Graham Platner, the presumptive Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Maine, wrote in a 2013 Reddit post that he believed some people should be killed for their political beliefs.
The comment was written on his now-deleted Reddit account under the moniker "P-Hustle" as he responded to a blog post about left-wing antifascist (Antifa) protestors attacking the offices of a far-right nationalist political party in Greece. "There are times in this world when, for the good of tolerance and humanity, you need to kill a motherf---er," Platner wrote in September 2013. He added that while most people who support tolerance find such actions repulsive, it represents a "pragmatic shortfall."
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive Democrats have largely remained silent on the resurfaced posts, with no major party figures issuing public statements as of Wednesday.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has defended Platner in past coverage of his Reddit history, though he did not specifically address the most recent revelations.
Platner himself issued a general apology for thousands of controversial and vulgar posts that have resurfaced online. "I'm sorry for this. Just know that it's not reflective at all of who I am," Platner said. "I don't want you to judge me on the dumbest thing I ever wrote on the internet. I would prefer if people could judge me on the person I am today."
The candidate explained his coarse language as a byproduct of the "crude humor" and "offensive language" he became accustomed to while serving as a Marine in Afghanistan.
Some Democratic strategists note that Platner remains ahead in polling against incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins and argue voters care more about kitchen-table issues than decade-old online comments.
What the Right Is Saying
National Republicans have seized on the posts, arguing they disqualify Platner from serving in the Senate.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee released a statement calling the comments "deeply disturbing" and questioning how Democratic leaders can support a candidate who expressed support for political violence.
Maine Republican Party officials have pointed to the Reddit history as evidence that Platner's progressive platform masks more extreme views. The party noted his past self-identification as both a socialist and communist, as well as his claimed membership in the Socialist Rifle Association as recently as April 2020.
"Mainers deserve to know exactly who is running to represent them," Maine GOP spokesperson Sarah Anderson said. "These aren't isolated comments — this is a pattern of celebrating violence against political opponents."
Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley wrote on social media that the posts reveal Platner's "true ideology" and called on undecided voters in Maine to reject his candidacy.
What the Numbers Show
Polling consistently shows Platner ahead of Sen. Susan Collins, though she has significantly outperformed poll numbers in past elections. The Real Clear Politics average of Maine Senate polls from recent months shows Platner leading by an average of 4.2 percentage points.
Platner's campaign did not respond to requests for comment on the newly surfaced posts as of Wednesday afternoon.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills dropped out of the Democratic Senate primary on April 30, leaving effectively no opposition for Platner in the June primary and clearing his path to the general election against Collins.
The 2013 Reddit post dates from a period when Platner had recently left military service and was describing what he called his political "drift" online. He also described Republicans including President Donald Trump as fascists using his Reddit account during that period.
The Bottom Line
Platner's resurfaced comments represent the latest example of old social media posts complicating modern political campaigns, particularly for candidates who built online presences before entering public life.
The candidate's apology attempts to frame the posts as youthful indiscretion from over a decade ago, though the content includes statements made as recently as 2020 about his Socialist Rifle Association membership.
Collins has not directly commented on the Reddit revelations but her campaign is expected to use them in upcoming advertising. The November general election will test whether Maine voters view these comments as disqualifying or consider them irrelevant to current policy positions.
The primary election is scheduled for June, with the general election set for November 2026.