I endorse Platner if he faces Susan Collins

[AZProgressive]

The first 8 townships are showing results with Platner winning all 8 so far with a total of 69.2% of the total vote.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-primary-elections/maine-senate-results

I'm aware of his background but it is common for those that return from overseas deployment to deal with alcoholism & substance abuse to self-medicate for PTSD. I believe he has also matured since his younger years and possibly learned from his mistakes.

I know there is Republican polling showing a closer race but I also saw this recently.

Graham Platner maintains edge over Susan Collins in latest poll Graham Platner (Bangor Daily News)

(snip)

The new poll, released Thursday by the University of Massachusetts at Lowell and YouGov, gave the Sullivan oyster farmer a 5-point lead over the incumbent ahead of Tuesday’s Democratic primary. In that survey, 6% of voters remained undecided, while another 2% supported another candidate.

That poll also revealed a surprising gender gap between the candidates, with a majority of women supporting Platner, while Collins, who is running unopposed for the Republican nomination, commanded a more narrow lead among men.

https://www.bangordailynews.com/2026/06/04/politics/elections/maine-election-graham-platner-umass-lowell-yougov-poll/

As far as policies Platner is great on the platform he is running on and a lot better than Susan Collins including on Women's issues.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

1. "it is common for those that return from overseas deployment to deal with alcoholism & substance abuse to self-medicate

for PTSD."

FWIW, research indicates that about 6% of the general population will deal with PTSD at some point, compared to 7% of veterans. Studies vary, but research indicates 25-45% of women who have been sexually assaulted experience PTSD.

[AZProgressive]

7. Yes it is more common for women to have PTSD as far as civilians in the United States

They are more likely than men to experience an event that leaves them PTSD.

[Orangenero]

2. Prediction - Platner will not make it to the general

R's wanted him to win the primary more than D's.... Repugs (except for a few Jewish congressman) stayed quiet. You will now see the flood of stories and people from his past coming forward....

[mr715]

5. Pretty early in victory to declare defeat.

Are you trolling?

[CivicGrief]

8. Prediction: your prediction turns out to

be a crock of shit.

[Jack Valentino]

10. He's the Democratic US Senate nominee in Maine now---

so I think you are full of shit, 30 post person.....

[mr715]

3. We're going to wreck Susan Collins.

Go Team Dems.

And Dem Teams.

[Cheezoholic]

4. We all will, as we should here....

And I might say that as we move forward we are going to need more populist true working class candidates to win because that's where voters are moving. And if you have more of "your neighbor" type candidates there's likely to be a little more garbage in their pasts. Now saying that I will also say, the types and frequencies of Platners' past are about at my limit personally. I take ANY kind of mistreatment of PARTNERS by ANYONE, be it physical or mental, very seriously. Can people change? Yes with a lot of work. That evidence of the work has to be there for me in order to accept. I believe Platner has met that in my eyes.

One more thing. Maines choice by Maine D's IS there choice. But when it comes to a states SENATOR I do believe that D's nationally have some right to look, see and say as a sitting SENATOR has a big influence on all of us, as we all have learned all to well.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

6. What makes a "populist true working class candidate"?

[Jack Valentino]

9. It's ON NOW, so THANK YOU!