's where this lobsterman/oysterman false parallel is creeping in. To lobster, you need a lobster boat. You don't go to sea for oysters. You grow them in farms on protected water bodies. I live on the estuary that accounts for 75% of Maine's oyster supply and I've not yet heard the expression "oysterboat," nor even "oysterman." Lobsertman and lobster boat I hear frequently.
  
  Last year, I paddled my kayak 4 miles down a stretch of the Damariscotta River (actually a saltwater estuary), dodging oyster farms the whole way. They use lots of different kinds of boats, but most of them are ordinary johnboats of the kind one would use to go fishing on a local lake (unless you are a Southerner and have the Rolls-Royce equivalent of a bass boat).
  
  How does Platner qualify for working class? Except very briefly, his life's work has been serving in the military, and that's not really what we mean by "working class." His family currently owns an oyster farm. That's not the same as working class either.
  
  Why did his key staff members resign last year? I find that especially disturbing. If I were a reporter, I wouldn't bother to talk to ex-girlfriends. I'd be talking to ex-staff members, and months ago.
  
  
• A.B. in Farmington, ME: One thing I haven't seen other commenters raise is that one cultural change brought about by the reporting on Watergate—a more critical eye toward politicians' bad behavior especially beyond policy—has had an unintended consequence in political reporting: For the last 50 years, there is no better way to make it as a political reporter than to bring down a politician, the bigger the better. On top of that, a non-traditional candidate such as Graham Platner presents a particularly appealing narrative: fresh-faced newcomer arrives on the scene and everyone swoons, then we learn that it's all actually fake and the person is terrible (whether they are or not). As they say, the story writes itself.
  
  The tell (to me, at least) in the Platner situation is the use of the word "scandal," which doesn't really make sense when applied to the issues that have arisen in his campaign: He is not doing something actively that requires explanation. Rather, he is being presented with allegations about past behavior and being asked to explain himself or demonstrate that this does not reflect who he is today. It is worse than a scandal because it will come up every single time he talks to a political reporter. Moreover, the fact that he very specifically said there was nothing else that would come out almost directly before the sexting allegations arose seems to have convinced political reporters that they cannot trust him and that means he is an even bigger target.
  
  All that said, it is totally legitimate to ask about a candidate's character. First, because it might actually give you some insight into how they will handle future situations, but second and more importantly, voters care (notwithstanding the well-described asymmetry on this topic between Ds and Rs). You can't simply wave that away.
  
  The recent stories about Platner's past behavior are essentially the perfect political Rorschach test, and most people are exceedingly likely to just react according to their existing preferences. I know a lot of Janet Mills supporters (she's from the same town I live in) and they are pissed about Platner and, in my opinion, the reasoning for why they don't like him follows from their opinions rather than forming an opinion based on that reasoning. I also know Platner supporters (I'm one) and many of them (I'm not one) feel like the world is out to get Graham and, by extension, all his supporters.
  
  Now I will swoon a little bit. Graham has been tremendously available to Maine voters and has barnstormed this state non-stop for the last 9 months. He has spoken to Maine voters without notes and accepted any question and, to me, demonstrated that he understands both the need for change and the mechanisms necessary to achieve it. I agree with the argument of the campaign that real people should be senators, not merely those groomed for it from childhood, and he has struck me in direct, one-on-one conversations as someone who has the combination of real world experience, book smarts, and a clear political vision. I really like Janet Mills and believe she has been a terrific governor, but Graham was a better candidate from day one and he has a vision of change for the future that meets this moment in the way that is needed. I definitely ranked him number one yesterday, did not rank any other candidates, and I'm looking forward to seeing him defeat Susan Collins in November.
  
  However, I do worry that I have not seen anyone in the public discourse acknowledge the danger that Graham will get the nomination and then face allegations that cannot be sufficiently explained. The specific concern I have is that no one other than Graham, his wife, and the women involved have seen the inappropriate (the WSJ described them as "sexually explicit") texts that Graham sent early in his marriage. If those text are truly problematic from a legal perspective, then they could sink his candidacy. If that happens, the Democratic Party in Maine will be scrambling to find a replacement and the damage is likely to cost Democrats any chance of winning the Maine Senate seat and therefore a possible Senate majority in the next Congress. As a person who thinks about the process of politics, as much as feeling the emotions around supporting a beloved candidate, this is scaring the hell out of me with Platner's campaign. Accordingly, I really hope the campaign releases those texts (if they have them) before the opposition can.
  
  Dirigo!
  
  
• M.P. in Portland, ME: Thank you for all you do to keep us Mainers informed, and thank you for this opportunity to comment on our extremely important Senate race this year. I like both Janet Mills and Graham Platner. I wish Mills had stayed the course through the primary, though her name still appears on our ranked-choice ballot. Democrats still have the opportunity to vote for her.
  
  When I completed my mail-in ballot, I chose Platner as #1 and Mills as #2; however, if the New York Times article had been published before then, I might have ranked Mills as #1. I do not know what to believe about Platner's past actions, and Mills has been tested in multiple statewide elections, winning them all. However, the current mentality of "throw the bums out," combined with some ageism, worked against Mills. For now, it appears that Platner will win and remain the nominee. I am fine with that, but it does give me pause that there may be even more scandals revealed in the coming months. In the end, my primary goal, and the goal of many Mainers (Democrats, Independents, and Republicans) is to rid ourselves of Susan Collins. We may not like her for different reasons (Kavanaugh for me; not Trumpy enough for many Republicans). Anecdotally, three of my friends, all women (ages 33 to 75), have no qualms at this point about supporting Platner in the primary or the general election. Each cited the fact that the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave has either bragged about or been convicted of much worse offenses than those of which Platner has only been accused. Like it or not, that is where we are in American politics.
  
  As a side note, in the governor's race, I ranked Shenna Bellows #1, Nirav Shah #2, and Hannah Pingree as #3. If I could have my ballot back, I would most likely choose Troy Jackson (who was surging in the last poll) in one of the top three spots. I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but I think I confused his name with David Jones, who is running for governor as a Republican. I'm not sure if it's my fault or Jackson's campaign's fault that I didn't know more about him.
  
  
• P.S. in Portland, ME: I have had one 30-minute phone conversation with Graham Platner. He is an obviously highly intelligent student of history, with a detailed understanding of why our best way out of the mess we created is a new progressive era. I have seen him speak at several rallies and I have chatted with him a couple of times afterwards. In one encounter, I was standing near him when a young couple came up to him and the woman, a mental health professional, thanked him profusely for raising awareness of mental illness as a miswiring of the brain that can be treated. When they were just about done, I walked over to talk with the women while Graham was standing there as well. I let her know that I had a brother that is a retired family doctor, a sister that is a retired pediatric radiologist, an oldest son that is an ER doctor, a middle daughter that is an anesthesiologist, and a youngest daughter that is also, like her, a licensed mental health professional. I just wanted to let her know that in my world, out of all of them, when I need support, my youngest daughter is generally the most useful. Then I said something that was actually said to me long ago by my Rabbi, "We are all crazy, just some of us deal with it better than others." Graham laughed, but in a manner of solid agreement. Sometimes you can just tell. This is a person that was in a lot of trouble, but found his way, and found a new life and is not going backwards. No way, no how. A person who, as I said, is very smart and wears his heart on his sleeve. Like all great leaders—FDR, Kennedy, Lincoln—he can really deliver a speech and because of that, and his clearly strong motivation to serve, he just took off. Graham will not be spineless in the Senate. He will make his decisions based on science and data and facts, to include history. We should all want Graham Platner to be the next elected Senator from Maine.
  
  
• S.B. in Winslow, ME: From the moment this guy first came on the scene, I wasn't happy about it. Before Janet Mills threw her hat in the ring, there was a lot of support for her to do it from the Democrats in the area, as she's a proven politician and had a majority of Mainer support. I was cautious, simply because I think she wanted to retire and was talked into running against a weakening Collins. Her less-than-energetic campaign supported my theory and her withdrawal as Platner's popularity ascended proved it (IMO).
  
  What troubles me deeply about Platner was the same thing that troubled me in 2016 when I heard people talking about Donald Trump. It was 0% on experience or policy and 100% on feelings. With Trump, I repeatedly heard "He tells it like it is!" and "That's just locker room talk." (Thinly veiled bigotry and misogyny.) With Platner, I hear "I don't care about what he did in his youth or what's going on in his marriage" and "I'll vote for any Democrat before I'd vote for Collins or any Republican." (Thinly veiled anti-Trumpublican anger.) In other words, Graham Planter is the Democratic version of Donald Trump, and that makes me ill.
  
  Sadly, I find myself in the second group. The damage being done to our democracy by Trumpism and the Roberts Court is astounding and, I deeply pray, impermanent. I loathe that Americans are voting people with no political experience into senior government offices, but still remain grateful that people can vote for whomever they want... at least those who still can vote. Platner, for worse or "worser," is a D in the Senate. Right now, at this point in our nation's history, Democrats need every seat possible to stop the structural destruction of our country. I just pray we haven't sold our collective soul in doing so.
  
  
• A.C. in Tenants Harbor, ME: I'm a Maine voter. I plan to vote for Graham Platner. Sure, I'd prefer it if he were not a "bad boyfriend." But I don't want to date him. I want him to build a coalition of people and interests that will challenge and work to change the grip of the oligarchs (using shorthand for all the monied manipulators). And all of the traditional "elites." I'm sick of entitled elites. He speaks to the lived realities of most of us here in Maine (I believe), and has courage when more reasonable, mainstream Democrats are too cautious. I believe that any rash impulses will be checked and tested by his colleagues, should he be elected. And I believe he can win over Susan Collins in ways that the other main Democratic contender, Janet Mills, cannot.
  
  
• J.A. in Bangor, ME: I've lived in Maine for nearly 30 years but I can never be a Mainer because I wasn't born here. This is something that may not mean very much in southern Maine (commonly referred to as "Massachusetts North," where I live) but means a great deal to people in other parts of the state. Susan Collins is certainly a Mainer and this has helped her in past elections. Take 2020 for example—Joe Biden won Bangor by 20%, but Susan Collins was in a dead heat in her race, which means some sizable number of people voted for Biden and Collins on the same ballot. As I see it, Collins has been seen as one of us, and at the end of the day people feel she'll put Maine people first. She is seen around Bangor at Sunday mass and shopping alone at the grocery store and this seems endearing to people.
  
  This year, however, Collins is in the fight of her life as Graham Platner is also a Mainer through and through. I do not see a dead heat this senate election in Bangor and I think he'll win with Biden-level numbers. He'll also win statewide. Susan's run is over.
  
  
• H.M. in Portland, ME: Graham Platner will have the support of Maine Democrats in the general election. "Trump" is a dirty word in this part of the country and Susan Collins, who has supported him when her vote really counted (see Kavanaugh, Brett; support for ICE; hideous Cabinet confirmations; etc.) is well past her expiration date.
  
  Platner has been meeting people in countless town halls, libraries, schools, job sites etc. He has worked his butt off and stood to take responsibility for his actions. Collins, meanwhile, only meets voters in carefully controlled environments and hasn't had a town hall this century. The contrast is extremely vivid. People love what Platner says, believe what he can do, and that possibly this is a start of a movement. They don't like the controversies but, especially compared with the Trump misdeeds, are willing to give him as much rope as possible.
  
  Susan Collins has won election after election against, frankly, extremely poor candidates. Now she is going against strength, plus some of the best political ads you'll ever want to see.
  
  Despite the controversies, Platner collected more than 70 percent of the primary vote, even while Janet Mills remained on the ballot as an alternative. Those who did not support him will in November. He's that good. And by then, the alternate candidate will be Susan Collins.

Thanks to all who wrote in. We'll have one more set on Friday. (Z)