WASHINGTON, D.C. — Socialist Zohran Mamdani is not just winning in New York City, but has become the blueprint for radical Democrats in messy primaries across the nation. In Maine, Graham Platner has been dubbed, “Maine’s Zohran Mamdani,” and even hired Mamdani’s ad-maker to produce his debut ad. As a result, two recent public polls show Platner leading Governor Janet Mills by 20 points in the primary.
“Graham Platner has embraced socialist policies so openly that he has been nicknamed, ‘Maine’s Zohran Mamdani,’ and has won record support from Maine’s Democrat base despite mounting controversies,” said NRSC Regional Press Secretary Samantha Cantrell. “Democrats have anointed Mamdani as their new leader and voters in battleground states like Maine will reject the radical, copy-cat Mamdanis like Platner in 2026.”
Graham Platner is Maine’s Mamdani:
- Platner has called himself a “communist.”
- Platner has also called himself a “socialist” and said that he does not “trust the fascists to act politely.”
- Platner supports Medicare for All.
- Platner supports defunding the police and wants to “abolish ICE entirely.”
- Around 2021, Platner said that “Cops are bastards… All of them, in fact.”
- Platner said that police misconduct is “a problem that extends deep into the profession as a whole.”
- Platner said that he would “stand right in the fucking way of anyone who’s going to try to come after the freedoms of the LGBTQIA+ community.”
- Platner is comfortable with biological men competing in women’s sports.
- Platner has accused Israel of “genocide” in Gaza and endorsed blocking U.S. arms sales to Israel.
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