Graham Platner abruptly cancels campaign fundraiser at New York City gay bar

[lapucelle]

Graham Platner abruptly cancels campaign fundraiser at New York City gay bar

References to the event at Industry Bar were removed from Platner’s website after The Advocate reached out.

Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate from Maine, abruptly canceled a campaign event at a New York City gay bar this weekend shortly after The Advocate reached out to inquire about the event.

snip=========

On Friday, after learning about the Saturday event, The Advocate reached out to Platner’s team and to Industry, the gay bar listed as the event venue, regarding the decision to host the event at an LGBTQ+ bar, given the candidate’s previous anti-LGBTQ+ remarks online. Platner’s team did not provide an on-the-record response.

Last fall, The Advocate broke news that Platner had made several anti-gay comments on the social media platform Reddit. In an October 2025 interview with The Advocate, Platner apologized for making the remarks and described them as “abhorrent.”

https://www.advocate.com/politics/national/graham-platner-cancels-gay-event

[lapucelle]

1. See also: Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner admits using 'indefensible' antigay slurs in unearthed Reddit posts

Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner admits using ‘indefensible’ antigay slurs in unearthed Reddit posts

A progressive U.S. Senate candidate in Maine, who has already apologized for earlier misogynistic and racially insensitive remarks and said he did not realize that a tattoo on his chest resembled a Nazi SS emblem, is again under scrutiny, this time for anti-LGBTQ+ comments.

In an interview on Wednesday afternoon with The Advocate, Graham Platner, a 41-year-old Marine and Army veteran running in Maine’s Democratic primary, seeking to become the nominee to challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, confirmed that he authored a series of Reddit comments that include homophobic slurs, anti-LGBTQ+ jokes, and sexually explicit stories denigrating gay men.

snip---------------------

In March 2018, he recounted in explicit detail what he described as a “gay off” between Marines and British sailors in Bahrain: “Pull into Bahrain in ’07 on a MEU, a Royal Navy submarine happens to be in port at the same time. … Before we even realize what’s going on, the other weird bastard just leans down and licks the damn thing from the bottom of the ballsack all the way up to the top of the dick. Stands up, looks dead at us and yells ‘BEAT THAT!’ … I proudly withdrew our team on the grounds that one cannot play gay chicken if one is actually gay.”

In July 2018, Platner joked in another thread, “I suppose some gay fellas still prefer holes as well. Party on top bros.” A month later, in August 2018, he used a homophobic slur while arguing with another user: “Betcha not a single downvoter is a real combat vet. Feel free to back it up with facts, fags.”

https://www.advocate.com/politics/graham-platner-homophobic-posts#toggle-gdpr

[yorkster]

9. So, the recounting and comments are from

2018. Hardly 20 years ago.
Basta with this guy.

[Cha]

37. ".. a progressive.."? Why, because..

he says he is?

Didn't Fetterman say he was a "progressive", too?

Can't go on that.

Mahalo, lapucelle

[mcar]

39. Talk is cheap

At least that's what we've been told here for decades. So why are his supporters only listening to his talk that they like and ignoring the bigotry, misogyny and Nazi shite?

[Cha]

40. Yeah I wonder... ???

Actually I think I know, but better not post it out loud... I don't want to upset anyone.

[mcar]

43. Yep

[Mad_Machine76]

2. This guy seems like a risky candidate

I understand he's leading the polling, but we've been burned several times by other people we've supported/elected have turned out to be lemons.

[Renew Deal]

3. If that's the standard

Then you can also say that a lot of people were surprisingly good.

[Mad_Machine76]

45. Some candidates are a bigger gamble than others

Between having white nationalist tattoos and pretending to not know the meaning behind them, making homophobic comments, etc., I'm very concerned that he possibly doesn't align with core Democratic Party values, especially right now with the Transgender community in particular under such heavy Republican right-wing attack, not to mention the rise of right-wing nationalism in this country. I don't have a stake in that election since I'm not in Maine, but I hope that, if nominated/elected, he turns out be surprisingly better than what he seems right now.

[mopinko]

11. pretending to b just a regular guy when

he comes from money…🙄🙄🙄

[Jose Garcia]

41. Did you know that he is an oyster man?

[yorkster]

44. He shucks..

Sorry couldn't resist.

[Torchlight]

4. "I've said/done some terrible things, but I'm not old - so vote for me!"

is not the winning strategy it may seem to anyone with greater-than-a-shallow perception.

[leftstreet]

5. Why would he be fundraising in NY?

[Renew Deal]

7. Because that's where the money is

[JI7]

19. Most Fundraising is in NY and California

[Just_Vote_Dem]

6. Repub plant IMO n/t

[Iggo]

10. You kids have fun, okay?

[betsuni]

12. But endorsements. The anti-establishment establishment has spoken.

[PeaceWave]

13. Anti-gay, anti-woman, anti-semitic...yet progressives are endorsing him?

[sarisataka]

14. You forgot the Nazi tattoo

Apparently the only deal breaker is accepting the wrong donations.

[PeaceWave]

18. I also chose to omit his past and possibly present issues with alcohol...

The man blamed past horrible Reddit posts on being drunk at the time. And then, just a few months ago, he challenges opposing candidates to a drinking contest? WTF

[Cha]

34. Really? Planter's quote on Women in the Service..

“just take some responsibility for themselves” to avoid attacks and “act like an adult for f–cks sake.” He said people should avoid alcohol so they don’t end up in a “compromising situation” and downplayed the challenges service members face in reporting sexual assault."

Self explanatory why ".. he covered the tattoo Before he Launched his campaign.."

..he uses being "drunk" as an Excuse for the Tattoo But Tells Female Services Members they shouldn't drink or they could end up in a compromising situation."

[betsuni]

24. "Take," THEY "take" bad corrupting wrong money; WE the righteous "accept" pure nice grassroots donations.

The Way of Populism.

[MichMan]

38. The only reason the tattoo was discovered when video appeared of him running around shirtless at a wedding reception.

I've never seen any one doing that at any wedding I ever attended.

[MustLoveBeagles]

15. I don't get that at all

He seems like a plant.

[sheshe2]

22. Yes...Poison Ivy

[yorkster]

28. Zing..good one.

[sheshe2]

30. Thank you.

[mcar]

17. Make it make sense

[mcar]

16. Tell me again why people are supporting this guy?

[Aepps22]

25. Ageism in the Party

When Janet was recruited everyone knew her age but also knew that she was and is a very popular person in Maine. As the younger at all cost crowd got more vocal, more and more people in the party view age and potential AIPAC donations as more disqualifying than anything else. Platner is a bad candidate with so many disqualifying things in his past that Susan might want to face him more than Janet. Only thing I’ve seen Platnar do is trash the party and blame the “establishment “ for trying to “destroy” him by mentioning his past that he keeps hand waving.

[mcar]

26. I am quite sure that Collins' team has the ads against him ready already

Some people will never learn, I fear.

[MustLoveBeagles]

31. The dudes a gaffe machine

But old equals bad.

[JI7]

21. But why cancel ? If it's about his past statements

it would give him a chance to say he was wrong and has changed for the better.

[mcar]

27. Maybe he should run for local office to show us that he has actually changed

As I see here so often WRT elected Democrats, "talk is cheap."

[sheshe2]

23. Progressive?

Not.

[betsuni]

32. Platner on the Democratic Party: "they're going to come after me. They're going to rip my life apart."

That familiar "I've got news for the Democratic establishment. They can't stop us" vibe. Because everything's about ME!

[sheshe2]

33. Wait. What?

[Cha]

35. Ohhh Poor Planter... gettng the Truth out

is "ripping him apart"?

How about what the Fascist Collins party would do?

[LetMyPeopleVote]

29. Platner abruptly cancels event at NYC gay bar after renewed scrutiny on his old Reddit posts

Link to tweet

[WhiskeyGrinder]

36. lol fuck that guy

[mr715]

42. He really should've run for Congress first...

He is a lot of contradictions which make me very nervous. But this is what primaries are for, so we shall see.

If he were to win the primary, the voters of Maine will have made their choice and my position is moot.

I think it is significant he has the endorsement of Sen. Warren, as she adds legitimacy. Which, ya know, might be lacking when you're running from a Nazi tattoo as a populist wealth distribution activist. Little bit of a muddled message there.

But message discipline can only get you so far, I imagine. Bernie Sanders himself is laser focused in re: message discipline and has yet to win nationally.