The race for Maine’s U.S. Senate seat has intensified as Graham Platner becomes the presumptive Democratic nominee. This follows the decision by Governor Janet Mills, who had been recruited by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, to suspend her campaign because of weak polling and fundraising.
Mills remains on the ballot for the June 9 primary, but the momentum has shifted toward Platner. He is an oysterman and a veteran who served in the Marine Corps and the Army. The shift has drawn national attention and sharp commentary. Senator Ted Cruz appeared on Tuesday’s edition of Hannity to express his frustration with the Democratic Party’s support for Platner.
On the broadcast, Cruz argued that the party’s backing of Platner shows it no longer “believe[s] in democracy.” According to Mediaite, he said the party has drifted from its core values, stating, “I don’t think principle matters to them anymore. All they care about is power. And they don’t, I believe, believe in democracy.”
Cruz ties his criticism to Biden and Trump ballot disputes
Cruz also linked his concerns to wider national issues. He pointed to the party’s earlier support for Joe Biden and to efforts to remove Donald Trump from the ballot in several states. Cruz has frequently weighed in on national debates, including a moment when he pushed back on a Spirit Airlines bailout idea.
He added, “This is the same Democrat party that was willing to prop Joe Biden up and run him as a candidate even though they knew he was no longer mentally capable to do the job. This is the same Democrat party that removed Donald Trump from the ballot in multiple states. That’s how little they think of democracy.”
Despite the scrutiny, Platner remains strong in the polls, reports Fox News. A survey by the University of New Hampshire, conducted May 21–25, shows him leading incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins by 51 percent to 42 percent.
The 9-point lead matters because the Maine seat is one of a few likely to decide which party controls the Senate. The poll had a sampling error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points. Platner has faced several controversies.
He has been heavily criticized for past Reddit posts, including comments that mocked a Purple Heart recipient, and he recently declined to apologize when asked about them. He has also faced questions about a now-removed chest tattoo that featured Nazi iconography.
Platner has said he got the tattoo in 2007 while drinking with fellow Marines in Croatia and covered it up once he realized it resembled a Nazi symbol. In addition, recent reports allege that he exchanged sexually explicit texts with multiple women while married.
Republican leaders, including Collins, argue that these revelations make Platner too extreme for Maine. Collins has said she believes voters will eventually reach that conclusion, though she noted she is not taking anything for granted.
Platner has remained unbothered by the attacks. Asked about the ongoing scrutiny, he said, “I’m pretty sure I can handle it.” He has focused his campaign on an economically populist agenda, often targeting corporate influence and advocating for the working class.
He has also criticized Collins, calling her radical for her long-term support of policies that he claims benefit billionaires while ignoring working people. There is internal friction within the Democratic Party as well. While Platner leads among likely Democratic voters at 76 percent, some party members have voiced discomfort with his candidacy.
Representative Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts has been especially vocal, describing the tattoo and the related commentary as “personally disqualifying.” He suggested that, if he were a Maine voter, he would vote for someone else in the primary. Cruz, meanwhile, has aimed pointed remarks at figures across the spectrum, including a heated exchange with Tucker Carlson.
Published: Jun 3, 2026 06:30 am