Graham Platner secured the Democratic nomination for Maine’s U.S. Senate seat on Tuesday with about 72 percent of the vote. He will face incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November. Some Democrats remain hesitant to endorse him amid ongoing controversies.
Platner, an oyster farmer and veteran, defeated the field in a decisive primary victory. The win came despite recent allegations from former girlfriends about his past behavior and a covered tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol. Several Democratic senators declined to endorse Platner on Wednesday. Sen. Mark Kelly said he had not met the nominee and noted he had “got things to explain.” Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Tammy Duckworth also held back, while Sen. John Fetterman said he would never endorse him. President Donald Trump endorsed Collins on Wednesday in the Oval Office. He called her “a sane woman and a respected person” and described Platner as “a thug” and “a phony.” Progressives including Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren urged Democrats to rally behind Platner. He acknowledged past mistakes in his victory speech, saying he continues to learn from them.
