With 42 percent of precincts reporting, Decision Desk HQ has declared Democrat Graham Platner the winner of the Maine primary for the U.S. Senate. Platner dominated the race, securing 75 percent of the votes. Governor Janet Mills, who had halted her Senate campaign as Platner gained momentum in polls and endorsements, still managed to capture 20 percent of the vote. Meanwhile, the third Democratic contender, David Costello, received 7 percent.
According to RedState, Platner’s campaign has faced intense scrutiny and controversy from the start. As noted by our Senior Editor Joe Cunningham:
Despite significant challenges and controversies surrounding his campaign, Platner has held onto key endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna (CA-17). These figures have remained steadfast in their support, even as some prominent Democrats, such as Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), have urged the party to reconsider their backing and rally behind another candidate.
In his victory speech, Platner expressed deep gratitude to his supporters in Maine, vowing to represent their interests as he moves forward in his quest to unseat Republican Susan Collins in the U.S. Senate.
Editor’s Note: The outcome of the 2026 Midterms will be crucial in determining the future of President Trump’s America First agenda. It is vital for Republicans to retain control of both houses of Congress.
The column runs through the full scandal file. There is the chest tattoo bearing a Nazi Totenkopf symbol that Platner claims he did not know was a Nazi symbol until the fall of 2025, by which point he was already running for Senate. There are the sexually explicit texts sent to as many as a dozen women after his 2023 marriage, his Kik profile still active when reporters found it. There is the New York Times report on former girlfriends who described volatile relationships, including Lyndsey Fifield, who said Platner “twisted her arm behind her back, shoved her into a bedroom and held the door closed from the other side so she couldn’t get out.”
Add the years of sexist and racist Reddit posts and the exaggerated working-class background, and you have a candidate whose entire biography is under active revision.
Despite these crater-sized and landmine-filled potholes in his candidacy, Platner has maintained the endorsement of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Democrat Congressman Ro Khanna (CA-17). They have been Platner’s staunchest defenders, even after other key Democrats, like Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), have encouraged the party to cut its losses and back another candidate.
Platner was effusive in his thanks to his supporters in Maine for having his back, and he promised to have theirs as he goes forward in the race to win the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Susan Collins.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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