{"id":2499294,"date":"2025-10-15T16:04:02","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T20:04:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/uaw-backs-oyster-farmer-over-governor-in-maine-senate-race\/"},"modified":"2025-10-15T16:05:03","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T20:05:03","slug":"uaw-backs-oyster-farmer-over-governor-in-maine-senate-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/uaw-backs-oyster-farmer-over-governor-in-maine-senate-race\/","title":{"rendered":"UAW backs oyster farmer over governor in Maine Senate race"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fuaw-backs-oyster-farmer-over-governor-in-maine-senate-race%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2499294&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The United Auto Workers (UAW) has endorsed oyster farmer and veteran Graham Platner over Maine Governor Janet mills in the 2026 Maine Senate race. Platner has also gained support from the Maine State Nurses Association, the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, and Senator Bernie Sanders.UAW President Shawn Fain praised Platner for his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/exclusive-boris-saying-he-got-brexit-done-is-a-joke-to-northern-irish-dup-mp\/\" title=\"Exclusive \u2013 Boris Saying He &#039;Got Brexit Done&#039; Is &#039;A Joke&#039; to Northern Irish: DUP MP\">working-class roots<\/a> and commitment to fighting inequality, affordable healthcare, living wages, and retirement security. Mills, who recently entered the Democratic primary to replace Senator Susan Collins, has pledged to advocate for healthcare, clean energy, public health, and education, and to stand up to former President Trump. Despite being lesser known, Platner is gaining traction as a progressive candidate fighting against the political establishment and the influence of wealthy elites.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">UAW joins unions backing oyster farmer Platner over Mills in Senate race<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2372862\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/united-auto-workers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">United Auto Workers<\/a> on Wednesday became the latest and most <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/labor-union-gives-100k-to-bernie-bro-embezzler\/\" title=\"Labor Union Gives 0K to Bernie Bro Embezzler\">prominent labor union<\/a> to back oyster farmer and veteran Graham Platner over Gov. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/janet-mills\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Janet Mills<\/a> (D-ME) in the 2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/maine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Maine<\/a> Senate race.<\/p>\n<p>The UAW joined the Maine State Nurses Association and the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers in endorsing Platner.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/3851371\/thomas-massie-record-breaking-fundraising-haul\/\">Massie brings in record-breaking fundraising haul after bucking Trump<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3851150\/massachusetts-democrat-seth-moulton-senate-bid-against-ed-markey-its-time-for-change\/\">Seth Moulton launches Senate bid against Ed Markey: &lsquo;It&rsquo;s time for change&rsquo;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3850709\/schumer-lands-prized-senate-recruits-key-battlegrounds\/\">Schumer lands his prized Senate recruits in battlegrounds<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>UAW President Shawn Fain threw his support behind the political newcomer, contrasting the Democratic candidate&rsquo;s working-class roots with Maine&rsquo;s political establishment represented by Mills.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Inequality is out of control in our country. Today, the top 1% have more wealth than the bottom 95% of humanity combined. Graham understands this, and at a time when too many politicians take their cues from billionaires and corporate lobbyists, he has chosen to stand with the working class,&rdquo; Fain <a href=\"https:\/\/uaw.org\/uaw-endorses-graham-platner-for-u-s-senate-in-maine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said in a statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>He went on to say that Platner won&rsquo;t get distracted by issues the &ldquo;the billionaire class uses to divide us,&rdquo; adding that the oysterman aligns with issues that &ldquo;our union fights for every day: a living wage, affordable health care, retirement security, and time outside of work to actually live our lives.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The UAW is proud to endorse candidates like Platner taking on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/we-need-the-police-minneapolis-voters-reject-measure-to-abolish-police\/\" title=\"\u2018We Need The Police\u2019: Minneapolis Voters Reject Measure To Abolish Police\">broken status quo<\/a>,&rdquo; Fain concluded.<\/p>\n<p>The endorsement comes one day after Mills <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/3818508\/janet-mills-senate-challenge-susan-collins-maine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">entered the Democratic primary<\/a> to replace Sen. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/susan-collins\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Susan Collins<\/a> (R-ME), who is running for her sixth term next year.<\/p>\n<p>The term-limited governor vowed to fight for Mainers on healthcare, clean energy, public health, and education in the Senate. She also pledged to stand up to the Trump administration, just as she did in February when the president <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=YH8T_ld0IeY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">publicly confronted<\/a> her at the White House over her state&rsquo;s refusal to comply with his <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >executive order barring transgender athletes<\/a> from women&rsquo;s sports.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Susan Collins is not standing up to [President] Donald Trump,&rdquo; Mills said in her campaign announcement on Tuesday. &ldquo;And I&rsquo;ve stood up to bullies all my life. And I will continue to stand up to bullies in D.C. for the sake of Maine people.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>If she wins, Mills promises to serve only one term, unlike Collins. The incumbent senator has held the same seat since 1997.<\/p>\n<p>Hours after announcing her campaign, Mills <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3850182\/janet-mills-endorsement-challenger-dropped-out-senate-race\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">received an endorsement<\/a> from brewery owner Dan Kleban, one of her former challengers who dropped out of the Senate race to back the governor. Kleban&rsquo;s exit leaves Mills, Platner, former Rep. Katie Porter&rsquo;s (D-CA) chief of staff Jordan Wood, former Maryland environmental official David Costello, and a few others in the crowded Democratic primary contest.<\/p>\n<p>Despite his little-known name, Platner is gaining significant traction after announcing his candidacy in August. In addition to the three labor unions, Sen. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/bernie-sanders\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bernie Sanders<\/a> (I-VT) endorsed the oyster farmer.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3850709\/schumer-lands-prized-senate-recruits-key-battlegrounds\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SCHUMER LANDS HIS PRIZED SENATE RECRUITS IN BATTLEGROUNDS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Graham is a Marine and Army National Guard veteran, an oyster farmer, and a proud member of America&rsquo;s working class. He&rsquo;s a Mainer through and through, and he is building a movement strong enough to take on the oligarchy that is making Maine unaffordable for all except a privileged few,&rdquo; Sanders said of the billionaire class in late August.<\/p>\n<p>The Maine State Nurses Association <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalnursesunited.org\/press\/maine-nurses-announce-major-endorsements-in-key-2026-races\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">supports<\/a> Platner because it believes he will fight against healthcare cuts in the Republican Party&rsquo;s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ifpte.org\/news\/ifpte-endorses-graham-platner-for-senate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">considers<\/a> Platner the best candidate to oppose the Trump administration&rsquo;s rollback of collective bargaining rights for unionized workers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>UAW backs oyster farmer Platner over Mills in Senate race<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2159,"featured_media":2499295,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/AP25086737172003.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[4173,65283,65282,39035,25982],"class_list":["post-2499294","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-governor","tag-maine-senate-race","tag-oyster-farmer","tag-political-endorsement","tag-uaw"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/AP25086737172003.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2499294","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2159"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2499294"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2499294\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2499298,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2499294\/revisions\/2499298"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2499295"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2499294"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2499294"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2499294"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}