Either the Democrat kingmakers aren’t doing their homework, or they are. And the latter is the scariest scenario.
Graham Platner’s out-of-nowhere rise to the most-watched and most controversial Senate race of 2026 was either completely organic or he was handpicked because of his flaws, not despite them.
The U.S. Senate candidate from Maine has been embroiled in controversy for most of his campaign now. From slimy Reddit posts, a literal Nazi tattoo, an account on the so-called “predator’s paradise” app Kik, to now allegations of domestic abuse from past relationships, Platner is the news story that journalists and talk show hosts dream of. There’s always another angle.
Several times now, Platner has assured the media and supporters that there is no other controversy out there that he’s aware of that would come to light and threaten to derail his campaign. And several times now, Platner has been proven to be a liar.
His latest workaround for any potential upcoming smear stories is that they are just that – right-wing attempts to undermine his candidacy.
I’m not quite sure that I believe that. After all, I have no reason to believe anything he says. He’s a proven liar.
In the old days of politics, say the pre-Trump era, scouts for political talent within their party would find potential candidates and subject them to rounds of personal interviews, deep dives into their backgrounds, and talk to everyone that person had ever met from the age of five. All of this would be done in search of one thing: skeletons in the closet.
Inevitably, skeletons would be found in anyone’s life. But the motivation for finding these skeletons was to: 1. Hide them in a better place and 2. Come up with a good alibi for that skeleton being there, should it ever be found by the opposition.
It seems to me that, in some key races, the motivation by political operatives to dig up these skeletons has shifted from a preventative measure to unrealized political capital.
Susan Collins’ Senate seat has been tightly held since 1997. For Platner to run against her as just another Portland socialist wouldn’t generate much interest in the race, and Collins may easily coast to yet another victory. You don’t remember hearing about Graham before he became a scandal-plagued candidate, do you?
Yet now, the race for the Maine U.S. Senate seat is one of the top stories in the nation. You wouldn’t have that without the controversy provided by Platner’s troubled past.
In music, a song may contain a catchy riff or a phrase that’s repeated several times and stands out from the rest of the composition. That riff gives the song its distinct signature and is often how people will reference the song rather than by its chorus or base melody. Having a hook in a song greatly elevates its chances of becoming a hit.
Anti-Semitism, misogyny, domestic abuse…. That’s Graham Platner’s hook.
And because of these scandals, Platner is rightfully faced with a flurry of attacks from Republicans. And like flies to you know what, Democrats will vehemently defend, without question, whatever it is that Republicans are attacking.
Thus, interest and activism are generated in support of the troublesome candidate. More people are engaged, and more get out to vote.
You may be thinking, “Taylor, you’re an idiot to think that’s how any of this works.”
You may be right.
But can you come up with a better explanation for how someone with as checkered a past as Platner is able to skyrocket into contention for a U.S. Senate seat?
They’re either not doing comprehensive research into who they tap to run or they are. And they seem to be willing to take the risk to find out what the party’s tolerance is for lunacy.
And with a Nazi sympathizing women-hater, they have yet to find that line.