Graham Platner surges ahead of Janet Mills in Democratic Senate primary — who is this political newcomer?

US Senate candidate Graham Platner held a commanding lead over Governor Janet Mills in the Democratic primary for the right to challenge US Sen Susan Collins in 2026, according to the polls.

The finding occurred amidst a maelstrom for Platner’s campaign. Last week, media outlets uncovered offensive Reddit posts dating back nearly a decade to a few years ago, Fox23 Maine reported.

This week, Platner received backlash for the tattoo featuring a skull-and-crossbones symbol linked to Nazis, which was inked on his chest.

Despite that, Platner gained momentum after he entered the Senate race in August. He had a seven-week head start on Mills, who announced her candidacy last week and now shockingly may be the underdog in the primary at age 77, despite her two terms as governor and extensive history in party politics.

According to the University of New Hampshire poll, the first in the race so far, Platner was supported by 58% of likely Democratic primary voters in 2026 compared to just 24% for Mills.

The political newcomer held a wide lead among party members aged 18 to 49 but was effectively tied with Mills among seniors. No other Democratic candidate polled above 1%.

The survey was conducted between last Wednesday—one day after CNN published an initial story on Platner’s Reddit posts—and concluded on Monday, involving a sample of 510 Democratic primary voters who participated online or via text message. Platner’s lead was not the only surprising finding in the poll.

US Rep Jared Golden, a Democrat from Maine’s 2nd District, was seen favourably by just 16% of voters in his district. This was 2 percentage points lower than State Auditor Matt Dunlap, his primary challenger. Another 41% of voters viewed Golden unfavourably and 57% stated he did not deserve reelection.

According to the survey, former Gov Paul LePage, a Republican, led Golden 49% to 44% in a hypothetical 2026 matchup. The love-hate nature of LePage’s politics was evident, with 41% of 2nd District residents viewing him favourably compared to 51% who expressed dislike towards him.

Maine’s two referendums on the November 4 ballot are deadlocked and facing deeply uncertain outcomes, the poll found.

Who is Graham Platner?

Graham Platner is a Marine and US Army veteran, oyster farmer, and chair of the Sullivan Planning Board, now running for US Senate in Maine to challenge Susan Collins and reclaim the seat for working Mainers.

After graduating high school in 2003, amid the Iraq War, Graham secretly took his birth certificate from his father’s office to enlist in the US Marine Corps. Following infantry training, he joined Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion 8th Marines, and deployed to Al-Anbar Province, Iraq, in January 2005, operating primarily east of Fallujah. In 2006, he served as a machine gun section leader in Ramadi’s Government Center and returned for a third deployment in 2007.

Using the GI Bill, Graham enrolled at George Washington University after his deployments, but his military service wasn’t over. In 2009, he joined the Maryland Army National Guard and deployed to Afghanistan in 2010 as a rifle team leader.Returning from Afghanistan in 2011, Graham resumed studies at George Washington University but struggled with undiagnosed PTSD and combat-related physical challenges. He eventually withdrew and moved back to Maine, where he used VA resources to get the support he needed.

After four overseas tours and growing disillusionment with America’s foreign policy, Graham shifted his focus to serving his local community. In 2018, he began working at a friend’s small oyster farm in Sullivan, Maine, and eventually took it over, growing it into a thriving business. He also started a diving and mooring service for the bay and serves as Sullivan’s Harbormaster and Planning Board Chair.In 2023, Graham met Amy Gertner, fell in love, and married her soon after.

The couple lives in Sullivan—just three doors down from where Graham grew up—with their two dogs, Gryffin and Zevon, and their cat, Neptune.