Maine Senate candidate Graham Platton hit by new scandal over vulgar Reddit posts

Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful Graham Platton, the presumptive nominee in Maine, has again drawn national attention after resurfaced Reddit posts were linked to his former "P‑Hustle" account. The material, dating from 2017 to 2021, includes graphic descriptions of masturbating in portable toilets and elaborate praise for explicit penis graffiti encountered at a U.S. military hub in Manas, Kyrgyzstan. Platton also mocked a wounded U.S. soldier in a 2019 post.

Platton has previously acknowledged the account, apologised for the remarks and tried to frame them as crude jokes made during a “dark period” after returning from combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also faced earlier backlash over a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, which he later covered up. Republicans have seized on the series of controversies as evidence of poor judgment, while some Democratic figures, including Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, continue to back his campaign.

The scandal emerges ahead of the June 9 Democratic primary, where Platton seeks to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Despite the renewed criticism, Platton’s campaign says the posts do not reflect his current character and points to his grassroots fundraising and progressive platform as strengths.