Graham Platner, an advocate for government-funded healthcare, free education, and a wealth tax, has won the Democratic primary in Maine for the U.S. Senate seat. He will face Republican Senator Susan Collins in a high-stakes general election in November.
Platner, a veteran turned oyster farmer, initially gained support from progressives and later won over mainstream Democrats after his primary opponent, Maine Governor Janet Mills, withdrew in April due to low polling. Primary results from Nevada, South Carolina, and North Dakota were also announced Tuesday.
Democrats see a strong opportunity to flip a Senate seat in Maine, where Senator Collins is seeking a fifth term amid voter frustration over high consumer prices and the U.S.-Israel war in Iran. Platner has built momentum with a 'people's candidate' message that appeals to both moderates and progressives, drawing significant campaign funding and far outpacing his rivals.
Key Results from the Primaries
President Donald Trump effectively ended the political career of Representative Nancy Mace in South Carolina, who had helped publicize the Epstein files and strained relations with him. She failed to advance to the runoff in the gubernatorial race on June 23, where Trump-endorsed Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette will face second-place finisher Attorney General Alan Wilson.
Trump-backed candidates have defeated Republican Senators Bill Cassidy, John Cornyn, and Representative Thomas Massie in this year's primaries. However, Trump's support for Evette produced only a limited victory, as she failed to secure a majority, forcing a runoff with 28.9% of the vote against Wilson's 26.2%.
In Nevada, Trump-endorsed Marty O'Donnell won the Republican primary for the 3rd Congressional District with 42.4% of the vote, a battleground district that could decide control of the House in November.
Who is Graham Platner?
Platner, 41, focuses on bread-and-butter issues such as the cost of living, housing, and healthcare, and earned early backing from Senator Bernie Sanders. His platform calls for Medicare for All, a wealth tax on the super-rich, and condemnation of Israel's war in Gaza.
Platner stirred controversy after revelations about sexual messages with women while married, along with old posts endorsing political violence and comments about the military. He has apologized, citing PTSD and depression from his service in Iraq and Afghanistan. 'I have made mistakes, but every day I try to be a little bit better,' Platner told supporters in Blue Hill, Maine.
