Graham Platner Reacts to Primary Win in Maine’s U.S. Senate Race

The oyster farmer has officially secured the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate and will challenge for the seat in November.

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Graham Platner, a military veteran and first-time candidate, won Maine’s Democratic primary for U.S. Senate on Tuesday.

He will face Republican Senator Susan Collins this fall in a race expected to be one of the most closely watched Senate contests in the country.

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Photo by CJ Gunther/Getty Images

Following his win in Tuesday’s primary, Platner posted on social media that he was “humbled and proud” to officially be the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate against Collins.

Read More: 2026 Maine Primary Election Results

Platner also thanked Maine voters and said his campaign is ready to “take back this Senate seat for the working people of Maine.”

Platner’s win followed months of scrutiny over his past conduct, including reports that he sent sexually explicit messages while he was married.

He also faced allegations from former partners about his behavior, along with resurfaced Reddit posts that included homophobic slurs and comments about military sexual assault.

Photo by CJ Gunther/Getty Images

The candidate also denied an ex-girlfriend’s allegation that he physically restrained her during an argument.

In addition, he said he did not understand the meaning of a tattoo later identified as a Nazi symbol and framed his past struggles as part of a period marked by untreated PTSD and alcohol abuse after his military service.

Credit: Sophie Park / Getty

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And there you have it! Graham Platner says he is “humbled” to have won the Democratic nomination and is ready to defeat Susan Collins in the midterm elections.

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