SULLIVAN, Maine — Graham Platner is ornery as ever after being compelled to return to work as a Maine oysterman following his fall from the peak of socialist political superstardom over rape and sexual misconduct allegations.
“Who the f–ok are you weirdos?” Platner requested after The Submit caught up with him every week earlier than the midterm election.
Platner had simply paddled to shore on a kayak, leaving his boat anchored within the water.
When requested what he was as much as as his substitute, state Sen. Troy Jackson, is neck-and-neck with Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) within the polls, he responded: “What the f–ok does it appear to be I’m as much as? I’m being an oyster farmer.”
When The Submit advised his life on the picturesque Maine coast was absolutely finer than spending his days campaigning and making an attempt to make it to Washington, DC, he declined to supply any pearls of knowledge.
“It simply appears to be, like, life, man,” Platner stated.
Requested how the bivalve biz had been treating him since dropping out of the Senate race in July over a slew of sexual assault and misconduct accusations, Platner stated: “It goes the best way it at all times goes, buddy.”
“Individuals from away do not know what it’s we do for a residing,” he added, earlier than driving off in his truck and refusing to reply questions on predictions for the Nov. 3 election.
And with that, he clammed up and drove off.
Platner, in fact, made his marketing campaign about his awe-shucks working-class picture — though it was later revealed he was a son of privilege who attended one among New England’s most prestigious prep faculties.
And even the oyster farming bit turned out to be lower than it appeared — his solely shopper was his mom’s restaurant.
Platner has largely stored out of the highlight after his marketing campaign imploded over the summer season underneath an onslaught of damning accusations — which included claims of sexting ladies who weren’t his spouse, being violent with former lovers and even an allegation of sexual assault.
One ex even stated that he claimed he would rape a male intruder breaking into his residence — to point out dominance.
The Democrat — who was hovering within the polls and beloved by main leftists in Washington — copped to sexting, however denied all the remaining.
He claimed it was a grand conspiracy to deliver him down as a result of his message was simply too highly effective.
And his neighbors in Sullivan stated he gave the impression to be doing higher for it — with the proprietor of a deli Platner frequents saying he was “only a common individual once more.”
“He appears to be like an entire lot extra wholesome than he did,” stated Dunbar Retailer proprietor Josh Winer, whose deli menu incorporates a roast beef sandwich named after Platner.
“Now it’s simply him once more. He will get a sandwich on his personal. We discuss oysters. It’s again to regular,” Winer stated. “He’s been a daily right here for years. Then he ran for workplace and nonetheless got here in when he may, or he’d ship his folks in for lunch.”
However not everybody had such a neighborly view of the ex-candidate, whose workplace downtown was emptied out and shuttered.
“He’s not a favourite round right here. Particularly with the ladies,” one native fruit vendor stated. “Simply drop it.”
Others stated they’d been excited to vote for Platner — till the misconduct claims got here out in opposition to him.
“I heard all of the negativity, and it was a turn-off for me,” 59-year-old upkeep employee Allan Flye stated. “I may need voted for him if there was much less negativity about him.”
Platner’s intercourse misconduct claims had been simply the straw that broke the camel’s again — he was additionally outed for having a Nazi Dying’s Head tattoo on his chest, and for writing alarming screeds about rape and cops on web boards from about 2013 to 2021.
He later acquired the tattoo lined and claimed he’d gotten it whereas drunk with fellow Marines — insisting he had no thought in regards to the image’s darkish historical past — and that his on-line feedback got here whereas he was affected by PTSD.
“He in all probability tarnished himself greater than something,” Flye added. “I don’t suppose the city was actually affected by it.”
Platner at one level was polling 7 factors forward of Collins, a reasonable Republican who has been in workplace since 1997.
“I used to be going to vote for [Platner] till they kicked him out, so I’ll vote for his substitute,” stated Mary, an area voter. “I’m not voting Republican.”
Nonetheless, Jackson has had a a lot tougher highway after he was picked by the celebration to fill Platner’s sneakers. Polls present him main Collins by lower than 2 factors, in keeping with RealClearPolitics.
