Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner struck a conciliatory tone toward party leadership in remarks to Newsweek on Saturday, while making clear he will not abandon his populist campaign strategy as Democrats target a potential pickup in Maine.
"Last night, I spoke with Senator Schumer. He called me and congratulated me on a well-run race," Platner said, adding, "It is rather amazing how wanting to defeat [incumbent GOP Sen.] Susan Collins can really bring a lot of people together."
The call comes after a contentious primary in which Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) backed Gov. Janet Mills, who has since dropped out.
Platner said Democrats understand the stakes of the race.
"They know that they're gonna have to invest heavily in this race," he said, pointing to the resources needed to counter Republican spending.
"For the Senate to change hands, they need to have Susan Collins be defeated, and they're going to invest in that."
At the same time, he stressed he will not shift his message or tone to align with party leadership.
"I am in no way, shape, or form, going to change my tune on my criticisms of the party," Platner said.
"I am not going to change my tune on the fact that I think the old way of doing business has come to an end," he added.
Instead, Platner is doubling down on a grassroots, working-class-focused campaign built around organizing and town halls.
"The campaign we're running, the organizing focus of this — we're just going to keep doing that, and we're not going to take direction," he said.
"Nobody can come down here and tell us that what we've done isn't working because it's working spectacularly."
Platner has framed his candidacy as an effort to rebuild the Democratic Party in a more populist mold.
"I honestly think there are a lot of people in power who want to protect their power," he said.
"They're going to latch on to the strategies and the tactics that win. And we have shown that this is the strategy that win[s] here in the state of Maine."
His campaign style, including a deliberately blue-collar, unpolished image reminiscent of Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., aims to appeal to middle-class voters as Democrats look for openings in a challenging national environment for Republicans, including voter concerns over skyrocketing fuel prices and the war with Iran.
Regardless of the unified front, unseating Republican Sen. Susan Collins will remain a hefty task for any Democrat.
The five-term incumbent has repeatedly defeated Democratic challengers, even in cycles favorable to the party, making Maine a critical but uncertain battleground in Democrats' push to regain control of the Senate.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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