He should make a decisive contribution to the victory of the US Democrats in the “midterms”: Graham Platner won his primary election in the state of Maine and will run for a place in the Senate in November.
June 10, 2026, 07:20June 10, 2026, 07:20
With around 19 percent of ballots counted, Platner was ahead with over 73 percent of the vote, as CNN reported. Other media also proclaimed Platner the winner. Janet Mills was in second place with 19 percent.
Graham Platner wins Maine primary.Image: keystone
For the Democrats, Platner is a key figure for the “midterms”. In the so-called midterms on November 3rd, around a third of the Senate and the entire House of Representatives will be re-elected. Because of the Republicans’ current narrow majority in both chambers of parliament, each individual mandate could decide who ultimately has power in Congress. So it could come down to a few races. The Democrats expect one of these in Maine. They believe there is a chance that political newcomer Platner will take her Senate seat from Republican Susan Collins.
Serious allegations overshadow the election campaign
It was expected that Platner would win the election. The incumbent Governor Mills had already left the election campaign at the end of April. She was trailing in the polls and cited a lack of financial resources as the reason for her withdrawal.
The focus was much more on the question of how many voters, especially female voters, still opposed Platner. Platner had previously made headlines because of his treatment of women. According to the US newspaper “New York Times”, several ex-partners had accused him of intimidating and disturbing behavior. A former partner also spoke of a physical altercation.
Platner, a veteran, admitted to struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol abuse, but denied allegations of intimidation or physical assault.
He was also criticized for having a tattoo and its resemblance to a Nazi symbol. Platner has now had the skull symbol engraved with a different motif. (sda/dpa)