In-depth article by Platner's high school classmate

[mainer]

11. My personal journey to becoming a Platner supporter

I was (still am) an admirer of Janet Mills. She was a good governor, she's feisty, and I think she would have made a fine senator, despite her age. I gave money to her campaign -- a LOT of money. I watched Platner's support grow, shook my head at his old Reddit posts and the tattoo thing, and I assumed he would implode.

Meanwhile, my anti-war son encouraged me to read up on Platner and watch his interviews. My son went to school with Platner's wife, so he knows the family. A Jewish friend here in Maine, a lifelong Dem who's deeply embedded and influential in politics, told me he spent hours one-on-one with Platner, probing every aspect of his life. My friend wanted to make sure he knew the man before he gave his support. He came away convinced Platner is authentic, committed, and just the candidate we need. He has no concern whatsoever about the tattoo and he threw a fundraiser for him.

Mainers are behind this guy. The unions are behind him. The Maine People's Alliance is behind him. Now I'm behind him. Every so often, a great candidate seems to come out of nowhere. This particular candidate sprang from a little town in Maine, went to war and back, and became that candidate.