The outcome of the Maine Democrat Senate primary has sent a clear message: for many voters, Graham Platner’s controversies are overshadowed by his potential to secure the party’s control of the U.S. Senate. Allegations about Platner, ranging from being a Nazi sympathizer to purportedly abusing women, seem to have been overlooked by a majority of Democrats as they focus on the larger political picture.
Platner does have his staunch supporters among prominent figures in the Senate, such as Senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. However, others, notably Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, have been notably reticent, choosing their words carefully when it comes to discussing Platner. Meanwhile, Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana has been vocal about his concerns.
This week, Kennedy took to both the Senate floor and a Fox News interview to express his views on what he calls the “Platner wing” of the Democratic Party. He emphasized the influence this faction has gained and cautioned the public about the implications of Platner’s leadership and the values he stands for.
Kennedy has made it a point this week on at least two occasions – one on the Senate floor and one in a Fox News interview – to point out how it’s now the “Platner wing” of the party that controls it, and also to warn folks exactly what that entails and the kind of person Graham Platner is and what he represents.