Graham Platner was cruising along in his bid to become the Junior Senator from Maine. Early in his campaign, he was generally viewed as a competitive, rising contender in the Maine Senate race, but not a frontrunner. Because he’s a relatively new political figure, most of what shaped his early performance came from perception rather than a long public record: he was framed as young and energetic, positioned to appeal to voters seeking a generational shift. Early coverage tended to describe him as a “credible challenger” rather than a guaranteed threat to the incumbent. Still, he was gaining attention, fundraising steadily, and building name recognition at a pace that suggested he could make the race interesting.

Platner’s early surge became so strong that it effectively collapsed the Democratic primary around him. As his fundraising accelerated, his crowds grew, and his polling numbers climbed, the contrast with his main Democratic rival, Janet Mills, became impossible for party insiders to ignore. What had begun as a competitive race turned into a lopsided one: Platner was consolidating donors, dominating media attention, and outperforming expectations in every measurable category. Faced with dwindling support and no viable path forward, Mills ultimately suspended her campaign — a decision widely read as an acknowledgment that Platner had taken firm control of the race well before the scandals reshaped the landscape.

Reports about Platner’s conduct escalated sharply when two threads converged: allegations from former girlfriends describing violent or intimidating behavior, and confirmed accounts that he exchanged sexually explicit messages with multiple women after his 2023 marriage. The New York Times and other outlets detailed claims that he twisted an ex‑girlfriend’s arm, trapped her in a room until she was “calm,” boasted about a Nazi‑linked tattoo, and fantasized about rape and violence. At the same time, his campaign simultaneously acknowledged that his wife had discovered he’d been sexting with as many as a dozen women and raised it with staff, who initially treated it as a private matter.

Prominent Democrats, who had rallied behind Platner after Janet Mills suspended her campaign, were suddenly forced into damage‑control mode — publicly defending his policy agenda while privately questioning his vetting and electability, and watching as donors, activists, and media coverage shifted from celebrating a breakout candidate to wondering whether his baggage could cost the Party a critical Senate seat.

Democrats reacted with a mix of shock, frustration, and strategic panic. Party leaders who had quietly consolidated around Platner now found themselves defending a candidate whose liabilities were still unfolding. Some operatives urged patience, arguing that the scandals were survivable if handled with discipline; others pushed for distance, worried that the damage would bleed into down‑ballot races. The most telling reaction came from donors and activists who had once championed Platner’s insurgent energy — they went silent. In modern politics, silence is its own verdict. The Party didn’t immediately abandon him, but the confidence that once surrounded his campaign evaporated, replaced by a wary wait‑and‑see posture that signaled how quickly momentum can turn when a rising star stumbles.

Republicans didn’t pile onto Platner as much as they attacked Democratic leaders for their hypocrisy when they once led the crusade to “believe the women.” Here are some examples:

1. Joe Biden (2020). In response to sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh, Biden said, “For a woman to come forward in the glaring lights of focus, nationally, you’ve got to start with the presumption that at least the essence of what she’s talking about is real.”
2. Kamala Harris - During the Kavanaugh hearings, Harris said, “I believe women. I believe survivors.”
3. Nancy Pelosi — Pelosi said during the Kavanaugh process: “I believe Dr. Ford.”
4. Kirsten Gillibrand has said repeatedly: “When women come forward, we must believe them.”
5. Elizabeth Warren said during the Kavanaugh hearings: “I believe Christine Blasey Ford.”
6. Cory Booker said, “I believe her. I believe Anita Hill. I believe Christine Blasey Ford.”
7. Mazie Hirono, one of the strongest voices in the Senate, said: “I just want to say to the men in this country: Just shut up and step up. Do the right thing for a change and believe women.”
8. Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez: “We need to believe survivors!”

None of those eight have come out in opposition to Platner’s campaign for the Senate, perhaps believing the greater good lies in the Democratic Party flipping the Senate, with the Maine race being critical to that process.

This is a case where Democrats either selectively believe women or don’t care. One of those speaking out against Platner is a Republican operative who, it’s been suggested, is lying. Dismissing the survivors of Platner because their need for power is greater. Democrats are the Party that once forced Minnesota Senator Al Franken, a Democrat, to resign in January 2018 after multiple women accused him of inappropriate touching or unwanted advances. His departure came during the height of the #MeToo movement, when many Democratic leaders publicly urged him to step down. He later said he regretted resigning before a full ethics investigation could occur.

Republicans, on the other hand, have never believed the women when one of theirs was in the crosshairs. Which of them supported the accusers of Clarence Thomas, Brett Kavanaugh, Matt Gaetz, Herman Cain, or Donald Trump? In the case of Jim Jordan, they didn’t believe the young men coming forward. Here’s what Democrats are now saying about Platner:

1. Hakeem Jeffries: “I haven’t followed these allegations closely, but what I have said is that violence against women in any way, shape, or form is unacceptable.”
2. Sen Mark Warner: “If these allegations are true, they’re very troubling. But I don’t know if they are true. I think, frankly, the people in Maine ought to decide that.”
3. Rep Ton Souizzi (D-NY): “I’d say the allegations are unsettling. I’d say some of his policy positions are unsettling. I’d say some of his past behavior is unsettling. And the effect that this will have on the final result in November is unsettling. It’s all very, very unsettling.”
4. Rep. Ro Khanna: “Obviously, if there was any evidence that comes out that there is actual domestic violence or assault — I have zero tolerance for that. Here you have someone who was in toxic relationships and was ashamed about it, who served his country, and the Maine voters are saying, ‘Look, let’s give him some grace.’”

Republicans have a different take:

1. Sen Tommy Tuberville: “You’ve got to really feel sorry for the true Democrats in this country. They have no representation. Now they’re taking these people who absolutely have no business representing anybody.”
2. Sen Bill Haggerty: “I think it’s going to be interesting to see if the voters of Maine can see through the lies that Graham Platner is planting. He’s trying to excuse himself for totally unconscionable behavior.”
3. Sen Tim Scott: “How in the world does this guy want to put together a working-class coalition? It’s impossible, impossible for us to let him win. Thank God, President Trump fights every single day for the American people. Let’s join his fight by winning. Even more clear, he has been disrespectful towards rural white folks. I was in Maine recently, 95 percent-plus rural white folks. He says they are stupid.”

You can always count on Tim Scott to look out for the welfare of white folks.

What we’ve learned, if nothing else, is that political parties, Democratic or Republican, will always put their needs above those of women, Black people, Hispanics, the LGBTQ, and even rural white folk. The Democratic Party may consider itself a big tent, with multiple coalitions coming together for the common good. It’s also true that they will throw any of their groups under the bus as required. The 1994 Crime Bill is an example, along with the 2026 Graham Platner Campaign.

Republicans are a bit more straightforward. They haven’t pretended to care about Black people since 1877 (ask me how I picked that date). They have faked a love of Hispanic people in recent years while simultaneously separating their families and putting their children in cages. Their feelings about LGBTQ people are well known, and they have never believed the women when the accused are Republican men.

It seems the ones never to be believed are the politicians, perhaps in a moment, but not over a period of time. They are all quite changeable. The Democratic position seems to be that we are prepared to believe the women if there’s some additional proof, except for the Republican accuser, who must be discounted. The Republican position is that Democrats are never to be believed, and no whataboutism, looking at Republicans who abuse women, is allowed. To be anything other than a rich, white, male, means you will receive more scrutiny and less credibility. It’s the American way.