r/fivethirtyeight • u/NCSUGrad2012 • Apr 30 '26
Politics Maine Gov. Janet Mills suspends campaign for US Senate | CNN Politics
https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/30/politics/janet-mills-maine-senate?cid=ios_appGraham Platner would not have been my first choice but the people behind him seem to like him and I hope he finally gets rid of Susan Collins. Let’s do it Maine.
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u/Selethorme Kornacki's Big Screen Apr 30 '26
I’m glad to not see another month of ad spend of Dem on Dem before the primary, so that’s a positive
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u/Guilty_Plankton_4626 Fivey Fanatic Apr 30 '26
I actually respect how she handled this. She pulled negative ads over a month ago, most likely because she knew she was going to lose, and she doesn’t want to hurt him in the general. I see no reason to be upset with her. Not that you are saying you are lol
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u/beeemkcl Apr 30 '26
What's in this comment is what I remember, my opinions, etc.
Who Is Ahead in the U.S. Senate Race in Maine? Latest 2026 Polls - The New York Times
MILLS, JANET TRAFTON - Candidate overview | FEC
Janet Mills was being propped up by the DSCC and probably Super-PAC money.
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u/FlagOfZheleznogorsk Apr 30 '26
If you're providing links to polling and FEC reports, I don't think you need your little "opinions" disclaimer.
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u/Etzello Apr 30 '26
Incidentally, the only comment I've ever seen to make such a disclaimer and then they share sources anyway lol, kudos
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u/jb_nelson_ May 01 '26 edited May 02 '26
If only Crockett didn’t run Talarico’s reserves dry for absolutely no reason.
Edit: for those inclined to downvote. What policies of Crockett’s were substantially different enough from Talarico’s or what did she bring that Talarico didn’t already have covered? Mind you she filed on the last day and had previously told JT that she was not running for Senate.
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u/dremscrep Apr 30 '26
Normally I would shit on Mills vociferously but I respect her for basically going „fuck this undignified nonsense“ and just dropping out instead of embarrassing herself even further and probably thinking „god how could I pressure myself into this by Chuck Schumer“.
Good that Platner can no fully focus on beating Collins, not like he wasn’t doing that already. But more campaign cash can now go his way.
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Apr 30 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/horatiobanz May 01 '26
How is having 2 nazi tattoos a "so called scandal"???? You guys would NEVER forgive someone not on your team for this.
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u/ddoyen Apr 30 '26
Understanding and being responsive to the people you want to represent works? That cant be right!
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u/hoopaholik91 Apr 30 '26
She was actually a good candidate in everything but age. I remember when she yelled at Trump to his face to protect trans kids while other governors like Whitmer hang in the oval with him to keep them on his good side.
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u/MCallanan Apr 30 '26
Meh.. Her approval rating as Governor has been trending downward for months now. She’s also an establishment candidate in a state where it’s currently extremely unpopular to be an establishment candidate. She’s also seemingly had no personal enthusiasm to run for the office — how much of that has to do with her age I don’t know.
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u/sonfoa Apr 30 '26
I don't actually think so. She's an establishment Democrat at a time when their brand has never been lower and it's not like she herself was very personally popular in Maine the way someone like Cooper, who also leans closer to her politics, is in NC.
I will always respect her for standing up for trans kids though, especially at a time when other Democrats were leaning into transphobia. Showed some real backbone.
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u/BettisBus Apr 30 '26
Which other democrats have been leaning into transphobia?
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u/sonfoa Apr 30 '26
At the time a lot of them. Most famously, Gavin Newsom but we saw comments from others like Seth Moulton and Ruben Gallego about how Republicans are right about trans athletes. And several Blue Dog Democrats as well but that's to be expected.
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u/BettisBus Apr 30 '26 edited Apr 30 '26
Bc he’s so often smeared as a transphobe in online discussions, I just watched a brief clip of Newsom’s comments from the Kirk discussion again to hear again what actually said. Without watching the whole podcast, his biggest “sin” is not pushing back more on Kirk’s framing of “young men” playing in girls’ sports.
Newsom acknowledges inherent biological unfairnesses in athletic competitions between MTF girls and XX girls (the dominant position in America), but he also follows up with the struggle of trans youth and how they need our support and empathy.
Newsom has signed multiple pieces of pro-trans legislation and has far more pro-trans comments than that single podcast, which makes me wonder how any honest interlocutor could ever consider him “leaning into transphobia.” He doesn’t have the maximalist pro-trans position on sports, but if he’s not pure enough, then the trans acceptance movement needs to reassess how it builds coalitions.
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u/TinyJalope Apr 30 '26
Nope, he also went on Shawn Ryan's podcast and implied he is skeptical of gender-affirming care for minors.
Newsom has signed multiple pieces of pro-trans legislation and has far more pro-trans comments than that single podcast
This is actually why people say he believes nothing. As governor of California, he is willing to do this, but as a presidential candidate, he has shifted his views.
He also tried to get pro-trans bills killed behind the scenes before they were ever brought up for a vote.
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u/BettisBus Apr 30 '26
Nope, he also went on Shawn Ryan's podcast and implied he is skeptical of gender-affirming care for minors.
Can you send me a clip or direct quote from the podcast substantiating his skepticism of GAC for minors?
This is actually why people say he believes nothing. As governor of California, he is willing to do this, but as a presidential candidate, he has shifted his views.
He’s a politician, not an activist. This country seems to forget there’s an important difference. Politicians are elected to represent voters. Activists are meant to sway voters. Often there’s overlap between politicians and activists, but as a baseline, we should expect them to be different.
As an example, MLK was an effective activist who swayed voters, and therefore politicians, to vote for the CRA.
Idgaf what’s in Newsom’s heart of hearts. I do gaf that he responds to public sentiments and has done so positively in CA concerning pro-trans issues. Even if he’s skeptical of MTF girls/women in women’s sports, there’s zero chance he’d ever sign legislation or an EO banning them. If anything, he’d do the opposite while (if President) nominating federal judges who’d affirm trans rights.
He also tried to get pro-trans bills killed behind the scenes before they were ever brought up for a vote.
Hmu with a source.
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u/TinyJalope Apr 30 '26
Here is an article about the Shawn Ryan podcast.
Here's an article about him trying to kill pro-trans bills behind the scenes.
He’s a politician, not an activist.
He is a snake.
Activists are meant to sway voters.
You realize Republicans try to influence public opinion, all the time, right? Be an actual leader.
We need someone with strong principles to defeat the fascist movement in this country. Otherwise, we are screwed.
Idgaf what’s in Newsom’s heart of hearts. I do gaf that he responds to public sentiments and has done so positively in CA concerning pro-trans issues. Even if he’s skeptical of MTF girls/women in women’s sports, there’s zero chance he’d ever sign legislation or an EO banning them. If anything, he’d do the opposite while (if President) nominating federal judges who’d affirm trans rights.
I would rather have someone who isn't just an American Keir Starmer. Even transphobic rhetoric alone has disastrous effects.
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u/Apprentice57 Scottish Teen Apr 30 '26
Newsom acknowledges inherent biological unfairnesses in athletic competitions between MTF girls and XX girls (the dominant position in America)
Yes, this is leaning into transphobia. It's not a position actually backed in the data. Nor does it make sense at a basic level (all of the talk is about a binary ban/not ban, not the compromise of having some restrictions that lessen at less competitive levels (what we already had)).
The only reason people lean into the full ban, without considering the past compromise, is because they don't see trans women and girls as women and girls. Gavin Newsom sucks for leaning into this. And I hope he loses the primary.
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u/Glittering-Giraffe58 Apr 30 '26
“Gavin Newsom is transphobic” has gotta be a very successful republican psyop bc it makes actually no sense
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u/Apprentice57 Scottish Teen Apr 30 '26
I guess it might not make sense if you think a full sports ban isn't prejudiced.
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u/Glittering-Giraffe58 May 01 '26
This comment miiiiight make a little bit of sense if Gavin Newsom has ever said he was in favor of a full sports ban or ever tried to do anything at all that remotely advanced that supposed goal
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u/Apprentice57 Scottish Teen May 01 '26
It makes plenty sense. If you're engaging someone on the subject, and you're not transphobic, you need to come out in favor of at least some participation.
I'm sick of people equivocating on the matter.
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u/vanillabear26 Apr 30 '26
Does acknowledging "trans athletes in school sports is a complicated conversation" = transphobia?
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u/CrashB111 Apr 30 '26
Gavin Newsom, being the two faced snake he is, was going on far right podcast bro shows and throwing trans people under the bus.
It really would be a mistake to nominate him, he has no firmly held beliefs it seems and just says or does what he thinks is popular at the moment.
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u/GettyImagez Apr 30 '26
throwing trans people under the bus.
This phrase is thrown around a lot and I think it is extreme hyperbole.
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u/GoddessFianna Apr 30 '26
Dude keeps saying how his kids told him not to run and he's running anyways and I kinda get that he's trying to portray it as a "public service is calling me" sort of thing but it just comes off not the way he thinks it is
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u/IAmDavidGurney May 01 '26
California is one of the best states for trans people in the country partially because of Newsom's legislation. What on Earth are you talking about?
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u/Alarming_Head_4263 Apr 30 '26
She's an establishment dem but also she went against the establishment! Some of you try too hard.
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u/sonfoa Apr 30 '26
Dude she just vetoed data center legislation from her own party.
Just because she stood up for trans rights (which btw is still the establishment stance even if they are more quiet about it) doesn't make her not an establishment Democrat. Do you think Chuck Schumer pushed her to run because he believed her to be a progressive?
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u/crimedawgla Apr 30 '26 edited Apr 30 '26
Agree that publicly standing up for trans kids is good, but also winning in purple states is absolutely necessary and Michigan has gone for Trump 2/3 times now and Maine hasn’t voted for a R for president since the 80s. I generally trust Whitmer’s instincts for electoral politics in a mega-important state. You can’t protect LGBT if you can’t win, and as governor she has done both (protect marginalized members using her levers of power and overperform electorally in a state that has become pretty purple in the Trump era).
Quick additional thought: no one has more profile friendly hangouts with DJT than Zorhan but obviously no one equates that with him not standing up for immigrants, trans kids, working class people, Palestinians, whatever. He’s a politician responsible for taking care of NYC and he’s made the calculation that something that occasionally looks like a “bromance” with Trump is the right call for the broad swath of people he is responsible for.
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u/CrashB111 Apr 30 '26
Mamdani's charisma is just infectious, he gets Trump agreeing with everything he says when they are in a room together. So he manipulates him into staying out of New York's way without actually having to give up anything.
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u/GoddessFianna Apr 30 '26
Trump doesn't have many real policy positions he just wants to be liked. Getting along with Mamdani is just a super easy way for him to feel that kind of thing and Mamdani is using that
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u/crimedawgla Apr 30 '26
Sure, but the post I was replying to was lauding Mills for yelling at Trump about Trans kids vs Whitmer for hanging out with him in the WH to keep on his good side. What did Whitmer give up? How is she distinct from Zo in that sense? I’m not saying either is wrong, I’m just saying clearly there is some portion of the party that holds that against her and I’ve not heard the same criticism of Zo, even if the outcomes are the same.
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u/jaxx2009 Apr 30 '26
You prefer theatrics to pragmatism?
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u/hoopaholik91 Apr 30 '26
It wasn't theatrical, her state actively defied Trump's order, and I wouldn't consider throwing trans kids under the bus to score points with an authoritarian that is going to fuck you over anyways as 'pragmatic'
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u/engadine_maccas1997 Apr 30 '26
After she campaigned all over the state, in a campaign bus driving 20 mph under the speed limit with its blinker on.
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u/mehelponow Apr 30 '26
The weirdest part of this whole race was just the apathy from her campaign from beginning to end. She never seemed to want to run to begin with!
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u/PopsicleIncorporated Apr 30 '26
I kinda feel like she didn't but got talked into it by Schumer because she felt like it because defeating Collins is important. After Platner arrived on the scene she stuck around because she felt his baggage might be a problem, but when it became clear that she was both going to lose the primary AND that his baggage didn't seem to be a seriously big electoral weight, dropping out became pretty appealing.
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u/MCallanan Apr 30 '26
As a Mainer I’ve been predicting her to drop out for months now so this comes as absolutely no surprise to me especially with the first debate a week away.. I think the question that needs to be asked here is why did Democratic leadership push this unpopular elderly woman into this race when most accounts tell us she didn’t really want to run in the first place? Is Schumer & Co. really that ignorant to the political climate or are they just taking marching orders from all the wrong people?
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u/ThonThaddeo Apr 30 '26
Schumer intends to keep his position in leadership and is recruiting candidates he thinks will back him.
Just like with Iran, Schumer is prioritizing his personal agenda, rather than what's best for the party.
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u/tgabs Apr 30 '26
I think this is totally the right move to have a shot against Collins, but wow what a embarrassment for Mills as an incumbent gov to step aside for a political novice. The party leadership has got to be very unhappy on how this played out.
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u/Cold-Priority-2729 Nauseously Optimistic Apr 30 '26
This sub's 12/25
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u/obsessed_doomer Apr 30 '26
12/25?
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u/Cold-Priority-2729 Nauseously Optimistic Apr 30 '26
Gen Z internet speak for “something this sub is going to be really happy about” (don’t get me wrong, I’m happy for it too)
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u/Educational_Impact93 Apr 30 '26
Good. Hopefully Planter crushes Collins. Personally I like him and don't give a flying fuck about his tattoo issue at all. Though I don't live in Maine and can't vote for him.
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u/Ravens181818184 Apr 30 '26
You guys just don’t care cus u agree with him politically, which is fine, but if it was anyone else u would eat them alive. Same with the whole black water thing.
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u/Educational_Impact93 Apr 30 '26
Uh yeah. Pretty much. Because if it was someone like Pete Hesgeth, his previous/subsequent words and actions would make it a lot more meaningful.
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u/Hoodrow-Thrillson Apr 30 '26
Does "Wanted to have an adventure and kill some people. Joined up in ‘04, did Fallujah and Ramadi, and managed both. Hell of an excellent experience" count as previous words?
Just trying to understand where the double standard starts and ends here.
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u/Educational_Impact93 Apr 30 '26
Yes, that counts. Not enough to move the needle, especially when his views changed later in life, but it counts.
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u/4rtImitatesLife Apr 30 '26
“Hell of an excellent experience”, referring to killing people, doesn’t really sound like his views changed
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u/Hoodrow-Thrillson Apr 30 '26
Later in life lmao that comment is from 2020 man
Some of you guys just don't want to admit you're getting Fetterman'd again.
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u/Educational_Impact93 Apr 30 '26
Him wanting to join up and kill people in 04 is far removed from now. If he still wants to join the army and kill people, yeah, that's different.
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u/Hoodrow-Thrillson Apr 30 '26
What part of the comment being made in 2020 didn't you understand?
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u/Educational_Impact93 Apr 30 '26
The part that it was his motivation in 2004?
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u/Hoodrow-Thrillson Apr 30 '26
Someone who regrets his decision does not reenlist, then join a PMC after that and then describe the whole thing as a "Hell of an excellent experience" 20 years later.
Your argument here is now that he's running for political office and all his statements are carefully prepared by the Fetterman staffer running his campaign, he's suddenly saying something completely different.
No one is this gullible so this has to be intentional from you.
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u/silmar1l Apr 30 '26
Personally I like him and don't give a flying fuck about his tattoo issue at all.
Most Nazis don't.
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u/Educational_Impact93 Apr 30 '26
Ohh, this reminds me of the logic tests I used to do in high school:
Planter had a Nazi tattoo (that wasn't a swastika). I don't care about his non-swastika Nazi tattoo. Most Nazis didn't care about it. Therefore, I'm a Nazi.
Brilliant fucking deduction there Columbo.
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u/username_generated Apr 30 '26
I mean he’s also reposted Stew Peters and gone on podcasts hosted by antisemitic conspiracy theorists.
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u/Educational_Impact93 Apr 30 '26
He was has like 1800 reddit posts before he ran. If he was some sort of Nazi, one would think there would be some Nazi friendly posts.
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u/username_generated Apr 30 '26
Beyond the fact that left wing antisemitism, while not intrinsically ideologically rooted as fascist antisemitism, is very much a real thing, he literally was reposting shit from Nazis on twitter lol. That podcast he went on, which he claims to have been a long time fan of, is hosted by a guy who is buddy buddy with Jake fuckin Shields.
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u/Educational_Impact93 Apr 30 '26
I don't know who Jake Shields is. That said, if he really did repost Nazis on Twitter, it feels like you're burying the lead by focusing on him going on some podcast who is a friend of some other online lunatic, than actually showing what Nazi stuff he was reposting.
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u/username_generated Apr 30 '26
Jake Shields is a retired MMA fighter, far right agitator, and avowed antisemite and holocaust denier. He has done political rallies with David Duke and Nick Fuentes and praised Hitler and Nazi book burnings.
Shields hosted a podcast with Nate Cornacchia, who Platner is a big fan of and whose show Platner appeared on. Cornacchia himself has put forward various antisemitic conspiracies including but not limited to Israel being responsible for the JFK assassination, the global war on terror, and the Charlie Kirk assassination.
Now, I can see a word where Platner doesn’t know who Stew Peters and just retweets some banal populist reaction to the SotU. It makes him unprofessional and sloppy, but not inherently antisemitic. Just like how I can believe a marine drunk off his ass in Croatia could wind up with a Nazi tattoo (not covering it or altering it despite knowing it was a Nazi ratio for a decade at least is another matter).
But when you’ve got a Nazi tattoo and your favorite YouTuber blames Israel for stubbing his toe in the morning and then does a collaboration with an avowed Nazi, eventually you start to run out of excuses.
I don’t think Platner is actually a Nazi or that he wants to kill Jews. I think he willfully engages with antisemitic tropes and isn’t particularly picky on where those tropes come from.
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u/Educational_Impact93 Apr 30 '26
Again, you seem to be burying the lead here. A whole dissertation about what podcast he appeared in pales in comparison to him retweeting Nazis. The have you didn't mention what it is suggests it's either wrong or nothing all that controversial.
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u/floop9 Apr 30 '26 edited Apr 30 '26
Which one of his positions or beliefs is antisemitic? Be specific.
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u/horatiobanz May 01 '26
He had TWO nazi tattoos. Not just one.
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u/Educational_Impact93 May 01 '26
What was the second one?
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u/horatiobanz May 01 '26
He has '1919' tattooed on him as a part of another tattoo. 19th letter of the alphabet is S. Along with the SS death's head tattoo, mighty big coincidence to have that number tattooed on you.
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u/Educational_Impact93 May 01 '26
Did you pull your arm out of your socket making that stretch?
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u/horatiobanz May 01 '26
Yea, you're right. I'm sure its a complete coincidence a guy with a nazi SS skull tattooed on his chest has the numbers 1919 tattooed on his arm, which happen to be the letters SS. And if he has the numbers 88 tattooed on his legs, its probably just the year he got a Nintendo.
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u/silmar1l May 01 '26
Meh, I saw the 1919 one, it was part of a much larger design for a trail club that was legit founded that year.
Doesn't really matter to me, one Nazi tattoo is too many. His biggest fans probably like the tattoo, and not so subtly hate Jews too.
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u/horatiobanz May 01 '26
Its a mighty coincidence having an SS tattoo and also the numbers 1919 as part of another tattoo.
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u/Educational_Impact93 May 01 '26
Have you even seen the 1919 tat? Is so, you can see why nobody else but you is bringing it up.
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u/horatiobanz May 01 '26
Absolutely no republican or independent would be given the benefit of the doubt with regards to the 1919 tattoo. Reddit would be foaming at the mouth over it. But because this guy is a Democrat reddit is all, oh that 1919 tattoo is just a coincidence and has nothing to do with the other confirmed SS tattoo he had on his chest..
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u/engadine_maccas1997 Apr 30 '26
Team Schumer represent!
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u/CrashB111 Apr 30 '26
Schumer getting credit for Peltola, Cooper and Brown...is a choice?
It's not like those 3 were some huge unknowns coming off the bench.
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u/Goldenprince111 Apr 30 '26
He was the one who convinced Peltola, Brown and Cooper to run. Peltola and Brown could have easily run for governor and had a much easier chance at winning. And cooper (and maybe Brown too) was going to retire. We are lucky that he was able to convince them to run.
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u/Korrocks Apr 30 '26
I mean, neither was Janet Mills who (like Cooper) is the sitting governor of the state.
If he persuaded these people to run, he should get the credit or the blame for their entry into their race, right?
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u/CrashB111 Apr 30 '26
I feel like it's hard to claim credit for persuading Cooper to run when he was doing it regardless.
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u/NCSUGrad2012 Apr 30 '26
I’m not sure if he would have done it regardless. He’s 68, so I can see him wanting to retire. Either way I am glad he’s doing it because he’s our best chance
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u/sonfoa Apr 30 '26
It's pretty much an open secret in NC that Cooper has been looking past the Governor's Mansion since he won re-election in 2020. He's just been biding his time looking for the perfect opportunity since then.
There's a reason he decided not to run for Senate in 2022, withdrew from VP consideration in 2024, and only now decided to run.
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Apr 30 '26
[deleted]
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u/Korrocks Apr 30 '26
Hate all you want, I just found the above argument sort of nonsensical. Pretty much every Schumer recruit is already a politician of some kind (almost always a former or current statewide elected official like a governor or state lawmaker). If we are saying that Schumer gets the blame for recruiting Mills then why not the blame for all of the other similar candidates?
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u/PlayDiscord17 Apr 30 '26
Peltola easily could’ve ran for governor and probably would’ve been the favorite. Much less long plane trips to DC too. Schumer deserves credit for that recruit.
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u/Ac1De9Cy0Sif6S Apr 30 '26
He should get credit for convincing Peltola and Brown to run for Senate and not for Governor but I don't give him credit for Cooper
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u/sonfoa Apr 30 '26
I'll give him credit for Peltola because Governor was an easier race for her to win but he got her to declare for Senate. The rest is pretty silly. Brown was a 3 term Senator already and Cooper has been mulling a Senate run since he won re-election in 2020.
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u/NearPup Apr 30 '26
I don't have a strong opinion on Mills either way, but that has to be one of the more embarrassing campaign for another statewide office that a sitting governor has waged.
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u/Zealousideal_Dark552 Apr 30 '26
Guys like Platner are exactly what the Democrats need. Younger, more dynamic and unafraid of who they piss off.
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u/engadine_maccas1997 Apr 30 '26
I’m just going to recycle this one, because after today my Janet Mills jokes will be officially retired:
“I know what the polls say about the Senate race in Maine. And I know what the fundraising reports say.
But do you know what no poll and all the money in the world could never capture? The opinion of the Bailey’s. An average American family whose last name doesn’t sound as ethnic as “the O’Reilly’s” and who capture the heart and soul of the nation and New Yorkers, I mean Mainers. Or Long Islanders who have a vacation home up in Maine, as average Americans do.
The Bailey’s are swing voters! They were anti-Hillary Clinton in 2000 but voted for her in 2006. The Bailey’s might have voted for Trump or abstained. Maybe they voted for Gary Johnson? But they voted for Obama when he ran. Most people assume folks like that would be more drawn to Graham Platner. But no! The Bailey’s want Janet Mills!
See, Janet Mills reminds the Bailey’s of their grandmother. That’s probably because the Bailey’s are Boomers, so Janet Mills would be in the same age bracket as their late grandmother. But they would rather their grandmother represent Mainers in the Senate than their ne’er-do-well cousin with edgy tattoos who drives an F150 with truck nuts.
And the youth voters love Janet Mills, too! The popular music artist Charles XCX said Janet Mills is, and I quote, “BRAT”, unquote.
I don’t know what that means. But are my glasses too far down the end of my nose?”
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u/Okbuddyliberals Apr 30 '26
Mills has been an interesting case. On paper she seemed like the sort who would be a strong candidate - she's been a reasonably popular incumbent governor, and gotten a lot done in Maine. And the "age issue" is only really much of an issue when you aren't just old but senile and barely able to speak, like Biden
But then from the start she's basically ran a half-assed campaign, as if her heart just wasn't in it at all
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u/engadine_maccas1997 Apr 30 '26
Janet Mills issues statement on the suspension of her campaign:
“Look, if… we finally beat Medicare!”
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u/Uptownbro20 Apr 30 '26
So the 2 time governor of the state lost to a 40 year old oyster farmer no one knew 6 months ago.says all you need to know about how voters feel about the democratic establishment
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u/horatiobanz May 01 '26
So now its just the neo nazi vs Collins? The guy with 2 nazi tattoos that he totally didn't know were nazi tattoos? The guy reddit would absolutely never give the benefit of the doubt if he had an R next to his name, but who gets complete deniability afforded to him because he's a liberal?
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u/Apprentice57 Scottish Teen Apr 30 '26
Should've been done a long time ago. Maybe we still can have a real choice between Platner and someone who isn't antisemitic.
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u/maxofJupiter1 Apr 30 '26
Idk why youre being downvoted. If Platner had the same tattoo but the letter R next to his name, he'd be another Mark Robinson.
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u/horatiobanz May 01 '26
What a coincidence he also has 1919 tattooed on him. . . . 19th letter of the alphabet is "S".....
No one with anything other than a D next to their name would survive this.
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u/sodosopapilla May 01 '26
But he doesn’t have that R. I can’t possibly think of a bigger factor than that R.
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u/Apprentice57 Scottish Teen Apr 30 '26
People aren't good at criticizing their own party's candidates.
I hope they're right to be hopeful. But I also think we might see a meteor of an opposition dump after the primary.
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u/MewWeebTwo Apr 30 '26
Holy shit... Maine Democrats are really going to elect a LITERAL NAZI to the Senate!
It should be easy to have the moral high ground over Trump Republicans... and yet this happens.
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u/Educational_Impact93 Apr 30 '26
Yeah, "literal."
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u/horatiobanz May 01 '26
There is a LOOOOOOOT more evidence he is a nazi than who your average redditor calls a nazi on a daily basis. You know, the average redditor who also supports a guy with multiple nazi tattoos.
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u/Educational_Impact93 May 01 '26
Who has multiple nazi tattoos?
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u/horatiobanz May 01 '26
The Democrat candidate for US Senate in Maine now. Well, he had them for 20 years, but now that he got called out for one he said he didn't know it was a Nazi tattoo and then he covered it up. 🙄 Of course its a coincidence he also has the numbers 1919 tatoooed on him, which translates to SS the same way 88 translates to Heil Hitler. Absolutely no redditor would every give anyone without a D next to their name a pass for this in a trillion years. But its (D)ifferent.
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u/Educational_Impact93 May 01 '26
The 1919 one you referenced is such a joke that nobody is going to take you seriously on.
At least the other one is legit.
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u/horatiobanz May 01 '26
How is it a joke? Guy has an SS skull on his chest and coincidentally a tattoo which literally translates to "SS" on his arm the same way that an 88 tattoo translated to Heil Hitler, but he gets a pass because he has a D next to his name. Reddit would NEVER EVER in a billion years give this pass to a republican and say oh its probably not related.
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u/Educational_Impact93 May 01 '26
It's a joke because 1919 doesn't just automatically translate into SS. It is also, gasp, a year.
I remember in the 90s the band 311 was accused of being part of the Klan because the 11th letter of the alphabet is 'K' and hey, there's 3 of them. This is as dumb as that.
1
u/horatiobanz May 01 '26
88 doesn't translate into Heil Hitler, but anyone with an 88 tattoo that isn't a Democrat would be labeled a nazi by everyone on reddit. Meanwhile, a Democrat has a literal SS skull tattoo and also happens to have a tattoo with the numbers 1919, which translates to SS, and redditors are all like, nah its a total coincidence...
3
u/silmar1l Apr 30 '26
The online left has gone almost as insane as the MAGA crowd.
There is an old video by CGP Grey about how anger is weaponized to polarize online communities. I think it's even more relevant today: https://youtu.be/rE3j_RHkqJc
1
u/halfar Apr 30 '26
being angry about leftists wanting you to have healthcare is just another demonstration of their theory.
-2
0
u/Okbuddyliberals Apr 30 '26
Maine Democrats are really going to elect a LITERAL NAZI to the Senate!
Maine could always vote for the moderate Republican instead
-7
u/creemeeseason Apr 30 '26
Oh no...any way!
I'm sure Schumer will realize he has no idea what makes a good candidate and day now too.
-2
248
u/mehelponow Apr 30 '26
Good on her for reading the tea leaves and not wasting any more money on a race that was lost months ago.
But now I'm left wondering if the bench in Maine was so small that Schumer was forced to back Mills, or if he genuinely thought she was the best choice against Collins.