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Peacetrain

(24,327 posts)
Thu Jul 9, 2026, 01:50 PM 19 hrs ago

Hey DU, All things considered, we may have missed a really close call

with Platner... just saying.. He was trouble on the hoof.. now we find out.. Letter to our Democratic National Party.. kids you have to do a better job of checking someone out.

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Peacetrain

(24,327 posts)
2. That too!! My original point of view was that it was up to Maine
Thu Jul 9, 2026, 01:55 PM
19 hrs ago

Their votes are the only ones that count and they knew who he was.. well apparently no, they didn't...

hlthe2b

(115,436 posts)
11. Mentioning no names but after Platner was out, two DUers tried to make the case that Collins
Thu Jul 9, 2026, 02:38 PM
18 hrs ago

"was not all that bad"... It took all within me not to give her entire intensely destructive voting history song and dance, but I just focused on her Kavanagh vote (the deciding one) despite even the MSM questioning her as to whether or not he would not work to end abortion protections. So, the end of Roe v Wade, abortion access, and the blood of the pregnant women who are not treated for fear of violating abortion laws is directly on her, IMHO.

"Not all that bad?" Really???

leftstreet

(41,447 posts)
13. Yep
Thu Jul 9, 2026, 02:41 PM
18 hrs ago

I saw that. I had to keep my mouth shut to avoid hides

But you're articulate, restrained and measured.

You should run for office!!

bucolic_frolic

(56,491 posts)
5. Platner is how they vented and removed his dang left wing worker agenda from Maine politics
Thu Jul 9, 2026, 02:00 PM
19 hrs ago

I'm being cynical but maybe he was selected and allowed to implode.

W_HAMILTON

(10,526 posts)
6. The DNC is not omnipotent and they are certainly not responsible for Platner's candidacy.
Thu Jul 9, 2026, 02:01 PM
19 hrs ago

Alternatives were there for the nomination but a majority chose to disregard Platner's worrisome history and instead bought into his pandering.

As Rachel Maddow is fond of saying, watch what they do, not what they say." Talk is cheap and that's all Platner had going for him.

I think we dodged a two bullets: (1) so much more would have probably come out he wouldn't have even won the election and (2) if he did manage to win and no longer needed the voters, he would return back to those same problematic stances he held his entire life, back when all eyes weren't on him.

Bmoboy

(691 posts)
7. Why should the "Party" decide who gets to run?
Thu Jul 9, 2026, 02:04 PM
19 hrs ago

There are no political parties in the Constitution.

Yet they seem to dictate so.much of what the government chooses to address, like tax breaks, subsidies, and sweetheart deals for close friends and business partners.

lostincalifornia

(5,700 posts)
10. Oh please. Article I, Section 4, Clause 1. It is called the ELECTION CLAUSE.
Thu Jul 9, 2026, 02:30 PM
18 hrs ago

It establishes that individual states dictate the "Times, Places and Manner" of holding congressional elections.

lostincalifornia

(5,700 posts)
8. Even before this came out, a week ago the polls showed Platner and Collins were in a
Thu Jul 9, 2026, 02:21 PM
19 hrs ago

dead heat.

The reality is the race of Platner verses Collins was never going to be a "shoe-in". It was going to be close, and I suspect no one is naive enough to believe the list from the nazi tattoo to the sextexting and social media posts by him, etc. were not going to be part of the Collins campaign against him.

The opportunity is for Maine Democrats to select someone who doesn't have the flaws that Platner had, and can relate to the people of Maine.

As an outsider I don't view this as a disadvantage, but as an opportunity.

California was in a similar situation with Swalwell.

It is so much better this came out before the General Election candidates were in stone.

Now Maine Democrats have the opportunity to choose the best candidate without the baggage, and finally replace Susan Collins.




hamsterjill

(18,060 posts)
9. All candidates from now on need to be women.
Thu Jul 9, 2026, 02:24 PM
19 hrs ago

Shocking? Attainable?

Probably not. But it would almost assure no sexual assault accusations. There could always be an exception, of course.

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