Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin says disparaging comments in the past by Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner are not “disqualifying.”
“I don’t think they’re disqualifying, but certainly they’re not right. And I’m glad that he apologized for them. They’re indefensible, they’re hurtful, and they’re offensive,” Martin said on CNN’s State of the Union.
Martin said he believes “in second chances” and “people say things at their most vulnerable times.”
In now-deleted Reddit posts from 2021, Platner called himself a “communist,” called “all” police officers “bastards” and said rural White Americans “actually are” racist and stupid,”
In 2013, Platner also minimized service members who report being sexually assaulted. He also wondered why black people don’t tip well.
Platner apologized for the comments Friday, saying he was dealing with PTSD after serving in Afghanistan.
Also Friday, Platner’s political director, former State Rep. Genevieve McDonald of Stonington, resigned from his campaign.
Platner is oysterman and military veteran, who is running to unseat incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins, who has held her seat for almost 30 years.
Platner quickly gained momentum after launching his campaign in August, picking up a major endorsement from Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and has gained support from several labor unions in the state.
Democratic Governor Janet Mills entered the race last Tuesday, creating a competitive Democratic primary. Collins won her last re-election race in 2020 by almost 9 points.
