The Magical Thinking Behind Graham Platner's Rise

[Jack Valentino]

107. Bernie Sanders endorsed Platner well before Janet Mills was dragged into the race by

Chuck Shumer, and before any of the negative stories about Platner had come out-- just to put it in an accurate context....


I myself was an ardent Sanders supporter in 2016, but his endorsements do not determine
my support or non-support of any candidates in 2026---
Indeed, in 2020, I voted for Joe Biden in the Democratic primaries,
even though Sanders was running again, and I suppose I favored Sanders more on 'policy'---
I thought Biden the better GE candidate for that moment,
so I voted for him, and he won the nomination AND most importantly,
the General election!

(AND went on to become the most progressive President we have had for a while,
and gave Sanders a 'seat at the table'!)


Now in this particular race, I too had doubts about Platner---
when the negative stories first came out, I thought he was SUNK---

but the polls of Maine Democratic primary and GE likely voters tell a different story---
and as far as I am concerned, this primary is OVER when Platner leads Mills
by more than 20 percentage points, and performs much better against Collins
than Mills does, in General Election polls!---
(much bolstered by his strength among younger voters, whom we
as a party need to win back!)

BE WARY of articles like this, which attack whom appears to be
the STRONGEST Democratic candidate in a particular state---
just because they are still attempting to re-fight the 2016 Democratic presidential primary----
and attempt to "tar" the candidate with the "Bernie" brush---!

YES, Janet Mills has strong credentials on 'social issues'
which have not been winning elections for us,
but she has been particularly WEAK on LABOR issues---- Google it!
https://www.google.com/search?q=janet+mills+anti-labor+actions+in+maine&sca_esv=d5f39639bc60d663&sxsrf=ANbL-n6lxoyBrzUHal6xrekaXq0M7s1sFw%3A1776396168490&source=hp&ei=iKfhad7JG7-KptQPvPPM6QM&iflsig=AFdpzrgAAAAAaeG1mHdVAbyI9Yk1p8WyiJ5glzoX1YWY&oq=&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IgAqAggBMgcQIxjqAhgnMgcQIxjqAhgnMgcQIxjqAhgnMg0QLhjHARjRAxjqAhgnMgcQIxjqAhgnMgcQIxjqAhgnMgcQIxjqAhgnMgcQIxjqAhgnMgcQIxjqAhgnMgcQIxjqAhgnSJYnUABYAHABeACQAQCYAQCgAQCqAQC4AQHIAQCYAgGgAiWoAgqYAyXxBYRq8juwcDpckgcBMaAHALIHALgHAMIHAzQtMcgHHoAIAQ&sclient=gws-wiz

AI Overview
Governor Janet Mills has faced criticism for several actions viewed as anti-labor, including vetoing a bill aimed at protecting farmworkers' rights to collective action and facing a "bad faith" bargaining complaint from the state employees' union, MSEA-SEIU, in late 2025 regarding contract negotiations, staffing, and wages. However, her administration claims to have increased salary funding and signed other labor-supportive legislation.

Key actions and accusations regarding labor issues during the Mills administration include:
Vetoes of Worker Protections: Governor Mills vetoed legislation (LD 588) that would have allowed agricultural workers to engage in collective action without fear of retaliation, arguing it created a "new regulatory burden" on the sector.
State Employee Union Dispute: The Maine Service Employees Association (MSEA-SEIU) filed a complaint alleging "bad faith" bargaining by the administration in contract negotiations for nearly 10,000 workers. The union criticized a lack of progress on wage increases and retention.
Industry Concerns: Some critics, as highlighted by The Lever and Jacobin, suggest her record on certain vetoes has favored corporate interests over worker rights and collective bargaining.



And NO, I don't believe that Platner would 'become another Fetterman' or Manchin, if elected---
(he hasn't had a stroke and by age is less likely to have one), and
he seems prescient enough to realize whom his base voters are, whom are younger voters--
and would respond to their wants and needs, if elected!

and AGAIN, in my humble opinion, this primary is OVER!
so further attacks against Platner are attacks against the Democratic Party!
(my primary concern being that Democrats take over the US Senate!)