National Democrats, stay out of it: Let Mainers pick Platner’s replacement

Opinion>Opinions - Campaign The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the view of The Hill National Democrats, stay out of it: Let Mainers pick Platner’s replacement Comments: by Tim Fullerton, opinion contributor - 07/17/26 9:30 AM ET Comments: Link copied by Tim Fullerton, opinion contributor - 07/17/26 9:30 AM ET Comments: Link copied Title: Photos of primary elections across four states Image ID: 26160450766608 Article: Mary Saunders gets help from election officials after picking up her ballots to vote in the Maine Primary, Tuesday, June 9, 2026, in Augusta, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Title: Photos of primary elections across four states Image ID: 26160450766608 Article: Mary Saunders gets help from election officials after picking up her ballots to vote in the Maine Primary, Tuesday, June 9, 2026, in Augusta, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Mary Saunders gets help from election officials after picking up her ballots to vote in the Maine Primary, Tuesday, June 9, 2026, in Augusta, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

I was born and raised in Bath, Maine — the “City of Ships.” I live in Brooklyn now, but as anyone that knows me can attest, I am and will always be a Mainer. And I was naturally excited to witness Graham Platner — a U.S. veteran and oyster farmer — rise from relative obscurity to become a political phenomenon.

Was he the right flavor of a progressive outsider who might finally take on Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine)? He has all the qualities Mainers love. He is plainspoken, refreshing and, maybe most importantly of all, young.

I thought he could do it. I said as much over and over again in all of my channels. I truly believed he could break Collins’s stranglehold on a Senate seat in which she pledged to serve only for two terms. Mind you, she made that pledge back in 1996, when I was a junior at Morse High School.

Since then, Collins has been a moderate in name only. She has been a steadfast supporter of President Trump for both of his terms, and his policies have been devastating to Maine families. This cycle, people like me were confident that Mainers were finally waking up to her “but I’m a moderate” nonsense. She’s never been the deciding “no” vote on any single piece of Trump-backed legislation.

I thought we were finally sending Collins off to her retirement. Then, as is often the case in politics, we saw Platner’s true colors. He made his defenders look like fools.

His words and alleged actions are those of another garden-variety narcissist, not a political phenom. As of the time of this writing, Platner has yet to accept any responsibility. Indeed, in a very Trump-like fashion, he has blamed everyone but himself. If his belabored video proved anything, it is that we dodged a bullet when he withdrew.

Now Mainers have a big job ahead of them, and not a lot of time to do it. We all owe them the opportunity and space to pick their candidate.

I’m pleased to see the Maine Democratic Party’s transparency about how it will select a new candidate. As someone deeply invested in Maine’s future, I have faith that this process will give all candidates the opportunity to make their case about why they should be the person taking on Collins in the fall.

There’s at least one shred of truth in Platner’s atrocious screed: Democrats outside of the state would be wise to mind our own business until the general. Unless you’re a registered Democrat who lives in the state, you have no place meddling in the nominating process.

Mainers are a proud bunch wary of outsiders. Anyone not born in Maine is “from away” in their eyes. Any efforts from national groups — even those made with the best of intentions — could backfire and tank a candidate. Yes, even a good one. The slightest whiff of whisper of an eyelash of an outsider’s interference? We’ll have little-to-no shot in beating Collins, even if she is more beatable now than ever before.

Consider this for one jaw-dropping moment: Platner won more votes than any Democrat in a Maine Senate primary. Ever. Regardless of your opinion, he built a massive following, and those supporters deserve a voice in picking his replacement.

To my point about outsiders: Six years ago, in 2020, Maine Democrats nominated Sara Gideon, a “from away” candidate to take on Collins. The results? Gideon lost by 8 points in a state former President Joe Biden won by 9 points. For those of you following along at home, that is a staggering 17-point differential on the same ballot.

Maine voters are smart. They have one of the highest voter turnout rates in the country. Right now, we have no choice but to trust them.

We still have plenty of time for a vetted candidate to make the case to Maine voters why they’re better than Collins. Like it or not, this isn’t our fight yet. And we have to do everything we can so Maine’s independent and swing voters make the right call in November.

So, to all national Democrats. Mind your business. This is Maine’s primary. And the outcome matters a lot to this native Mainer, who’s been watching Collins destroy my home state for my entire adult life. We can’t afford six more years of a conservative republican who lives in Trump’s pocket. Let’s let Maine pick the best candidate to unite voters and defeat Collins once and for all.

Tim Fullerton is the co-founder and CEO of Find Out Media, the first-ever creator-led media company. A longtime digital media executive and political strategist, he previously served in the Obama administration, led digital strategy for the State of New York, and co-founded White Dudes for Harris.