DNC Chair Defends Maine Senate Candidate Graham Platner Amid Controversial Past Comments

Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin has stated that past controversial social media posts made by Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner are not disqualifying, though he acknowledged they were offensive and hurtful. Platner, a military veteran and oyster farmer, apologized for these remarks, attributing them to his struggles with PTSD following deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Some of his comments included derogatory statements about police, rural white Americans, and insensitive remarks about sexual assault victims. Despite the controversy, Martin emphasized his belief in second chances and expressed confidence in Platner's contrition and changed behavior. Platner is running in a competitive Democratic primary against Governor Janet Mills to challenge Republican Senator Susan Collins in the 2026 Senate election. The fallout from the revelations also led to the resignation of Platner's political director, who cited the volume and nature of the comments as unacceptable.