Democrats close ranks around Graham Platner despite string of scandals

Sens. Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) and Ed Markey (Mass.) are just the latest high-profile Democrats to throw their support behind scandal-plagued Senate candidate Graham Platner.

The progressive oyster farmer from Maine won the Democratic nomination Tuesday night, a result that was widely expected after Gov. Janet Mills (D) suspended her campaign in April. Despite Mills still appearing on the ballot, Platner managed to secure 72% of the vote share, setting up a general election against five-term incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R).

‘In November, Maine voters will elect Graham Platner, and we will win a Senate majority.’

Prior to Election Night, Platner had received the endorsements of Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.).

Many moderate Democrats have been hesitant to endorse the anti-establishment populist over the course of his candidacy due to his troubling past, including a now-covered-up chest tattoo that resembled a symbol used by Nazi concentration camp guards, sexually explicit messages he sent to several women while married, and past Reddit posts in which he downplayed sexual assault in the military.

Although Schumer initially backed Mills, he and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) released a joint statement on Wednesday saying, “In November, Maine voters will elect Graham Platner, and we will win a Senate majority.”

Gillibrand reiterated her position when asked by reporters about Platner’s victory. “We are going to win Maine, and we are going to flip the Senate,” she said.

RELATED: Graham Platner trots out wife to deal with his extramarital sexting scandal, giving some Democrats the ick

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After Platner clinched the nomination, Markey posted on his X account: “We need more leaders in Washington who will stand up to corporate power, fight for working families, and take bold action on the climate crisis. That’s what Graham Platner is fighting for in Maine. And that’s how he will help Democrats take back our Senate majority.”

The senator’s statement stands in contrast with his awkward CNN interview last Thursday during which he evaded endorsing Platner while praising his campaign and policies to anchor Boris Sanchez.

“So why not say that you endorse him?” Sanchez asked.

Markey responded, “In my opinion, he has taken the issues and he’s galvanized a grassroots movement all across Maine. People are responding at the town meetings, they are up, they’re energized, and in my opinion he is on a pathway to victory in the state of Maine.”

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (D) also proclaimed she would support Platner against Collins even as she denounced his past comments.

“I’m disgusted by what [Platner] posted, and I’ve been disgusted by some of his other, you know, behaviors and antics. But here’s the thing: You know, come November, there’s going to be a clear choice,” she said. “There’s going to be Susan Collins on the one hand, who has stood with Trump.”

While both Sens. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) stopped short of official endorsements, Welch expressed his support for the voters’ decision, while Schatz is working to raise funds for Platner’s campaign.

“He’s got a lot of controversy around him, but that’s been out there. The Democratic voters in Maine were fully aware of it, and they gave him a very solid Democratic victory in the primary,” Welch said.

Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) followed suit, posting on X early Wednesday morning: “Graham Platner made a passionate case for loving and serving Maine. Powerful.”

“I’ve made mistakes in my life, mistakes that I regret, that I live with and that I continue to learn from. And I’m still far from perfect,” Platner said in his victory speech Tuesday night.

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