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Platner vs. Collins is a false choice [1]

['News Corpse', 'Bill In Portland Maine', 'Mark Lippman']

Date: 2026-06-05  

We do remember that Platner’s not the only Democrat running in the Maine Senate primary, right?

…right?

And no, I’m not talking about Janet Mills, who knows how to win a statewide election, but that doesn’t matter because she haz teh olds, I guess. She’s still on the ballot, even though she’s not actively campaigning.

But Platner still has some competition. First of all, there’s another Democrat running in the Senate primary – David Costello. He just hasn’t been getting as much attention as Platner, probably because he’s not as flashy or enough of a newsmaker.

Here’s some more about him:

Still, many Democrats are familiar with Costello, who has a strong background in government and solid progressive stands on the issues—as well as an aggressive attitude towards procedural change. He’s argued for ending the filibuster, for Supreme Court expansion and term limits, and for multi-member House districts, among other reforms.

The above quote introduces a lengthy interview with him in which he lays out a vision consistent with what a lot of progressives have been fighting for.

And there’s still Andrea LaFlamme, who didn’t make the ballot but is organizing a write-in campaign. Here’s an interview with her, from the same person who interviewed Costello.

More people should have been backing Costello or LaFlamme, and holding them up as alternative candidates to Platner, instead of scolding people for not blindly supporting Platner or being appalled by his extensive history of cringe-inducing behavior.

It’s a shame, because all the people planning to hold their noses to vote for Platner don’t actually need to make that decision. Just vote for Costello or LaFlamme in the primary. They’re a lot younger than Mills, and they’re nowhere near as toxic as Platner.

We don’t have to be stuck with Platner. There are better choices, and who knows? Maybe there’s time to get one of them across the finish line and kick Susan Collins to the curb.

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/6/5/800051017/community/platner-vs-collins-is-a-false-choice/

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