Another politician’s digital skeletons have come rattling out of the closet, this time in the form of a Maine Democrat’s old Reddit rants. Graham Platner, a 41-year-old oyster farmer and former Marine, is now in hot water over posts from years past that pushed for armed resistance as a path to social change. It’s a reminder that the internet never forgets, even if candidates hope voters might, Just The News reports.
Platner, running in the state Democratic Party primary to take on GOP Sen. Susan Collins, finds himself defending inflammatory online comments made long before his campaign kicked off.
Back in 2018, Platner took to Reddit with posts that, as reported by POLITICO, urged political violence as a necessary tool for societal shifts. One such post declared, “an armed working class is a requirement for economic justice,” a statement that doesn’t exactly scream “peaceful debate.” It’s the kind of rhetoric that makes you wonder if he was auditioning for a revolution rather than a Senate seat.
Another deleted Reddit entry had Platner suggesting folks couldn’t fight fascism without a decent semi-automatic rifle. That’s a far cry from the buttoned-up campaign persona he’s crafting now, and it raises eyebrows about what’s changed—or if it’s just optics. For a combat veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, you’d think the weight of such words would hit harder.
Interestingly, those controversial posts vanished from the web just three months before Platner announced his Senate run. Coincidence? Perhaps, but in politics, timing is rarely accidental, and it smells like a preemptive cleanup of a messy digital footprint.
Now, Platner doesn’t deny writing those posts, but he’s quick to distance himself from their tone. “As I told CNN, I was f-cking around on the internet at a time when I felt lost and very disillusioned with our government who sent me overseas to watch my friends die,” Platner told POLITICO. It’s a raw admission, but does frustration justify advocating violence, even in jest?
Let’s unpack that quote a bit—feeling disillusioned after military service is real, and many veterans grapple with it. But venting online about arming up for justice isn’t just “f-cking around”; it’s a public statement that can inspire dangerous ideas. Platner’s mea culpa feels more like damage control than a deep reckoning with his words.
As a small business owner and self-described retired “sh-tposter,” Platner rejects the progressive labels often slapped on him. He’s pushing policies like universal health care and curbing arms sales to Israel, which align with the far-left crowd, yet he’s got endorsements from heavyweights like Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and major labor unions. It’s a mixed bag that leaves conservatives wondering where his true loyalties lie.
Speaking of loyalties, Platner’s hired Democratic strategist Morris Katz, who’s also tied to a New York City mayoral nominee with democratic socialist leanings. That’s not exactly a signal of moderation, and it fuels skepticism about whether Platner’s disavowal of past rhetoric is genuine or just a pivot to appeal to a broader base.
Endorsements from unions like the United Auto Workers add muscle to Platner’s campaign, but they also amplify the stakes of this controversy. When you’ve got big names backing you, every misstep is magnified, and these old posts could alienate the very working-class folks he claims to champion. It’s a tightrope walk, and he’s wobbling.
For conservatives, Platner’s story is a cautionary tale about the progressive agenda creeping into even state-level races. His past rhetoric, even if disavowed, hints at a worldview where force trumps dialogue—a dangerous precedent in an already polarized nation. GOP Sen. Susan Collins, his eventual target, must be taking notes.
Still, there’s room for empathy here—Platner’s military service and the toll it took can’t be dismissed. Combat veterans often carry unseen burdens, and his frustration with government failures is a sentiment shared across the political spectrum. The question is whether that excuses or explains his past calls for armed struggle.
Platner’s challenge now is to convince voters that his current platform—focused on health care and foreign policy reform—reflects his true values, not those old Reddit outbursts. It’s a tough sell when digital history lingers like a bad smell. Trust is hard to rebuild once it’s cracked.
On the flip side, this controversy could resonate with some who see his raw, unfiltered past as proof of authenticity in a world of polished politicians. But for many, especially those wary of the left’s more radical edges, it’s a red flag that no amount of disavowal can fully erase. Maine voters will have to decide if they’re buying what he’s selling.
At the end of the day, Platner’s saga is a stark reminder that words matter, especially in the unforgiving arena of politics. His journey from online provocateur to Senate hopeful is a bumpy one, and while his service and business creds are commendable, those 2018 posts cast a long shadow. Will Maine conservatives—and even moderates—give him a pass, or will this be the anchor that sinks his ambitions?
