Thanks to the Democrats and their affinity for the truly bizarre, a number of midterm races this fall are shaping up to be, well, bizarre. But none more so than the Maine Senate race, where “oyster farmer” and Nazi tattoo guy Graham Platner until now seemed to be the presumptive Democrat nominee. He’s been running as such ever since Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) suspended her campaign for the Senate back on April 30.
But in an interview with the Portland (Maine) Press Herald, Mills reminded the voters she’s still on the ballot.
“People have the impression that I ‘withdrew’ or ‘dropped out,’” Maine’s governor told the newspaper. “But I simply suspended active campaigning. I am still on the ballot.”
PORTLAND — Governor Janet Mills has reminded Maine voters that she remains on the ballot for the Democratic U.S. Senate primary, despite suspending her active campaign on April 30.
Mills made the clarification in an interview with the Sun Journal on Sunday. “People have the… pic.twitter.com/AfxDTRHpXe
— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) June 1, 2026
To be sure, at PJ Media we’ve done our share of coverage of Platner as his saga continues to unfold. From his Nazi tattoo to his Reddit posts, our own Stephen Kruiser pretty much summed it up in The Morning Briefing.
But sadly, for those suffering from Platner fatigue, his campaign is the gift that keeps on giving, so to speak. This time, however, he may be screwed.
When Mills suspended her campaign, the Press Herald reported that she was low on money and “trailing Platner by double digits in most public polling.” But things have changed, and the beneficiaries could be Mills and the Maine electorate.
Don’t get me wrong. I am not pulling for Mills. I mean, she’s still a lib, and Susan Collins is a RINO’s RINO, but either of them is preferrable to someone so low that his most recent scandal is one his own wife triggered.
If you haven’t heard already, as part of the Platner team’s own due diligence, it conducted oppo research on Platner himself. None other than his wife revealed that she discovered multiple “sexts” from him to other women less than a year after their wedding, which wasn’t all that long ago. They were married in 2024, and the alleged sexting activity occurred last year in 2025.
So now you even have the likes of Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) telling ABC’s This Week that he has concerns about the Maine man. Said Booker, “That guy has questions to answer, and that’s what campaigns are for.”
Uh-huh. That’s what campaigns are for. It’s also what electoral opponents are for. And Gov. Mills seems to be reemerging at just the right time.
The Press Herald reported that the Maine governor’s name will stay on the ballot when voters head to the polls on June 9. Votes for Mills will be counted in the primary election, and Platner can’t do anything about it. This is because Mills hasn’t filled out the required paperwork to nullify any votes for her. To nullify those votes, she would have had to make it official by completing a set of forms with the Maine Secretary of State’s office.
Mills did not endorse Platner after she suspended her campaign, and based on her most recent comments to the Portland newspaper, it seems she’d like to get back in the game.
In doing so, the Press Herald reported that Mills reawakened her own X account, posting for the first time since she suspended her campaign. What did she post?
Happy Pride Month, Maine!
Everyone deserves the freedom to live authentically and marry who they love without fear. I’m proud to stand with the LGBTQ+ community, today and every day. 🏳️🌈
— Janet Mills (@JanetMillsforME) June 1, 2026
Yoi.
Oh well, you can’t have everything, but I can say I’d much rather spend the next six years poking fun at Susan Collins (R-Maine) or Mills, as opposed to covering the circus that is Platner.
In the case of Collins or Mills, you’re rooting for the lesser of two evils, which is Collins. It must be noted, she has proven that she can be a reliable vote for the Trump administration at times. In Platner’s case, however, it looks like the only option on the table is evil. Pure evil.
Find out what you’re missing behind the members-only wall. It’s time for you to take advantage of the full catalogue of common-sense thinking that comes with a PJ Media VIP membership. You’ll get access to content you didn’t even know you wanted, and you’ll be hooked. The good news is, PJ Media VIP memberships are on sale! Get 60% off of an annual VIP, VIP Gold, or VIP Platinum membership! Use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off a VIP membership!
