The majority is on the line. If there was ever a time for the establishment to step aside for a young, energetic progressive who can rally support quickly, this is the time. No fundraising roadblocks. Go full tilt.
this post was submitted on 09 Jul 2026
221 points (97.4% liked)
politics
30610 readers
1828 users here now
Welcome to the discussion of US Politics!
Rules:
- Post only links to articles, Title must fairly describe link contents. If your title differs from the site’s, it should only be to add context or be more descriptive. Do not post entire articles in the body or in the comments.
Links must be to the original source, not an aggregator like Google Amp, MSN, or Yahoo.
Example:
- Articles must be relevant to politics. Links must be to quality and original content. Articles should be worth reading. Clickbait, stub articles, and rehosted or stolen content are not allowed. Check your source for Reliability and Bias here.
- Be civil, No violations of TOS. It’s OK to say the subject of an article is behaving like a (pejorative, pejorative). It’s NOT OK to say another USER is (pejorative). Strong language is fine, just not directed at other members. Engage in good-faith and with respect! This includes accusing another user of being a bot or paid actor. Trolling is uncivil and is grounds for removal and/or a community ban.
- No memes, trolling, or low-effort comments. Reposts, misinformation, off-topic, trolling, or offensive. Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.
- Vote based on comment quality, not agreement. This community aims to foster discussion; please reward people for putting effort into articulating their viewpoint, even if you disagree with it.
- No hate speech, slurs, celebrating death, advocating violence, or abusive language. This will result in a ban. Usernames containing racist, or inappropriate slurs will be banned without warning
We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.
All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.
That's all the rules!
Civic Links
• Congressional Awards Program
• Library of Congress Legislative Resources
• U.S. House of Representatives
Partnered Communities:
• News
founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
Basically your saying the higher ups will block any young hopefull that has ideas, and make sure another old white dude with money is the choice, right?
This feels, like, more-so-than ever before, like pressure from Israel/ AIPAC. I just, it would be literally insane for Platner to deny this if its in any way true. At least like this. As categorically as its being done. And now, as I'm listening to coverage in real time, its all "I told you so's" from Democratic party talking heads.
This feels insanely corrupt.
load more comments
(11 replies)
load more comments
(87 replies)
I mean his suspension speech is basically saying, without saying it, that the call is coming from inside the house. He's saying this is insider Democrats doing this, and then almost instantly, there is this announcement from Maine DNC on how its going to work, and lo-and-behold, they're doing an insider only process with you guessed it, super delegates.
Look its been a hard 24-48 hour roller coaster. I've been supportive of Graham, vocally so. I heard this new accusation, it seems highly credible, and I looked at it, and I said, Graham is going to have to step down.
There were plenty here, including @WoodScientist@lemmy.world who pushed back that there actually was no evidence in this accusation. And now, suddenly there is this announcement from Maine DNC on how its going to work, and lo-and-behold, they're doing an insider only process with you guessed it, super delegates.
And Platner is categorically denying all of this, which is a criminal accusation. You don't do that if you don't plan on going to court and winning. Now I've got fucking whiplash from all this.
What I never saw once during the discussion over the last 48 hours is, what exactly is someone supposed to do if they're falsely accused of rape when running for office? Because the current standard seems to be that it's a guaranteed way to tank any campaign. And all you have to do to tank any candidate you don't like is find some old ex of theirs, and offer them money or threaten them into making a false accusation.
And what people really missed was that political ratfucking is ALWAYS designed to sound reasonable. Everyone already knew that Platner was/is a bit of a creep. So a rape allegation would seem in character. You craft an allegation that fits the person. If someone has complicated business dealings, you accuse them of fraud. If someone has a long military career they're running on, you accuse them of cowardice or dereliction of duty. If someone has some misogyny in their past, you accuse them of rape. In no case will a false accusation ever make people go, "now that's not likely, that doesn't sound like something he would do." If AOC runs for Senate, she won't be targeted with rape allegations, it will be something more believable.
what exactly is someone supposed to do if they're falsely accused of rape when running for office?
"Nothing" seemed to work pretty well for Joe Biden. When your accuser has messages regarding you being a rapist dating back to years before you ever ran for office, and your friends corroborate that you've never once changed your story, then the only reasonable option is to step down
Because the current standard seems to be that it's a guaranteed way to tank any campaign.
You know how I know that's bullshit? There are no credible rape allegations against Zohran Mamdani. If it was that easy to tank someone's campaign, they would have done that the second he gained literally any popularity
load more comments
(1 replies)
load more comments
(4 replies)
load more comments
(2 replies)
I can't WAIT to see who Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries LET us Choose!
It's the Maine state Democratic Party which holds the power here, not them
Lol
I'm not advocating that the dude stays, but come on dawg, don't be naive.
If Schumer made all the decisions somehow, we would have had Mills and not Platner. He may well apply pressure. But the decision is literally not his to make
load more comments
(4 replies)
Good, early enough for them to get someone else on the ballot to oppose that cunt Collins.
Sure, another spineless establishment Dem. If the necessary voters even show up after Platner shit the bed for everyone.
There are at least three Democrats who poll well enough to stand a chance. I do not claim any insight into who will be chosen
load more comments
(3 replies)
load more comments
(7 replies)
load more comments
(1 replies)
I suspect, with gerrymandering the House creating a nearly insurmountable GOP advantage (would not be surprised to see nationally +5-10% democratic votes but end up with a GOP House majority), this may be the moment non-fascists lost any chance to avoid a trifecta MAGA government for the next two years - and maybe beyond.
To be clear, I am not blaming this on anyone but Platner, to the extent we can (as we must) guess at the truth without a criminal investigation and trial. But I admit, I would have really liked for these stories to be not true. I could buy him lacking awareness of the tattoo, and further his uncovered private Reddit posts corroborated that he legitimately was going to fight for left causes and was not a Fetterman. And the timing means the story being released now is suspicious as hell.
But corroboration as detailed as this, with reliable journalism checking contemporaneous sources, makes the story credible. After all, the likely fact that it's a political hit piece doesn't make it not true, and in fact the ideal hit piece is one that is true. And if this story is true, then yes, that disqualifies him and also means he likely would lose the general even if he didn't withdraw. This isn't a Franken if the story is true - Franken was sacrificed by Gillibrand and others for a stupid but ultimately harmless photo, not any actual physical contact or conduct at all.
I agree with everyone here dooming about Maine's chances now, though. Democratic insiders will always choose a safe loss over a risky victory.
Obviously we need to keep pushing as hard as we can to salvage November, but also keep one eye on what we need to do to resist the next stage of politically unopposed fascism from 2027-2028 (as if figuring out how to resist the fascism already here wasn't enough).
Why are people still posting to X?
The crashes who owns it has been caught manipulating everything about the service, and he's an overt Nazi.
load more comments
(2 replies)
His replacement will have no chance. This whole campaign and all the controversy around it have been so poorly managed. The dems have shot themselves in the foot again. So now we get six more years of rapist-enabler Susan Collins. This is not an improvement.
load more comments
(5 replies)
Three things are true:
-
He has aspects of his past that he needs to confront directly.
-
He seemed to be sincerely evolved from majority of any demonstrated bad behaviors, most of which are unfortunately more typical from a male in the US that doesn't grow up with privilege and ends up in the military - an organization that, by design, breaks people and then reshapes them into the same well-conforming hate machine (a hate pointed outward initially, that inevitably points more and more inward).
-
His takedown was a very carefully engineered and intentional effort by the establishment right or left or both in concert.
-
Mitch McConnell died last Thursday after a long and ultimately successful effort to disassemble American democracy.
Oh... Four things actually.
He seemed to be sincerely evolved from majority of any demonstrated bad behaviors,
.... What? He was lying about his totenkopf a few months ago and ignoring credible rape claims as recently as a few weeks ago.
His takedown was a very vault engineered and intentional effort
... no shit? That is what politics is. Once you get out of the primary, there is no reason to keep The Enemy as a viable option. Of course closets are going to be searched for skeletons to fuel campaign ads.
This is why, if you are a rapist and a nazi, you run as a republican.
load more comments
(20 replies)
This doesn't matter that much, but
doesn't grow up with privilege
is wrong. His parents are a lawyer(serving as assitant disttrict attorney) and a upscale resturant owner, his grandfather was an architect connected to the financial world through making Windows of the World and working with Ford Foundation. He did not directly go into politics or anything, but he comes from a family with money and some connections.
You forgot 5. He's a rapist.
And 6. Rape apologia is not a practice exclusive to conservatives
load more comments
(1 replies)
If only there had been signs that could've warned us about him
i hate gaslighting abusers from past personal experiences and i fucking hate graham platner more. he needs to go away forever; he doesn't get to make demands of anyone because he couldn't take no for an answer.
He's dragging it out, too. Like a toddler throwing a tantrum. I hope he actually files the paperwork on Monday, but at this rate I'm not holding my breath.
Graham Platner is planning to wait until Monday, the deadline for withdrawal, to file the paperwork to end his Senate campaign in Maine, a source familiar with his plans confirmed to Bloomberg Government on Thursday.
Platner announced Wednesday evening that he would suspend his campaign and intends to file the paperwork to withdraw, moves that come following a sexual assault allegation that saw his support from Democrats crumble.
Platner has until July 13 to withdraw from the race in time for Maine Democrats to nominate a replacement for the general election, according to state law. The party, which would have until July 27 to pick a replacement, already announced plans to hold a convention.
The Secretary of State’s office confirmed to Bloomberg Government on Thursday that it had not yet received an official withdrawal notice from Platner. A candidate needs to withdraw in writing, according to the office.
From what I've heard he's trying to force the DNC to replace him with a progressive candidate and not an institutionalized boot licker?
Wooo. Get the fuck out you nazi rapist fuck
Seems an appropriate venue for a rapist ending his political career
*Edit: meant this as a reply to another comment, leaving it here
All of the “he’s being rat fucked by establishment Dems” folks here… you’re just demonstrating how it is that you end up with a terrible political class. You’re willing to attack your allies to defend a nazi-tattoo-having rapist, because you have a single issue on your mind.
None of you look smart or principled.
All I know is that Republican-aligned groups spent a ridiculous amount of money to get him out of the race.
If he was a bad candidate, they would have had to do that.
load more comments
(3 replies)
load more comments
(3 replies)
Damn! He used old twitter to make this announcement. Elon knew before anybody else, once again. /s
view more: next ›