Ro Khanna says he supports Graham Platner’s bid for Senate despite ‘shameful’ actions

Progressive Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna has offered a qualified defense of Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner, acknowledging his past actions were "misogynistic, they were shameful, they were wrong." However, Khanna noted these issues "didn’t come as a surprise to a lot of the folks in Maine."

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his actions were misogynistic, they were shameful, they were wrong, but they didn’t come as a surprise to a lot of the folks in Maine.

Platner, a former Marine and oyster farmer running to unseat Republican Senator Susan Collins, has faced a series of accusations. These include sending sexually explicit messages while married and displaying a Nazi-themed tattoo. Despite these controversies, progressive and independent Democrats have largely backed Platner's bid.

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he took accountability.

Khanna stated he continues to support Platner because the candidate "took accountability" and is campaigning on key Democratic issues like national health insurance, taxing billionaires, and opposing the war in Iran. Khanna reasoned that Platner's two tours of duty in Iraq left him "broken in a dark place," which he suggested might explain, but not excuse, his behavior. Platner has since returned to Maine, started an oyster farm, and acknowledged his past actions were shameful.

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People in Maine knew that he had had two tours of duty in Iraq. He came back broken in a dark place. That doesn’t excuse his behavior, but they knew this. He was in Washington, and then he went back to Maine, and he started an oyster farm. He took accountability. He himself has said it was shameful, and he had redemption.

The article also references allegations from Platner's former girlfriend, Lyndsey Fifield, who accused him of misogynistic behavior, including physical altercations. Fifield later criticized the New York Times' reporting on her account, claiming it was "twisted" to benefit the Platner campaign. Platner's campaign responded by calling Fifield a "lifelong GOP operative."

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Where were the screenshots they’d said they would use? Or the mention that I’d supported local democrats and that most of my family (and husband) are liberal?