Graham Platner Isn’t Exiting The Stage In Maine

Graham Platner, the former Democratic Senate nominee, is scheduled to headline a Labor Day rally in Ellsworth, Maine, next month, marking one of his first public appearances since his scandal-infested campaign collapsed.

The event, billed as a “Labor Day Rally for Labor,” is being organized by Hancock County Activists and Acadia Action Peacemakers, two groups that have helped organize “No Kings” protests and other activist events in the area. According to Politico, Platner will speak about the history of unions and the role organized labor has played in American communities. The event is scheduled for Sept. 7 at Ellsworth City Hall.

The Hancock County Democratic Party has said that the event is not an official party function and is not affiliated with the Maine Democratic Party. The county party has nevertheless shared information about the event, with social media posts mentioning Platner’s appearance reportedly deleted while the event remained listed on its website.

Platner’s return to the public eye comes mere months after he abandoned his campaign against Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Platner won the Democratic nomination in June and quickly became a national figure, winning endorsements from prominent left-wing figures including Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA). His campaign subsequently unraveled after reports came out that a former girlfriend accused him of sexually assaulting her in 2021. Platner denied the allegation and said the accusations were false.

The allegations followed months of other controversies surrounding the candidate, including sexually explicit messages sent to women, controversial social media posts, allegations from former girlfriends of disturbing behavior, and a tattoo of Nazi imagery.

Ultimately, Platner suspended his campaign in July, and Maine Democrats subsequently selected former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson to replace him on the ballot.

Jackson has attempted to distance himself from the controversy while inheriting Platner’s Democratic coalition. He previously endorsed Platner and appeared alongside him at campaign events, but called for Platner to leave the race after the sexual assault allegation emerged.

Platner has largely remained out of the public eye since departing the race. His upcoming Labor Day appearance suggests that, despite his political collapse, he may not be finished playing a role in Maine and in the far-Left political movement more broadly.