Despite all of the revelations about him including boasts about being a communist, a cop-hater, and photos showing he had a Nazi-themed tattoo on his chest, Democrat Senate candidate Graham Platner apparently is still a thing in Maine. His party is shifting towards an even more aggressive and confrontational approach heading into 2026.
There has not been much polling in the Democrat primary so far. At this early stage the race mainly features the Bernie Sanders-backed newcomer Platner and Maine Governor Janet Mills. But what information is out there has shown that Platner has emerged as a formidable candidate against the Chuck Schumer-backed Mills. Both are portraying themselves as the one best suited to defeat Senator Susan Collins and shake up things in the United States Senate.
Apparently with the thought in mind that doing anything other than going scorched earth on the Republican-controlled Senate and President Trump is a sign of an unwillingness to fight, Platner recently told a group of supporters during a campaign stop that he would encourage people to yell at any public official who didn’t agree with the far-left’s socialist agenda. He said they shouldn’t get a moment’s peace including at restaurants.
“In the future, when we’re trying to vote on something like Medicare for All, if there are other members of the Maine delegation that don’t want to come along, we need to be able to impose costs. We need to be able to turn people out to flood their offices. Frankly, I want people to follow them around and don’t let them have a public dinner without getting yelled at. Because that’s power. That’s real power.”
His comments echo similar remarks from Democratic Representative Maxine Waters of California. She urged a crowd of agitators to do the same thing in the summer of 2018 almost one year to the day that a deranged Bernie Sanders supporter tried to assassinate multiple GOP lawmakers during a Congressional baseball practice. That attack nearly succeeded with Representative Steve Scalise of Louisiana.
Apparently even after the targeted murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson allegedly over frustrations with the healthcare industry, the politically motivated assassination of conservative icon Charlie Kirk, and two attempted assassinations against then-GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, Platner’s contribution to toning down the rhetoric is to suggest it should intensify.
Platner’s background makes his call for aggressive confrontation even more troubling. The candidate has boasted about being a communist and a cop-hater. Photos have surfaced showing he had a Nazi-themed tattoo on his chest.
Despite these revelations the Democratic Party in Maine has not distanced itself from Platner. He continues to campaign with the backing of Bernie Sanders and has positioned himself as a serious challenger in the primary.
The race pits two very different visions for the Democratic Party against each other. Mills represents the establishment wing backed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Platner represents the aggressive progressive wing that believes Democrats have not been confrontational enough.
Platner’s framing of harassment as power reveals how some on the left view political engagement. They see intimidating opponents in their personal lives as a legitimate tactic rather than a threat to civil discourse.
The call to flood offices is standard political activism. But telling supporters to follow officials around and yell at them during private dinners crosses a line. This is harassment that could easily escalate into violence.
Democrats have spent years claiming they want to tone down political rhetoric. They blamed Republicans for creating a climate of hostility. Yet candidates like Platner openly call for tactics designed to intimidate and harass political opponents.
The timing of Platner’s remarks is particularly disturbing. Conservative leaders have been targeted for violence repeatedly in the past year. Charlie Kirk was assassinated. Trump survived two assassination attempts. The UnitedHealthcare CEO was murdered on a public street.
In this environment, a serious candidate for the United States Senate is telling supporters to pursue officials and confront them in public. He is explicitly framing this harassment as an exercise of power.
Platner wants people to understand that Republicans will face personal consequences for their votes. They will not be able to enjoy a meal in public without being screamed at. This is not democracy. This is intimidation.
Democrats are telling us who they really are. And we should believe them.