Democrats have been promoting Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner as their working-class left-wing hero this election cycle. His personal life, though, has increasingly cast a cloud over his chances for an upset victory in November as the presumptive party nominee.
Platner is the latest Democratic attempt to rebrand the party with their idea of a plainspoken, blue-collar candidate in a swing state, without substantively changing any of their left-wing policies. His campaign rhetoric is indistinguishable from that of Bernie Sanders, but his persona has appealed to Democratic voters who view the party leadership as insufficiently combative.
The latest allegations regarding Platner's past relationships, though, have split Democratic political leaders skeptical of his chances in the general election, and grassroots supporters who are remaining loyal. One ex-girlfriend claimed that Platner had violently grabbed her, and that he once locked her in a room. Platner's wife has also confirmed that he sent sexually explicit texts to other women early on in their marriage.
Since the ascent of the MeToo movement in 2017, Democrats have repeated a default "believe women" mantra regarding assault allegations, and preened about the supposed high moral standard to which they hold their candidates. In the case of Platner, though, his base doesn't seem to mind.
According to prominent leftist podcaster Kyle Kulinski, "If we're convinced you walk the walk on policy, we'll overlook personal issues." Bernie Sanders, meanwhile, pivoted to one of his most incessant buzzwords in championing Platner as a heroic fighter against the "oligarchy," claiming that Republican PACs were using his personal life as a distraction.
Some Democratic donors, though, have grown increasingly skeptical of Platner's chances. Robert Zimmerman, a Democratic National Committee (DNC) member, claimed that Platner had not adequately defended his past conduct, while another national donor adviser had begun telling his organization to spend their money on other Senate races.
Regardless of the race's outcome, there is one clear takeaway from Platner's candidacy: Democratic voters don't actually believe their own BS when it comes to comes to candidates' personal character. Like all politicians, they're happy to weaponize personal issues against candidates they dislike, while handwaving them away for their preferred ideologues. That's unsurprising, but in their quest for an elusive left-wing populism, they may end up tanking their Senate chances.
It is too late now as yesterday, Platner won his primary. Regardless of his baggage, he is the Democrats' man in Maine now whether the establishment likes it or not. They stoked the radical Left for years and now have to deal with the monster they have created.
