Platner hurls expletive at Fetterman as he vows he's nothing like him

Oysterman Graham Platner, the ostensible Democratic frontrunner in this year’s Maine Senate race, used an expletive to describe a sitting Democratic senator that previously insulted him.

“The Senate really is a place of — it’s a lot about relationships, and I, like — I don’t want to go down there and simply be non-functional,” Platner said during a recent town hall. Platner — who is facing criticisms for his past tumultuous romantic relationships, racist comments, homophobic comments, sexist comments and Nazi tattoo — is currently under fire as Democrats worry he will lose to incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) if he is nominated.

“I mean, as you can all probably tell, I got a lot of criticisms about the way this government functions, but in order for us to make it functional, we’re going to have to do stuff,” Platner said at the town hall. “And you can’t just go down there and be John Fetterman, and just, and just kind of, just sort of be an a------.”

He later added that Fetterman, a Democratic senator from Pennsylvania, “said mean things about me, I’m allowed to say that.”

Fetterman previously criticized Platner, saying that “Democrats really, really like Platner in Maine but the Republicans f------- love him.”

He then continued that “if Maine wants an a‑‑hole with a Nazi tattoo on his chest, they get him.”

In contrast to Fetterman, longtime Democratic political consultant James Carville has urged Democrats to support Platner in part because of his flaws.

“I understand he’s f—— up,” Carville explained on his Politicon podcast. “Yeah, maybe we need a combat veteran right on that Senate floor, who is f—— up.”

Denouncing Collins as “the most pliable member in the history of the United States Senate,” Carville added that America is “in imminent peril — I mean, imminent peril,” adding that they should ask “Who is most likely to slow this criminal in charge?”

He continued, “I think it’s Graham Platner. I ask all of you to understand his flaws, and understand the peril that this nation is in, and maybe he might be the right guy at the right time.”

Graham Platner, a Maine oysterman, has emerged as a controversial Democratic candidate in the 2024 Senate race against incumbent Republican Susan Collins. Platner's campaign has been marked by significant scrutiny regarding his personal history, which includes documented racist, homophobic, and sexist comments, as well as a Nazi tattoo.

Despite these controversies, Platner has positioned himself as an anti-establishment figure critical of government dysfunction. His campaign has gained traction among some Democrats who view him as a combat veteran willing to challenge the status quo in the Senate. However, party strategists remain divided on his viability as a general election candidate, with concerns that his controversial background could prove damaging against Collins in a general election matchup.