The Rain in Maine

 

Maine guv Janet Mills

I'm watching a generational struggle in the Democratic Party, and I'm rooting for the youngins. While Chuck Schumer and other Democratic senators in charge of candidate recruitment for US Senate races seem always to go "safe," which generally means old (in fact, old establishment), a cohort of new, younger contenders have become proverbial clods in the churn.

Take the Maine Senate seat occupied by Susan "I'm Very Concerned" Collins, who must run for reelection next year. In her last reelection of 2020, she took only 51% of the vote in a ranked-choice election with three other candidates. She had been taking over 60% of the vote in her previous two reelections in 2014 and 2008. She looks vulnerable for any number of reasons, though mamby-pamby weakness may just be Susan Collins's super-power. I wouldn't bet against her winning another reelection in '26.

Schumer and other big-wig Democrats are trying to recruit two-term Maine Governor Janet Mills, who is 77 and about as establishment as you can get. She served two terms as Maine's Attorney General before running for the Senate. She has the inside lane and the name recognition, and she'll probably end up winning the Democratic primary if she runs. But ... 77. Really?

Democratic war veteran and oyster farmer, 40-year-old Graham Platner, says he's in the race whether or not Janet Mills announces, and he's getting a lot of attention today on social media. (I'm a very shallow fellow.) Platner has never run for office before. Take a look at his website. Politico sums him up:

Graham Platner 

Platner is running on several progressive tenets — though he rejects the label “liberal” — calling for universal health care, saying “the enemy is the oligarchy,” and asking, “Why are we funding endless wars and bombing children?” He also zeroed in on high prices, a top concern of voters and one that helped fuel Zohran Mamdani’s rise in New York City.

Platner told POLITICO he would have supported Sen. Bernie Sanders’ recent resolution to block arms sales to Israel.

Platner also told Politico that he wouldn't vote for Chuck Schumer to continue as the Democratic leader.

I get this detail about Platner from the website of the Waukeag Neck Oyster Co., which Platner' owns:

Graham Platner was born and raised in Sullivan, where he lives with his wife Amy and their animals. After time in the military, he returned home in 2018 to get involved in oyster farming. In 2019 he took over operation of Waukeag Neck Oyster Company, slowly but sustainably making it a commercially successful small scale aquaculture operation. An inveterate diver and lover of the sea, he also runs a mooring service and serves as Harbormaster in Sullivan.

As an ex-military man, he's pro-gun without being nuts. He actually teaches novices how to handle and use handguns, and he's a competitive handgun marksman.