by David Shephard, ©2026
(Jun. 8, 2026) — Years ago, I saw a political ad which was so cynical and dishonest that I still remember it today. I don’t exactly remember the campaign or cause, but the ad was produced by an environmental group who were advocating some ballot initiative which ultimately, if passed, would only do harm to working people. As I recall environmentalists were pushing to eliminate the timber industry, so for the ad, the progressive group got a guy who looked like a lumberjack to make the pitch. He had sandy blonde hair, kind of rugged- looking, wearing jeans and a plaid lumberjack shirt, the same shirt that Lamar Alexander wore every day in New Hampshire during his 1996 Presidential campaign. And to complete the deception, the ad was shot in what looked like a log cabin.
I thought it was amazing they found a guy (maybe an actor) who looked like a guy who would oppose the initiative to push the initiative. This is something the left does; they find normal-looking people to push their statist, anti-freedom agenda. They still believe that if Lenin were good-looking, then socialism would have spread worldwide. But Bernie Sanders knows that he, like Lenin, is nothing to look at. So, to spread socialism he needs to find normal-looking candidates.
Well, Bernie Sanders and the Democrats think that in Maine, they have, in Graham Platner, a Senate candidate who looks and sounds like a regular working-class white guy.
I have some thoughts on the authenticity of Graham Platner; indeed, I think that is his biggest weakness, but first I want to mention some of the current scandals that the Platner campaign is dealing with. These unfolding scandals have Democrats getting very nervous.
There is the fact that he had a Nazi tattoo which he has now covered up. He also once called himself a communist. In addition, there are lots of sexiest Reddit posts which he has now deleted, and there is his sexting hobby in 2023. So far, the number of sexting partners is up to 6 women. His sexting hobby seems to have started shortly after he got married.
Any one of these charges should sink him and would have already if he were a Republican.
And as if things couldn’t get any worse for him, now The New York Times has a story based on interviews with a series of women who dated him before he got married. The story quotes a number of them in which they describe his unsettling and odd behavior, and even his tendency towards violence. One lady claimed that Platner, “…regularly grabbed her by the shoulders-sometimes hard enough to leave marks-and, on one occasion yanked her out of the cab by the wrist.” The same lady also said that on another occasion Platner “twisted her arm behind her back, shoved her into a bedroom and held the door closed from the other side so that she couldn’t get out.” Imagine if these charges were made against Brett Kavanaugh?
Now as bad as these charges are, I think Platner’s biggest problem is that he is a phony. And while his supporters acknowledge that he has had some problems “in the past,” he is at least “authentic.” Well, this is false for a number of reasons. Platner knows there is more dirt to come out, but he is holding back the full truth. Authentic people don’t prevaricate; they are honest. But in fairness to him, he probably has so many skeletons in his closet that he doesn’t know what will come out next.
Platner claims to be a working-class guy who works as an oyster farmer. Platner is far from a working-class guy. He grew up rich, his parents helped him buy a house, and as far as being an oyster farmer, well, his mom owns a seafood restaurant and he gets the oysters. She may be his only customer. In effect his business is subsidized.
His life is not relatable to a working-class person. He was rich, his parents spent a lot of money on his education, that investment didn’t pay off, and now he lives on a working-class income, but only because he is being subsidized. That’s right, being subsidized into the working class. This is not the experience of a working-class person.
Platner is for socialism because it has worked for him, but the problem is his parents aren’t going to be able to help buy everyone a house or subsidize their business. And Uncle Sam can’t afford to do that, either. And Platner has no understanding of basic economics.
Image is everything in politics, and Platner has built up the false image of himself as a regular working stiff, albeit with a Nazi tattoo and some apparent hostility towards women, but if Republicans destroy that image, then Platner will lose for sure.
While I think that all the dirt that has come out about Platner should cause him to lose, I don’t think that will be enough – Remember Jay Jones.
Maine Republicans need to expose him as a phony. An immature guy, with a bad haircut and dye job, who lives in an ivory tower – an ivory tower financed by his family. He is as far from a real working person who is raising a family and has to worry about being able to pay bills as anyone can be. He is the opposite of a working-class person.
Susan Collins has been a great Senator for Maine. She has a voting record which is very much in line with the people of Maine, and they can be proud to have her in the Senate.
It is nice to see Platner being exposed for the sleazeball that he is, but the winning strategy for Maine Republicans is that Collins is the real deal, and Platner is a phony.
David Shephard is a native and very proud Virginian. Raised in Fairfax County, David graduated from George Mason University and majored in Government and Politics. He spent decades in politics, campaign consulting, raising money and lobbying. He is also a longtime conservative blogger writing for numerous blogs. He is also the host of “The Virginia Gentleman Podcast.”
David is the author of Elections Have Consequences, A Cautionary Tale, and his latest book, Norton’s Choice: An Inside Politics Exposé.