“Yellow dog Democrat” has become an outdated term now that Platner’s the Maine frontrunner
The term “yellow dog Democrat” refers to the sort of person who would automatically vote for the Democrats’ nominee even if it were a yellow dog. It’s a surprisingly old term:
The term originated in the late 19th century. These voters would allegedly “vote for a yellow dog before they would vote for any Republican”, or, “vote for a yellow dog if he ran on the Democratic ticket”.[1] The term is now more generally applied to refer to any Democrat who will vote a straight party ticket under any circumstances. The South Carolina Democratic Party and Mississippi Democratic Party, among other state parties, continue to use the phrase to refer to committed members of the Democratic Party in the “Yellow Dog Club”.
I submit that it’s outdated; it’s way too mild. For example, see this:
Susan Collins:
1) Voted to convict Trump of impeachment
2) Voted against Amy Coney Barrett & Pete Hegseth
3) Backed limits on Trump's military power
4) Wants to nuke his "Anti-Weaponization Fund"And more. If *she* is your evil right-wing extremist, words do not mean anything. https://t.co/dLQakRiAkS
— Billy Binion (@billybinion) June 1, 2026
Perhaps they should be called “Platner Democrats,” although that doesn’t roll too trippingly off the tongue. But “the messier Platner turns out to be the more I hope he wins,” because Susan Collins (one of the few moderates left in Congress) is evil – well, that is much of the current Democrat Party in a nutshell.
As far as Platner goes, if you haven’t kept up with the latest revelations about him, see this and this at Ace’s.
Another example of a Platner Democrat is Jessica Tarlov and apparently the Democrats of Maine:
“There are Democrats who have concerns, and some of them are speaking out about it,” she conceded. “This was the first weekend that I feel like Democrats were really pushed on the Sunday shows. Dana Bash was doing that as well with Andy Kim from New Jersey, who wanted to talk about what’s going on at Delaney Hall. And she kept bringing it back to this. Listen, Graham Platner, his wife is not a professional political spouse, and Graham Platner is not a professional politician himself. And you’re seeing that come to light.”
I’m not sure how not being a “professional politician” is supposed to absolve you from having a Nazi tattoo for nearly twenty years, for making racist, homophobic, and misogynistic comments online, for having a sorta-potty fetish, and for maintaining an account on a chat app used by sexual predators, but hey, that’s apparently the argument Tarlov is choosing to make.
“Chuck Schumer wanted Janet Mills to win,” Tarlov continued. “He got her to jump into this race because someone like a Jared Golden didn’t want to get in. And that didn’t work. Mainers have consistently said, ‘We know who Graham Platner is and this is what our choice is at this point.’”
Not all Democrats feel this way. But of those who are objecting to Platner, is it because he’s a terrible person (in addition to having virtually no political experience) or because they think he may lose?
Or, in this case, an SS Doberman.
All of my yellow dog friends would vote for Platner; though none are in Maine. The TDS is so strong that they would never even consider voting for a GOP moderate. They blame all GOP for Trump.
Yeah tarlov has long since removed all doubt she makes excuses for hamas for illegal alien criminals like the ones that murdered sheridan gorman she hates netanyahu but doesnt actually hate the people who would kill her whole family
Platner was installed like a battleship game piece he faced no contest much like kamala
Like those creatures entranced by the basilisk who walk into the fire
Gauletier platner (how do you the umlaut) is the sort that would turn you over to his nazi fanbois or hamas pick your poison
Here’s a PJ Media article arguing that the current wave of Platner bad news exposés has been arranged by Democrats to force Platner out.
_________________________
And if McDonald’s true objective was to kill Graham Platner’s Senate campaign, she wouldn’t have released the sexting scandal in late May. That’s far too early: It’s a waste of ammo….
So why did she release it now?
Be on the lookout for a Democratic dirty trick: If Graham Platner wins Maine’s June 9 primary (which he will) — but withdraws from the race by 5:00 p.m. on July 13 — the Democratic Party can choose his replacement.
https://pjmedia.com/scott-pinsker/2026/06/01/dirty-trick-alert-the-real-reason-why-the-latest-graham-platner-scandal-broke-now-and-not-in-october-n4953458
Gauletier platner (how do you the umlaut) is the sort that would turn you over to his nazi fanbois or hamas pick your poison
There is no umlaut in Gauleiter. It is pronounced “Gow-lighter”
If it had an Umlaut over the “a” Gäuleiter – it would be pronounced “Goy-lighter.”
For the future
On Windows: Alt Codes (Without changing layouts) If you have a separate numeric keypad, you can hold down the Alt key and type specific number codes:
ä: Alt + 0228
ö: Alt + 0246
ü: Alt + 0252
ß: Alt + 0223
(Note: These only work on the numeric keypad on the right side of your keyboard, not the number row at the top).
I was a spy back in the 1960’s in West Germany against the Warsaw Pact in the US Army as a Czech/Slovak linguist but was thrown immediately onto the “economy” far away from any US bases so had to learn German fast on my own. On the Czech border near nothing – some farmers were still using oxen to plow – big manure piles in the little village I lived in – I thought I had gone back to the Middle Ages.
Pretty sure Platner is like “Beto” O’Rourke or Talarico. If he wins, nice, but that’s not why he’s there. He’s there to gin up the base for Democrat races across the nation. That’s why he’s had so much favorable propaganda nationally.
I don’t think there’s any real appetite in Maine to replace Collins. Her pork could not be replaced. To begin with, there’d have to be a Dem Senate majority to put in a Dem as chair of Appropriations, which is very unlikely this year. Next, the new Dem Senator from Maine would have no seniority, the new Appropriations chair would be Patty Murray, who will not leave the Senate except feet-first.
John Galt III:
I get all the options for diacritical and accent marks by holding the letter for a second or two. So if I want an accent over an “a” I just hold down the a and am offered à, á, â, ä, ?? æ, ã, å and ?. I can even get the double s: ß.
I no longer have to remember codes for these options.
Edit after posting this: I see that the fifth and ninth options give me question marks instead of the letter in question. Don’t know why.
I’m reading the same rumors huxley is, that is, that Platner is so damaged that he’ll be forced to withdraw after the primary but in time for the Dems to replace him on the ballot. With whom would be the question, though. They didn’t want Janet Mills (who is still on the ballot).
I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest Platner is going to win the election. At some point the voters become stubborn, and nothing will change their vote. OTOH, California looks a bit interesting, but I don’t have great hope for change in the near term. I suspect if election integrity becomes a thing, both WI and MN will tend Republican. If.
They might be bringing janet mills because platner has spoiled like bad chicken salad
I meant platner not gauletier that hid cosplay uniform
John, how do you get the umlaut over the “n” as Spinal Tap does?
Changing subject ,,stumbled on this today out of Israel . It seems many there blame Trump for pulling Bibi into the war. Comments are interesting , maybe this is a left wing rag,,couldn’t find any pro Bibi/Trump comments.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/
@Keith
You need a better link. Israelnationalnews is right wing and supported the attacks on Iran. Their readership might blame Trump for holding Israel back not the other way round. So I am curious what particular article you are citing.
Ignoring the lame attempt at trolling and getting back to the post topic
I’m a bit mystified as to how this is supposed to work out better than straight up defeating Platner in the primary. I can see that it might give them the freedom to pick a generic candidate other than Mills post-primary if Platner wins and drops, but a look back at the Harris for Biden swap in 2024 indicates that isn’t a sure thing. I’ve seen an analysis of the Cornyn-Paxton race which drew on research into divisive primaries, and in almost all cases of states with a strong partisan lean (+7 or better) even with all the angst, the supporters of the primary loser almost always support the winner in the general election enough to not affect the outcome. That includes primaries where the loser is still spitting sour grapes close to the general. Two things seem to slant against a Platner replacement working. Maine is only D+4 so disappointed Platner supporters might have an impact and as I referenced earlier, I don’t know if an ‘immaculate nomination’ of the sort Harris got in 2024 really maps well to a true primary defeat.
Christopher B: “I’m a bit mystified as to how this is supposed to work out better than straight up defeating Platner in the primary.”
Well for one it may be late in the game to arrange that, the election is next week and Mills hasn’t been campaigning though today she helpfully pointed out she is still on the ballot. Democrat leaders probably see it as a feature not a bug, after throwing the primary winner under the bus they can pick their favored candidate without having to worry about those pesky voters. I think they are getting to like it. Our democracy! (TM) Or Democracy …
Peak Democrat: bland, mild-mannered, aisle-crossing Susan Collins is “one of the most evil people in public life”. I guess they didn’t call her a Nazi only because they don’t want to draw more attention to Platner’s tattoo.
@Charles R Harris
Heavy US pressure halted a strike in Dahieh
President Trump says Israel and Hezbollah agreed to cease all attacks after speaking with Netanyahu, stopping a strike on Hezbollah stronghold.
Israel National News
Israel National News
1 minutes
@Keith: There’s usually at least one open thread every day. Here’s the link for today’s.
Red dog?
Red and Black dog?
Hammer and Sicklestika dog?
+ (Hoowee) Bonus:
“Author of U.N. Report That Placed Israel on a ‘Sexual Violence’ Blacklist Just Made a Shocking Admission”—
https://instapundit.com/800785/
Key gobsmacking quote:
Looks like Kristof’s in excellent company…
Steve Hilton for CA Governor! Exclusive: Hilton Breaks Down His Path to Win the California Governor’s Race – Video
https://commoncts.blogspot.com/2026/06/steve-hilton-for-ca-governor-exclusive.html
Whatever else happens, the Platner case will tell us about Maine voters.
Did the dem pick such a pile of ….stuff because of the stuff? Horrifying the normies is a Very Good Thing, means you’re progressive and perhaps the dems figured that was a substantial portion of their voting bloc.
They’re showing off their progressivism to the rest of the country?
Maybe it’s There’s nothing you can do about it, chump. Wait until you see the next one.
Just to add some credibility to the speculation on backroom scheming by the democrats, Janet Mills has posted on X that she DID NOT WiTHDRAW her candidacy, merely “suspended” it. So look for a last minute switcheroom a la Kamala-for-Biden or Lautenberg for Torricelli (for those who remember those shenanigans). The party apparatchiks are hoping that the republicans will shoot their wad (so to speak) fighting Platner and then they can substitute the “reasonable democrat” Mills and cruise to victory.
Lock, stock, and barrel sized and now the wad is shot!
Firearms and artillery.
Aren’t there any readers from Maine on this blog?
My only first-hand knowledge of the place comes from a backpacking trip many years ago, but I’ve never heard any second-hand news that the state was full of Jew-haters. This guy is a popular nominee with lots of local supporters. He hasn’t been shoved down the people’s throats by the political elite. He’s who the people really want, so the “yellow-dog” thesis seems insufficient to me.
Anybody with more direct local knowledge of leftist Maine antisemitism? If so, please post. I’m still befuddled by all this.
FWIW, there was a comment a few days back from a Mainer living in the northern part of the state saying that it was the citizens in the south who were nuts, not the northerners. (Too bad most of the state’s population lives in the south—kinda like NYS…).
There was another meme running around that it was the woke part of the party that pushed hard for Platner, supposedly against Schumer’s wishes, and they ran off with the prize.
Some prize.
Guess we’ll have to wait and see…
@Cornflour:He’s who the people really want,
How do you know this? Because media’s telling you? This guy is astroturf. He started getting puff pieces in national and international media the very week he announced he was running. MSNBC, Guardian, Mother Jones, Politico, NYT, The New Republic, all on the same page about the scrappy oyster farmer who wants to make a difference.
That means the stories were set up and distributed to these media outlets well before he announced. Why would they would they give a crap about obscure candidates in Maine? Why don’t they have the same thing for obscure Senate candidates in all 33 Senate races?
They dont spell out the nazi tattoos his disparage of teddy daniels his defaming chris kyle (nothing that upsefs the narrative) only free healthcare free food no good trans for all
I guess she will be red squaw warrens pupil in economicd
Anybody from Maine?
I have no knowledge about the reality of this distinction, though it’s an interesting and important one. Namely, is he something of a grass-roots phenom. or astroturf?
We all know that the Dems are having a lot of trouble with male voters. Jesse Ventura was something of a smash hit among young male voters, and possibly the Dem leaders see an element of that in Platner. However, young male voters now are a different generation than during Ventura’s day.
________
We’ve progressed from yellow dog Dems, to blue dog Dems (actually rather sensible and slightly conservative, and now totally dead & gone), to what? Shall we call them purple dog Dems? People who will vote for any weird insanity in order to promote or maintain Dem power.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Dog_Coalition
I was wrong. Not totally dead. But down from 54 members to only 10.
If he wins, at least we won’t have to listen to him calling Trump a Nazi.
is he something of a grass-roots phenom
He is associated with the SDA, so I would put him in with AOC and Mamdani. He isn’t a loner, grass roots guy, he is part of a larger organization which sees its way to power through taking over the Democratic Party. It is probably a case of follow the money. None of the DSA people that I know of could be described as poor, or working class, and Platner is no exception.
@Batemjo:we won’t have to listen to him calling Trump a Nazi.
Won’t bother him a bit. Here’s what he said the first week he announced:
And thinking on it a bit more, I think the Democratic Party is ripe for a takeover.
I’d still like to read a ccomment, from a Mainer, about antisemitism and support for Platner in Maine.
Failing that, I went to the other extreme and asked the question using the LLM that’s integrated into the Brave browser’s search screen. Their answer is copied below.
I also asked the Brave LLM, as well as the Perplexity LLM, a few question about whether polls provided detailed descriptions of the groups supporting Platner. The answers were too long to copy here. If anyone’s curious, I’ll leave you to it.
____________________________________________
Has anyone polled Maine adults on antisemitic beliefs or attitudes?
Yes, Maine adults have been included in national polls on antisemitic attitudes, and specific political polling within Maine has examined voter support for candidates linked to antisemitism. While no search result describes a standalone survey exclusively measuring antisemitic beliefs among a representative sample of only Maine adults, the state’s data is captured in broader studies and local political analyses.
National Surveys Including Maine. Major organizations like the ADL and NORC at the University of Chicago conduct nationally representative surveys that include Maine residents. The ADL’s 2024 and 2022 reports, which gauge belief in anti-Jewish tropes among over 4,000 U.S. adults, inherently sample Mainers as part of the general population. Additionally, data on antisemitic incidents in Maine is tracked, showing a rate of 3.63 incidents per 100,000 residents between 2022 and 2024.
Political Polling on Antisemitism in Maine. Specific polling has addressed antisemitism indirectly by measuring voter sentiment toward candidates with controversial records. A University of New Hampshire poll conducted for a Maine Senate race found that Gen Z Democrats supported candidate Graham Platner, who faced controversy over a past Nazi-associated tattoo, by an 84-11% margin over Governor Janet Mills. This polling highlighted a generational divide, with older voters largely rejecting the candidate, suggesting shifting tolerances for antisemitic symbols among younger Mainers.
Legislative and Community Context. Testimony before the Maine Legislature has cited an alarming rise in antisemitic incidents within the state, including threats and harassment, prompting proposals like LD 1351 to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism. Local leaders in Southern Maine also actively document incidents, ranging from white nationalist flyers to death threats against Jewish organizations, confirming that antisemitism is a monitored issue within the state’s communities.
One should remember Theodore Hallam on the topic: I admit that I said then what I now repeat, namely, that when the Democratic Party of Kentucky, in convention assembled, sees fit in its wisdom to nominate a yaller dog for the governorship of this great state, I will support him— but lower than that ye shall not drag me!”