Will Platner stay or will he go?
Micky Kaus pointed out that Platner “has the leverage. All he has to do to screw the Dem party is… nothing.” And my RedState colleague Bonchie described the Left’s “nuclear levels of cope” over their rapey Nazi: “He’s a mentally disturbed do-nothing who works for his mom. He doesn’t care about the party. Why would he? And there is no mechanism to forcibly remove him.”
You lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas.
Platner seems like the kind of guy who likes to throw his weight around, and not just with women. Right now he’s the nominee, although the Democrats would like to forget that inconvenient truth.
From Devon Murphy-Anderson, the Executive Director of the Maine Democratic Party:
“We have repeatedly reiterated to Graham Platner’s team that they have no role in determining our next Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate, nor in determining what this process looks like,” she noted. “We have also reiterated that Graham Platner must drop out of this race so that Democrats in Maine can focus on defeating Susan Collins this November.”
No, neither Platner nor his “team” has a role in determining the next Democratic nominee from Maine for the US Senate. But he certainly as a role – a big one – in determining who is the present Democratic nominee from Maine for the US Senate, because at present he is that nominee and he can’t be forced out. Murphy-Anderson speaks of the “process” but acts as thought that process is that she will tell Platner what to do. But he’s not a party animal – that is, he’s not a Party animal. So he doesn’t need to do it – unless they make him an offer he doesn’t wish to refuse, whether it be money or status.
… I think there’s at least a decent possibility that he’s such a narcissist, so tremendously full of himself and arrogant, that he might even refuse to drop out at all.
However, Platner doesn’t actually hold all the cards here. The Democrats have one huge card – at least, as far as I can tell – which is the threat of prosecution for rape. I looked up the statute of limitations in Maine for the crime, and although the law is fairly complex in that it depends on certain elements of the crime, it’s pretty clear that – since the incident is alleged to have occurred in 2021 – there is plenty of time to prosecute.
However, because this case rests almost entirely on the testimony of the alleged victim, she would have to agree to testify. That could be a stumbling block.
But he’s not a party animal – that is, he’s not a Party animal.
Funny! I’d say, he is a party animal, just not a Party animal.
However, because this case rests almost entirely on the testimony of the alleged victim, she would have to agree to testify. That could be a stumbling block.
Apparently the woman in question straight up admitted that she was reluctant to come forward due to agreeing with his politics. So I guess being raped is OK as long as the attacker has the same political beliefs as you?
Platner will remain far more famous if he doesn’t drop out. Maybe with a book deal, or movie rights.
40 nights with Graham.
I really don’t know about the laws in Maine over a Party nominee, but suspect once he won the Primary, paid for by the govt, his nomination as a Democrat Party nominee became legally binding, tho allowing him to withdraw.
Don’t you love it when the Democrats get themselves in such a mess? Just a month ago everyone was all for him. Popcorn time.
Phone call 07/09/26
“Hi Graham, George Soros here.”
“Hi George what’s up?”
“How about $10 million for dropping out of the Senate race?”
“Sure when it hits my account I’m out.”
One week later
“Hey It’s George again – I paid you and you didn’t drop out.”
“I changed my mind and from one Nazi admirer to another, how does it feel to be a sucker.?”
Devon Murphy-Anderson doesn’t seem to have a very good grasp of negotiating leverage. Moreover, Platner doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy who will take a public spanking by an unelected party functionary well. He may still withdraw, but the price of poker went up when Devon grabbed her 15 minutes of fame.
The Democrat Party of Maine could try to bluff him by saying they will withhold any money, resources, etc from his campaign and even covertly encourage the party faithful to support Collins just to ensure he endures the most humiliating loss possible. Although I don’t see this happening we must remember politics is one of the dirtiest, low down, slimiest endeavors on this planet. Because Collins is center-left the Democrats won’t be losing all that much so it’s at least a possibility. Maybe Platner’s ego might cause him to drop out under this threat. Nah!
By far the greatest lesson in the Platner blow-up is that it further exposes just how virulent this cancer has become. Not so much in the depth of depravity but in the number of democrats who voted in the primary for Platner
Arguably, Platner is an unintentional wake-up-call…
File under: #MeDepends
– – – – – –
As for how DPUSA might be able to pry him off the ticket (should he refuse to fall on his oyster knife) they could always threaten him—privately—to go public with the accusation that he has at least one Zionist grandparent…and that they’ve left no stone unturned to prove it.
(None of it has to be true, of course—since they are, after all, Democrats…besides, what’s a little bit a’ blackmail between best buds…?)
Barry Meislin:
Apparently – I kid you not – Platner’s unfortunate wife is Jewish.
I suspect he’s holding out for a payout, he is unlikely to win and so this is his only way to make some bank. Boy did the Dems eff up choosing him. It’s bucket of popcorn time.
Fascinating…
OTOH, so is Bernie Sanders…with whom Platner seems to be joined at the hip… (now how’s THAT for a chavruta?!—sorry…in-joke).
Ahem…the question is, I would imagine: does the missus support Israel’s right to exist (and defend itself from its enemies)?
To be sure, Platner may well belong to the “I Decide Who’s A Jew And Who Isn’t” School of Interfaith, um, Relations…. There are precedents…
(Or maybe it’s an issue to raise at their next seance with the marriage counsellor…who could well be Bernie Sanders, at this point in the game…unless it’s Susan Collins—hmm, was THAT the card she was going to play?)
As a former Democrat who would now vote Democrat over my dead body, I hope he stays. But if I were in his shoes, and George Soros offered me $10 million to get out, I would “take the money and run.”
Gringo,
I would too!
News is sparse, but it appears Platner has just withdrawn:
_____________________________
Live Updates: Platner Suspends Senate Bid in Maine After Rape Accusation
Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee, is withdrawing from a race both parties see as crucial to their hopes of winning the Senate. He has denied the accusation.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/07/08/us/graham-platner-maine-suspends-campaign
Platner has suspended his campaign.
Having a Jewish wife (ergo MIL) you would think would be the one viable get out of jail card for having a swastika tattoo.
If he only suspended does that mean he’s still in it?
Kindly do NOT use my nom de grrrr for any of your MIL-blogging!!!
With respect, I am etc., etc.
(BTW, get a life, whydoncha’?…Oh wait. I guess this IS yer life… Woops..)
(BTW-2, you can do MUCH better than the tripe you’ve been spewing of late. You used to be able to do MUCH better…well, OK, with a few idiosyncracies, true… Lord, how the mighty have face-planted….)
(BTW-3, as long as we’re on-topic, for extra credit do you have any idea who put the OY! in “oyster”?)
Is it zaphod sharting again?
Here’s an interesting, comprehensive take that delves deeply into some of the issues and ramifications already discussed:
‘”We’re Gonna Win Someday”: Graham Platner Suspends His Senate Campaign’—
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/contrary-popular-belief-platner-has-all-leverage
Short version: what a scummy bunch of people…
+ Bonus:
Canada’s “Libs” decide—NO surprise here—to go down the Starmer / EU / WEF rabbit hole:
‘Canada Considered Suing Citizens Over “False And Misleading” Social Media Posts’—
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/canada-considered-suing-citizens-over-false-and-misleading-social-media-posts
Related (to Bonus):
“…[F]ighting AI laws that could turn a tool for knowledge into a tool for political control.”—
https://instapundit.com/808970/
Z:
Don’t you have anything better to do with your life?
You’re a smart guy. Younger than most here, I believe. Maybe there’s a book you could write, a company you could found, a love you could find, or, at minimum, a blog you could create.
Isn’t it a bit pathetic to waste your time annoying a kaffeeklatsch of conservative Boomers you don’t like?
@ The Real Barry Meislin – the Zerohedge post hit some interesting points, but like everyone else I’ve read, “Durden” hedged his bets: he only told us what paths were possible, rather than predicting which one would be taken.
So, this is what the establishment decided – and it wasn’t to “hold their noses”:
Whether Platner was finally sufficiently bribed to leave, or seriously threatened if he had decided to stay in the race, or both, may never be known.
Bumping a link I posted n July 6: Childers’ analysis is still valid IMO; he didn’t know which of Schrodinger’s Candidates would appear when the box was opened, but he did argue what the result would demonstrate about the internal power struggles of the Dems (and a few more interesting items about Platner, unrelated to the relationship drama).
They determined they would not “back a nominee they cannot control.”
https://www.coffeeandcovid.com/p/clash-of-civilizations-tuesday-july
I don’t think they believe it will cost them the seat.
That he did decide to suspend his campaign with the noble-but-grieved excuse that he couldn’t win without official support (aka money) is an indication to me that the Democrat Establishment is still the superior power against the Democrat Socialists; they do not yet fear enraging “the base” that actively championed him. IOW, that “base” may be only a small portion of his voters, those who wanted a DSA candidate above all else, compared to the Democrats who wanted any Democrat above Collins.
The latter will easily vote for a replacement candidate of the Party’s choice because they only voted for Platner because he was the Party’s choice.
Maybe the Dems think that will be enough.
Or they could be resigned to another term with Collins, who they had never originally expected to beat anyway.
As chazzand said, “Because Collins is center-left the Democrats won’t be losing all that much so it’s at least a possibility.”
“Z, Don’t you have anything better to do with your life?”
With all due respect huxley, you have a mistaken assumption in there.
“Because Collins is center-left the Democrats won’t be losing all that much so it’s at least a possibility [ that Dems won’t mind losing to her that much]”.
Without claiming Collins is anything but a RINO that may not be the case. “Moderate” establishment Dems have at least one thing in common with the DSA crowd – all they *really* care about is power. A vote or two is nothing compared to not having organizational control of the US Senate.
On second thought, huxley, I now see your entire post was mocking irony. “Younger than most” … “a love you could find”. How did I miss it?
I find it hugely entertaining that the unscrupulous party that will do anything to win has discovered that one of its pet nominees, groomed and fitted for the position, is unscrupulous and will do anything to win.
It’s like the management of a baseball team being shocked to discover that the players they recruited actually play baseball.
The history of the Democratic party controlling its own ticket line is a very interesting one. They utterly failed to do it for Hillary in 2008. They succeeded in doing it for Hillary in 2016. The succeeded in doing it for Biden in 2020. The succeeded in doing it against Biden in 2024. And now they’ve also done it against Platner.
But even when they succeed, they often fail. The only one of their “interventions” that I can recall working was the one for Biden in 2020.
And stepping in AFTER the primaries just looks bad. If Democrats were able to pull this move now, one week before the deadline, why couldn’t they do it two months ago before the primary? It couldn’t be that they were hoping he would lose the primary. He the only candidate who had ever been close to him in the polls had dropped out.