Graham Platner is an Army and Marine Corps veteran. (Photo: X)
Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner has apologized for a series of past social media posts in which he called himself a “communist,” criticized police, and made derogatory comments about rural white Americans.
In a video posted Friday to
Platner, an Army and Marine Corps veteran, told CNN that some of the posts date back to his time in Iraq and Afghanistan and reflect a period of “disillusionment” after returning from military service.
“When I came back from Afghanistan in 2011, I remained in the Army for another year. I was discharged in 2012. Some of the worst things I’ve said, the things I think are the most indefensible, the things I wouldn’t even think to defend, are from that time,” he said.
She added, “I have made comments that I am not happy with and that I do not agree with, but they have come from a time and place in my life…As I read the comments that have been published, I see myself changing. My language is less coarse, and my thoughts and feelings are much less wild.”
Platner acknowledged that some posts on Reddit described him as a “communist” or “a socialist who grows vegetables and takes psychedelics.” He writes: “After the war, I stopped believing in most of the patriotic nonsense that got me there in the first place. I firmly believe that the best thing a person can do is help their neighbor and live a life of love.”
Platner emphasized in the interview that these posts no longer reflect his views. “I’m not a communist. I’m not a socialist. I own a small business. I’m a Marine Corps veteran,” he told CNN.
He also cited posts criticizing law enforcement, including one in 2021 in which he wrote, “Assholes. Cops are assholes. All of them, in fact,” and another in 2020 in which he commented about rural white Americans, “I live in rural white America and I’m scared to say they’re actually (racist).”
Platner said his thinking evolved as he became less isolated and built a community in Maine. “I was in a different place, had different emotions, and certainly had different thoughts and opinions that I don’t have now. But I’m very proud of who I am now,” he said. “I’m not going to defend anything I’ve said in the past, but I wouldn’t be where I am today without that whole journey, and I’m incredibly proud of who I am today.”
Who is Graham Platner?
Graham Platner is a Marine Corps and U.S. Army veteran, oyster farmer, and chairman of the Sullivan Planning Commission. He is running in Maine’s Democratic primary for Senate, aiming to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
After graduating high school in 2003, Mr. Platner joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served multiple tours of duty in Iraq before joining the Maryland Army National Guard and deploying to Afghanistan. After his military service, he suffered from undiagnosed PTSD and physical injuries, and eventually returned to Maine and dedicated himself to serving his community.
Platner started working at a small oyster farm in Sullivan in 2018, then took ownership and expanded the business. He also operates a diving and mooring service and serves as Sullivan’s harbor master and chairman of the planning committee.
Platner met Amy Gartner in 2023 and they married soon after. The couple lives in Sullivan with their two dogs, Griffin and Zevon, and their cat, Neptune.
