Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Mills Escalates Maine Senate Primary With New Ad Hitting Platner’s Past Posts

New attack ads aim to shift voters by stressing his old online remarks.

Overview

  • Gov. Janet Mills released a second spot that reads Graham Platner’s past Reddit comments aloud, including a 2013 line about drinking and sex and later slurs reported in prior coverage.
  • Graham Platner apologized on CNN, said the posts came during a rough period after combat deployments, and told voters his views have changed.
  • A planned meet-and-greet at a New York City gay bar was scrubbed after The Advocate asked about hosting the event given Platner’s old anti-LGBTQ+ posts, and his campaign did not explain the cancellation.
  • A leaked video of a Hancock County Democrats Q&A showed some local voters objecting to Mills’ negative ads, as the governor argued that voters must see Platner’s record to judge electability.
  • Recent polls cited by Maine outlets show Platner leading Mills in the June primary and performing better than she does in trial heats against Republican Sen. Susan Collins, a matchup drawing major national money.