Graham Platner Officially Goes Out How You’d Expect: ‘Free Palestine,’ Vulgar Message for ICE, No Accountability or Seriousness
The article discusses the political controversy surrounding Graham Platner, a Democratic senate candidate from Maine, who was accused of rape. Following the allegations, Platner suspended his campaign but did not promptly withdraw his name from the ballot, leading to speculation about his intentions. Despite claiming to step aside, he posted a last-minute written request to remove his name, which included controversial and vulgar messages supporting “Free Palestine,” criticizing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and references to a local soccer team. the piece criticizes Platner for showing no remorse or accountability, rather focusing on self-praise and inflammatory remarks. It also highlights the failure of the progressive movement to vet candidates properly, as Platner’s background and problematic behaviors seemingly did not prevent him from being nominated.The article condemns his conduct, emphasizing his lack of responsibility, and criticizes political and media responses, suggesting that his departure reveals deeper issues within political accountability and candidate vetting processes.
On Friday afternoon, disgraced Democratic Senate hopeful Graham Platner disgraced himself once again — and made the Democratic Party and the political movement he represents look even worse.
For most people who aren’t political junkies, the Platner story reached its conclusion on Wednesday night. Two days after Platner was publicly accused of rape — by a Democrat, so even Democrats couldn’t hide behind it being a “right-wing” former girlfriend — and virtually everyone important turned on the hobbyist oysterman and official U.S. Senate nominee, Platner issued a video announcing he was suspending his campaign.
Case closed, right? For most people who don’t follow political minutiae, yes. However, there was a pesky little story festering in the background.
While Platner had issued the lengthy video (in which he took no responsibility and showed no contrition but instead cast himself as the victim of shadowy forces), the video didn’t take his name off the ballot.
For Platner to remove his name from the ballot, under Maine law, he would have to submit a request to do so in writing and do it by a Monday deadline. When journalists started noting that there was a video up but no actual written request, the media started poking around.
Axios reported Thursday that Platner had told his campaign team he planned to submit the documents on Monday — which sounds an awful lot like either 1) brinksmanship to influence the process of picking another nominee or 2) a sociopath who’s going to be a sociopath until the end and trick everyone into keeping him, somehow, some way.
“Though Democrats largely appear to think Platner is done with his bid, his last-minute timing is likely to cause a final pang of anxiety within the party,” Axios reported. Yes, well, you think? “
“Platner allies have described his comments as parting wishes, not hostage-taking,” the outlet added.
Well, someone — maybe those shadowy forces Platner alluded to in the 11-minute withdrawal video? — caused him to speed up the release and submission of what appears to be his written request, which was posted on his social media account just before the weekly news cycle ended, at 4:41 p.m. Eastern on Friday.
And if this is what his truncated parting wishes sounded like, just imagine how bad they would have been if he had until Monday to finish them off. He managed to take no accountability again, didn’t mention his would-be opponent, GOP Sen. Susan Collins, or defeating her, and instead included a very slightly Bowdlerized vulgar message for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a big ups for a “free Palestine,” and an obscure reference to a soccer team.
Oh, and more talk about how awesome he is.
On June 9th, 156,084 Mainers voted for a new kind of politics. One that is representative of people down here in the real world – not billionaires, oligarchs, or the political establishment. Mainers voted for Medicare for All; to ban billionaires from buying elections; and for an end to taxpayer-funded genocide and forever wars. They voted for time and dignity; for strong unions and jobs they can raise families on; for the hope of buying a home; for the chance to retire with grace.
He may be garbage, but at least he’s consistent. It’s worth noting those Mainers also voted for a man with a Nazi tattoo credibly accused of partner abuse, blackout alcoholism, a toxic social media history, along with falsehoods about his positions and past too numerous to mention.
And again, we have that pitiful line from the non-official withdrawal, combined with the official withdrawal: “My name may have been on the ballot, but that ballot line belongs to the people of Maine. As such, please consider this notice as my official withdrawal from consideration for this office,” he said.
But that wasn’t the end: “F*ck ICE. Free Palestine. Up the Hearts.”
— Graham Platner for Senate (@grahamformaine) July 10, 2026
Let’s start backward. “Up the Hearts” is a reference to a documentary series about Maine’s professional soccer team, the Portland Hearts of Pine.
I have never had to quit a job or a public position because of a credible rape allegation, so I don’t know how to navigate these things, nor have I given it any thought — but I’m pretty sure the best way for me to go out would be to apologize for my misjudgment first and foremost and not, at any point in the letter, rep my Knicks fandom by ending my resignation with “Go New York, Go New York, Go!” Just a thought on how unserious this clown was and remains.
And of course, “Free Palestine.” Coming from a man as disgraced as Platner, that’s the biggest piece of pro-Israel advertising I can remember.
And “F*** ICE”? Again, aside from great advertising for immigration enforcement, I can’t better the point made about the asterisking made by Jeff Blehar of National Review about the ridiculousness of this:
Only a true coward writes “F*ck” after wholeheartedly drunkenly raping a woman. But that’s your modern DSA.
“Free Palestine!” https://t.co/YFHW5q5XfL
— Jeff Blehar is *BOX OFFICE POISON* (@EsotericCD) July 10, 2026
To be fair: Allegedly “wholeheartedly drunkenly raping a woman.” But otherwise, the point stands. If you’re already going out of the race being known as an accused rapist, putting an asterisk in there will not help your reputation in posterity. Sorry.
Notice what is missing at all points in this letter: Any remorse toward the people he had either abused, let down, or otherwise hurt. No talk about how Susan Collins needs to be defeated. In fact, it half sounds like he wouldn’t mind it if she returned to Washington. (Finally, something he and I happen to be in agreement upon.)
No, it’s all how great he did, how the movement will outlive him, and how he’s been forced to relinquish the spot “to the people of Maine,” who he makes sure to remind you had already voted for him.
Even in belatedly bowing out of the race he’d already given everyone the impression he belatedly bowed out of, Platner revealed the utter bankruptcy of the progressive movement: When they can vet candidates for disqualifying characteristics, they don’t care.
They had to have known, at some point, that this man was a sociopathic narcissist who would tell them anything to get his name on the Democratic Party line in November. And they were cool with that. This last parting salvo is exactly who they knew Graham Platner was — which is the lesson that ought to stick with us, not any “Up the Hearts” nonsense.
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