Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Maine, has faced backlash after reports revealed his past membership in the Socialist Rifle Association, a group linked to violent incidents. The disclosures, including old Reddit posts where he called himself a communist, emerged during his primary campaign. Platner attributes the comments to trauma following his military service in Afghanistan.
The controversy erupted when CNN reported on Platner's posts in the r/SocialistRA subreddit, where he described himself as a "communist" and wrote that fighting fascism requires "a good semi-automatic rifle." The forum is associated with the Socialist Rifle Association (SRA), founded in 2019 in Kansas by Alexander Tackett, who later identified as Alex Norma Tackett, and co-founder Faye Ecklar. A survey of SRA members showed 30% anarchists, 30% Marxist-Leninists or Maoists, 30% democratic socialists, and 10% other.
Platner explicitly mentioned his involvement in the Maine SRA chapter in 2020 posts, noting its activities like range days, firearms education, and mutual aid networks. Images from the chapter's training show participants, including one with facial hair matching Platner's, though faces were blurred.
The SRA has ties to political violence. On July 4, militants attacked an ICE facility in Alvarado, Texas, firing at officers; Benjamin Hanil Song, a Dallas-Fort Worth SRA member, is charged with shooting a police officer. Last week, the Department of Justice charged Cameron Arnold and Zachary Evetts with providing material support to terrorists, labeling their group an "Antifa Cell"—the first such use since President Trump's crackdown on far-left violence. Arnold uses the name Autumn Hill and shares traits with SRA founders.
Other incidents include Daniel Alan Baker's 2021 sentencing to 44 months for threats post-January 6, where he offered rewards for identifying Capitol protesters and identified as an SRA member. On January 20, 2025—Trump's inauguration day—Adam Matthew Lansky, a former SRA member, attacked a Tesla dealership in Salem, Oregon, with Molotov cocktails and gunfire. In March 2025, Paul Hyon Kim targeted Teslas in Las Vegas, following the SRA on Instagram with photos suggesting his involvement in training.
Platner, endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, would face Republican Sen. Susan Collins in the general election. He said the posts followed his 2011 return from Afghanistan, calling them "least defensible." Negative publicity also focuses on a reported Nazi chest tattoo. Membership in SRA is not required for subreddit posts, but Platner's explicit references confirm his affiliation.