AUGUSTA — Today, Sen. Martin Heinrich became the third U.S. senator to formally endorse oyster connoisseur Graham Platner for U.S. Senate in Maine, in a purported chess move tied to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s devotion to Gov. Janet Mills.
The endorsement, first sighted on social media in an X post, enters as Platner continues to poster himself as the voice of Maine in contrast to others relying on national donors. The message was telegraphed by Heinrich as he praised Platner and his commitments to Mainers over billionaires.
In the post, Heinrich describes his endorsee as “exactly the person the Democratic Party needs to win back working people,” in the social media post. The New Mexico Democrat’s recent backing of Platner signifies a notable shift in Democrat leadership, which has typically drifted towards Mills as the preferred candidate in prior elections.
Platner, a political newcomer, has primarily focused his campaign on practical concerns for everyday residents, in which Heinrich portrays him as the candidate attuned to the needs of working families in Maine; where economic pressures are boiling over and taxes continue to rise.
The endorsement arrives following a similar endorsement late last week, with Platner continuing to draw out-of-state leadership in a bid to reshape the Maine Democrat image.
[Related: Swastika, Shmastika, Arizona Democrat Senator Downplays Platner’s Nazi Tattoo]
With Heinrich’s announcement, this now totals three current senators lined up as supporters of the oyster farmer, and provides momentum to Platner despite Schumer’s consolidation of support for Mills.
Maine’s U.S. Senate seat holds significant regional policy priorities which includes fisheries management, energy costs and rural infrastructure, all of which resonate deeply with Mainers. The endorsement from Heinrich adds additional clarity into Platner’s campaign efforts towards election season while the landscape in Maine remains fluid and predominantly controlled by bureaucratic institutional powerhouses.
