Story perspectives

Maine Senate Candidate Graham Platner Apologizes for Soldier Insults

5/23/2026

Summary

Story summary

Graham Platner’s June 2019 Reddit comments disparaged a wounded U.S. soldier and criticized the Army, igniting controversy in the Maine Senate race.
Platner apologized, saying the posts do not reflect who he is today and blaming the language on psychological trauma from his Middle-East deployments.
Veterans Ted Daniels and Adam Schwarze condemned the remarks as unfit for office, while Republican press secretary Bernadette Breslin called them disgusting and disqualifying.

1 of 1

Story summary

Graham Platner’s June 2019 Reddit comments disparaged a wounded U.S. soldier and criticized the Army, igniting controversy in the Maine Senate race.
Platner apologized, saying the posts do not reflect who he is today and blaming the language on psychological trauma from his Middle-East deployments.
Veterans Ted Daniels and Adam Schwarze condemned the remarks as unfit for office, while Republican press secretary Bernadette Breslin called them disgusting and disqualifying.