{"id":2609378,"date":"2026-06-02T06:11:01","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T10:11:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/graham-platner-needs-trump-playbooks\/"},"modified":"2026-06-02T06:13:19","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T10:13:19","slug":"graham-platner-needs-trump-playbooks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/graham-platner-needs-trump-playbooks\/","title":{"rendered":"Graham Platner needs Trump playbooks"},"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\">10<\/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%2Fgraham-platner-needs-trump-playbooks%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=2609378&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>Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate challenging Sen. Susan Collins in Maine, is banking on support and attention channels associated with President donald trump-even though Platner originally hoped to benefit from an anti-Trump backlash that coudl help unseat Collins. The article argues Platner\u2019s campaign may be able to weather scandal cycles by using tactics and narratives similar to trump\u2019s: <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >multiple controversies breaking close<\/a> together can dilute the impact of any single story, especially if the candidate appears stubborn and deflects criticism as either private or ultimately less important than issues for working families.<\/p>\n<p>Platner recently faced renewed scrutiny after <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-probe-congressional-sexual-misconduct-slush-fund\/\" title=\"Republicans probe congressional sexual misconduct \u2018slush fund...\">sexually explicit texts<\/a> dominated headlines, adding to past controversies involving questionable statements and prior Nazi imagery. The piece notes rumors that additional opposition research could still emerge before and after the Democratic primary. It also describes how Democrats-especially progressives-may be more forgiving due to anti-establishment anger toward party leadership; that mood helped Platner perform better than Gov.Janet Mills, who suspended active campaigning but remains on the ballot.<\/p>\n<p>Strategically, the article also emphasizes that Democrats may still pivot if stronger evidence suggests Platner would be a liability in November, since Maine is crucial to their chances of regaining Senate control. While polling shows Platner leading Collins by about 7.8 points, the article cautions that past voter behavior and the speed of news cycles could still change outcomes.  <\/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<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/maine\/\">Maine<\/a> Democratic Senate candidate <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/graham-platner\/\">Graham Platner<\/a> is counting on help from an unlikely source to get him elected: President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Platner was always hoping to ride a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4563912\/republicans-blue-wave-2026-midterm-elections\/\">wave of anti-Trump anger<\/a> in the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/20260-election\/\">midterm elections<\/a> on the way to defeating Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/susan-collins\/\">Susan Collins<\/a> (R-ME), the most liberal and last New England-based Republican in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/congress\/\">Congress<\/a>.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4590378\/senate-democrats-platner-sexting-controversy\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Senate Democrats offer little support as Platner faces new sexting controversy: \u2018Staying out of it\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4590281\/the-view-graham-platner-senate-maine\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>The View rips Graham Platner: \u2018Keep it in your pants\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4590249\/trump-taps-kentucky-nate-morris-colombia-ambassador\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Trump taps Kentucky\u2019s Nate Morris for Colombia ambassador post<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The would-be Collins challenger has also run as a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4589385\/graham-platner-ad-trumpian-rhetoric-taking-back-what-is-ours\/\">Trumpian populist<\/a> from the Left, in an effort to woo working-class and war-weary voters who have abandoned the Democrats in recent election cycles.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But now, precedents that Trump has set and his examples of how to weather numerous scandals at once will come in handy for Platner in next week\u2019s Democratic primary and possibly all the way to November.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4588537\/platner-wife-sexually-explicit-texts-aide\/\">sexually explicit texts<\/a> from Platner that <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4588822\/cory-booker-concerns-platner-scandal\/\">dominated headlines<\/a> over the weekend are just the latest scandal for the Democratic candidate, who has faced scrutiny over <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-did-dem-attempts-to-interfere-in-republican-races-turn-out\/\" title=\"How Did Dem Attempts to Interfere In Republican Races Turn Out?\">past controversial statements<\/a> and Nazi imagery that was once tattooed on his body. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It has been widely rumored among political operatives in both parties that there is <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/opinion\/columnists\/4589328\/more-shoes-to-drop-graham-platner\/\">more damaging information coming<\/a> in the form of opposition research dumps.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Platner was never the Democratic establishment\u2019s first choice to take on Collins, and Senate Minority Leader <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/chuck-schumer\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"384\">Chuck Schumer\u2019s<\/a> (D-NY) primary pick, Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME), <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/aseitzwald\/status\/2061524301824606603\">took to reminding<\/a> Maine voters on Monday that while she suspended her campaign for the seat, they could still cast ballots for her next Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPeople have the impression that I \u2018withdrew\u2019 or \u2018dropped out,\u2019\u201d Mills told a local journalist in comments reported on Monday, \u201cbut I <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mills-hints-at-resurrecting-maine-senate-bid-amid-platner-scandals\/\" title=\"Mills hints at resurrecting ... Senate bid amid ... scandals\">simply suspended active campaigning<\/a>. I am still on the ballot.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Platner may be able to counter such machinations by capitalizing on progressive anger with the party\u2019s leaders and elders, whom they regard as gerontocratic \u2014 Mills herself is 78 \u2014 and ineffective. Many Democrats are in an anti-establishment mood, which is how Platner outpaced Mills back when she was actively campaigning. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump similarly was able to brush aside criticisms from the Republican Party\u2019s governing class, tapping into conservative anger that had been building since the Tea Party era before he first ran for office.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Platner is set to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2026\/06\/01\/graham-platner-maine-democratic-senators\">meet with Democratic senators<\/a> on Tuesday. Democrats have thus far been <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/opinion\/beltway-confidential\/4589717\/democrats-defend-platners-toxic-masculinity-because-they-dont-understand-men\/\">more forgiving of Platner<\/a> than establishment Republicans were of Trump in 2016, as late as when the <em>Access Hollywood <\/em>tape broke just weeks before the general election.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another Trump innovation that could help Platner: Having multiple scandals break at once can make it easier to survive any individual bad news cycle, provided the candidate is stubborn and audacious enough. Platner <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/washington-secrets\/4589111\/graham-platner-tackles-sexting-scandal-deny-distract-attack\/\">may be<\/a>. This tactic may also have worked for Texas Attorney General <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ken-paxton\/\">Ken Paxton<\/a> in his GOP primary defeat of Sen.<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-cornyn\/\"> John Cornyn<\/a> (R-TX) last week.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Public attention spans are limited, and the news cycle always moves on eventually.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On sexting, Platner defenders are also borrowing a page from former President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/bill-clinton\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"703\">Bill Clinton\u2019s<\/a> playbook: It\u2019s a private matter.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think it\u2019s important for us to focus on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-offer-little-support-as-platner-faces-new-controversy\/\" title=\"Democrats offer little support as ... new controversy\">issues facing working families<\/a> a little bit more than Graham Platner\u2019s marriage,\u201d Sen.<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/bernie-sanders\/\"> Bernie Sanders<\/a> (I-VT) told reporters, \u201cand my understanding is that his wife, Amy, who I\u2019ve had the opportunity to meet, who seems to me to be a very, very lovely woman, is standing by her husband, and I wish their marriage the very best.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many Democrats may conclude that because they have a low opinion of Trump\u2019s personal character, Platner\u2019s behavior and judgment are irrelevant. Trump, in turn, cited Clinton\u2019s conduct when he was criticized during his first presidential campaign, bringing Clinton accusers Juanita Broaddrick, Paula Jones, Kathleen Willey, and Kathy Shelton as his guests to the 2016 post-<em>Access Hollywood <\/em>debate with Hillary Clinton.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSusan Collins has a history of supporting Donald Trump,\u201d Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/elizabeth-warren\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"250\">Elizabeth Warren<\/a> (D-MA) told reporters. \u201cSusan Collins has a history of supporting war halfway around the world that is costing the American people billions of dollars and driving up prices for every single family in Maine.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s not to say Democrats might not turn on Platner if strong evidence emerges that he is becoming a liability in November. Maine is critical to Democrats\u2019 chances of taking back control of the Senate. Democrats quickly abandoned then-President Joe Biden following a disastrous debate performance, even though the primaries had already concluded.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One local reporter <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/aseitzwald\/status\/2061485594342051931\">encountered<\/a> voters who were concerned the latest revelations might mean Platner hadn\u2019t learned from his Reddit and tattoo mistakes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4588750\/chris-murphy-graham-platner-texts\/\"><strong>SEN. CHRIS MURPHY SAYS PLATNER \u2018MADE MISTAKES\u2019 AFTER EXPLICIT TEXTS REVEALED <\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4590167\/janet-mills-hints-resurrect-maine-senate-bid-graham-platner-scandals\/\">Mills\u2019s machinations<\/a>, there may be <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4588575\/how-democrats-could-replace-platner-after-primary\/\">other loopholes<\/a> Maine Democrats could exploit to replace Platner after the primary, though many in the party have faulted their national leaders for engaging in undemocratic maneuvers in 2024 that ultimately did not produce a general election victory. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Platner leads Collins by 7.8 percentage points, according to the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/polls\/senate\/general\/2026\/maine\/collins-vs-platner\"><em>RealClearPolitics <\/em>polling<\/a> average, though the centrist Republican <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/polls\/senate\/general\/2020\/maine\/collins-vs-gideon\">defied the polls<\/a> six years ago and won by 8.6 percentage points. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Maine Democrat Graham Platner relies on Trump to win over anti-Trump anger against Susan Collins<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2659,"featured_media":2609379,"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\/2026\/06\/AP26144838903636.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[33189,65649,32504,80658],"class_list":["post-2609378","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-election-tactics","tag-graham-platner","tag-political-strategy","tag-trump-playbooks"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26144838903636.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2609378","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\/2659"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2609378"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2609378\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2609382,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2609378\/revisions\/2609382"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2609379"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2609378"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2609378"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2609378"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}