Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills is targeting her populist primary opponent for the U.S. Senate with a new ad highlighting past comments he made on Reddit about women and sexual assault.
The ad, released Tuesday, features multiple women reacting to 2013 posts by Graham Platner in which he said women should “act like an adult for f*** sake” and “not get so f***ed up they wind up having sex with someone they don’t mean to” if they are fearful of being raped.
“That’s a horrible thing to say,” one woman, identified as Jill from South Portland, says in the ad.
“Just no way I could vote for you,” Peggy from Vassalboro, adds.
.@grahamformaine blamed women for sexual assault, saying they should “take some responsibility for themselves” and “act like an adult.”
Here’s what Maine women had to say about his words. pic.twitter.com/sztt7khZ4S
— Janet Mills (@JanetMillsforME) March 17, 2026
Platner’s campaign dismissed the ad, with his campaign manager saying in a statement that it is “a desperate attempt for relevance from the governor, who is trailing an oyster farmer in every recent poll,” according to the Midcoast Villager.
“Mainers know that Graham should not be defined by the worst thing he said on the internet over a decade ago,” the campaign manager added.
The comments previously drew backlash when they resurfaced last year. Platner responded at the time with an apology, which he reshared on Tuesday.
“Back in October, when my past internet comments resurfaced, I read through them. I was horrified and did not recognize the man on the other side of the posts,” Platner posted on X.
I shared my thoughts and apologies here directly with Mainers. And I’ve been talking with Mainers every day since, at town halls across the state.”
Platner, who is backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), has remained competitive in the primary despite the controversy. Mills has the support of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
Earlier on Tuesday, Platner released his own ad taking aim at Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), whom the Democratic nominee will face in the general election in November. The spot features a Maine voter, also named Susan Collins, who supports Platner.
Republicans say the Democrat infighting could benefit Sen. Collins.
“The girls are fighting! It doesn’t matter how the Chuck Schumer vs. Bernie Sanders proxy war ends, because both of these candidates will lose to Susan Collins,” National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesperson Samantha Cantrell told The Daily Wire.
The race is one of four Senate contests currently rated as a “toss-up” by the Cook Political Report, along with North Carolina, Georgia, and Michigan. Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the chamber.
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