Maines presumptive Democratic Senate nominee is facing considerable backlash over unearthed social media posts where he made controversial statements about race, sexuality, political violence and his own ideological beliefs.
Graham Platner, a 41-year-old Marine Corps veteran, depression and PTSD stemming from serving in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. He says he became accustomed to “crude humor” and “offensive language” while serving as an infantryman. Â
“Im sorry for this. Just know that its not reflective at all of who I am,” Platner said of his previous comments posted online. “I dont want you to judge me on the dumbest thing I ever wrote on the internet. I would prefer if people could judge me on the person I am today.”
While he no longer operates under the “p-Hustle” username on Reddit, thousands of Platners deleted posts and comments have been made easily searchable by outlets like the Maine Monitor. It’s sparking renewed criticism in his bid to replace incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins and flip the Maine Senate seat blue.
Many of Platners old Reddit posts struck a progressive tone on race, but that didnt stop him from making the occasional off-color comment.Â
“Why don’t black people tip?” he wrote in August 2013.
“I work as a bartender and it always amazes me how solid this stereotype is,” he continued. “Every now and again a black patron will leave a 15-20% tip, but usually it [is] between 0-5%. There’s got to be a reason behind it, what is it?”
It came in response to a thread on a page called AskReddit where a user prompted: “What is one question you have always wanted to ask someone of another race?”
Platner made liberal use of slurs intended to demean homosexuals and mentally disabled people on his Reddit account.
“Betcha not a single downvoter is a real combat vet,” he posted under a now-deleted post on a firearms subreddit. “Feel free to back it up with facts, f–s.”
He also used the word “gay” in a derogatory context on multiple occasions.Â
The Maine Monitors repository of Platners comments shows he used variations of the word “r-tard” at least 18 times between 2013 and 2021.
“If you believe that, its pretty clear youre, in fact, a r-tard,” he wrote under one since deleted post.
While Platner may have , he didnt express any homophobia on his account. In fact, Platner advocated for greater acceptance of homosexuals in the armed forces.
“I can see how some of the same Marines who would be accepting of gay peers would happily use their officer being a f-ggot” as another reason to s–t on leadership,” Platner wrote, consoling a purported Marine officer who reported having had a negative experience being gay in the .
“Just know this: I cant imagine how much it must suck not being able to share who you are with the people who are supposed to be your comrades. Im sorry that we have to work through this bulls–t,” he continued.Â
On Sept. 1, 2020, Platner responded to a post on the subreddit declaring that “White People Arent as Racist or Stupid as Trump Thinks.”
“Living in white rural America, Im afraid to tell you they actually are,” Platner wrote of the people he is now seeking to represent in the U.S. Congress.
Maine is the whitest U.S. state with an estimated 91.3% of the population being non-Hispanic white as of 2024, according to the Census Bureau.Â
Platner also stated that the general public only cares about certain crimes when white people are victimized.
“The vast majority of which involves handguns,” he wrote in response to a post about gun deaths. “It’s pretty absurd no one ever talks about that, although I’m assuming it’s because handguns mostly kill young black men. Nobo
