House Dem Says Platner Deserves ‘Redemption’ But Sang A Different Tune About Kavanaugh

Few major candidates in recent memory have delivered a steadier stream of scandals than Graham Platner, currently running to replace US Sen. Susan Colins in Maine.

But today’s Democratic Party isn’t going to let a few little things like a Nazi-linked tattoo, extramarital sexting, denigrating America’s servicemembers, and a hodgepodge of disturbing online posts stand in the way of another seat on Capitol Hill.

That’s why we’ve been hearing either a lot of silence on the matter, or in the case of Democrats like Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), a performance of rhetorical gymnastics in an attempt to excuse his behavior.

Fox News provided this coverage:

Speaking with Fox News Digital ahead of a rally with Platner, progressive gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson and congressional contender Matt Dunlap, which was organized by Khanna, the congressman was asked if he was concerned the latest allegations could sink Platner’s campaign and hurt Democrats’ hopes of winning back the Senate.

“I’m more concerned about making it clear that we’re opposed to misogyny, those relationships were toxic and volatile, there’s no excuse for that,” Khanna said. “I talked to Graham, and he says he was at a very dark period. He had come back from two tours of duty in Iraq as an infantry man seeing violence and death. That doesn’t excuse it.”

But Khanna added that Platner said “he really grew as a person when he came back to Maine, and he was an oyster farmer. And he found peace, and he is ashamed of that period. To me, that suggests someone taking accountability and improving their lives, and we need that redemption in this country. And I agree with a lot of his economic policies, that we should be taxing the billionaires, we should be focusing on the working class.”

After Christine Blasey Ford accused then-Supreme Court justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault in 2018, Khanna tweeted, “I stand with Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. Brett Kavanaugh is not fit to sit on the Supreme Court. #BelieveSurvivors.”

The hypocrisy from Khanna and others on the left fueled social media criticism:

I remember when liberal women would go bonkers over this.

Hillary and Allbright would have squadrons of women in the streets across the country, threatening all sorts of actions.

— 𝕏 Real AR 𝕏 (@OrgRealAR) June 6, 2026

If ANY one of the things said about Platner is true, than Ro Khanna has lost his moral compass.

— Joni Garcia (@jjgish2022) June 6, 2026

They deserve each other

— Arthur Cooper (@artman8887) June 6, 2026

The Hill reported on how Democrats in general are being impacted by Platner’s many scandals:

For weeks, Democrats have felt relatively good about Platner, who was ahead of Collins in the polls.

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But as he hits controversy after controversy, the Democratic anxieties are mounting.

Just in the last week, Platner confronted revelations surrounding sexually explicit messages he sent to women while married. He traveled to Washington to meet with Democratic senators amid the news of the controversial text messages.

Democratic senators hoped there would be no more revelations; instead, The New York Times published a story Thursday evening in which several former girlfriends of Platner cast him in a negative light.

The election in Maine was supposed to be a referendum on Collins, a moderate Republican who has served in the Senate for five terms, at least in the view of Democrats.

They are now worried it may become a referendum on Platner.

“And there’s no way he’s going to win a referendum on himself,” Democratic strategist Joel Payne said. “He’s got to make sure that when Maine voters go to the ballot, they ask, ‘Am I really comfortable with Susan Collins for another six years?’”

“They’ve lost the thread on that,” Payne added.

Democratic strategist Steve Schale, who said he was “utterly exasperated” by the state of events, put it this way: “I’m glad I don’t live in Maine, and there are 5 other viable pick-up opportunities,” referring to other races in states like North Carolina and Ohio.

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