AUGUSTA — Just days after his first chin check from Gov. Janet Mills’ campaign that resurfaced Graham Platner’s prior suggestions that women should bear responsibility for being sexually assaulted, Platner honored Frances Perkins in a feminine-inspired lecture on Saturday.
[Related: Platner Takes First Haymaker From Mills Campaign]
The message from the Democrat dark horse arrived less than a week after the Mills campaign unleashed a digital attack on X, highlighting Platner’s not-so-feminist comments on Reddit in the past.
On Saturday, Platner preached in tribute to Frances Perkins’ legacy in which he proceeded to tie to platform priorities of Medicare For All and ending poverty.
On March 17, The Maine Wire spotlighted the targeted advertisement on Platner by the Mills campaign, that accused Platner of placing fault on women for sexual assault. The comments resurfaced from now-deleted posts on Reddit that Graham Platner originally made in 2013, marking the seated governor’s initial confrontation as the battle for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Sen. Susan Collins unravels.
The timing of the controversies also comes as Platner reversed his stance on his Totenkopf chest tattoo associated with Nazi S.S. soldiers, previously calling it a drunk mistake but now titling it “eminently reasonable”.
[Related: Platner Reverses His Tattoo Stance, Calls It “Eminently Reasonable”]
The oyster farmer posted to X on Saturday: “Today, Frances Perkins is being inducted into the Maine Women’s Hall of Fame. Her policies were brilliant, ambitious, and changed millions of lives. Let’s remember her legacy as we fight for Medicare for All and an end to poverty in America.”
The Platner tribute’s timing interestingly, comes the same week he faced extreme public scrutiny for his historically contrary opinions, proceeding to praise a prominent female figure publicly on Saturday evening.
Despite his documented opinions on sexual assault, Graham Platner continued to convey his belief in strong female policies as the race between the shapeshifting socialist and the bureaucrat continues.
Following the propaganda piece, Platner continues to navigate a heightened period of scrutiny as institutional Democratic support flashes its fangs. The battle between candidates continues to draw attention from Maine voters as candidate records and public statements continue to conflict leading up to the June 9 primary.
