LETTER: Movement behind Platner ‘worth fighting for’
July 13, 2026
By Sonia Turanski
To the editor:
When Graham Platner's first campaign advertisements appeared last August, I was turned off. The cursing felt scripted to appeal to the "everyman," and it struck me as more performance than authenticity. Then I read an article describing him as "half Bernie Sanders and half pissed-off fisherman," and I was willing to pay attention.
Just before he officially launched his campaign, I attended a meet-and-greet in Ellsworth. What I encountered was a thoughtful, articulate, and passionate man speaking about the struggles of Maine's working class. More importantly, he insisted that his campaign was not ultimately about him. It was about building community and creating lasting grassroots connections that would endure beyond any single election. That vision is what convinced me to volunteer.
The response was extraordinary. More than 15,000 volunteers joined the effort, making it the largest grassroots campaign in Maine history. Volunteers gathered enough signatures to qualify for the ballot in a record-breaking three days, and town halls across the state drew overflowing crowds. Whatever happens next, that level of civic engagement should not be discredited, ignored, or allowed to dissipate.
Then came the controversies: the Reddit posts, the tattoo, and, more recently, the allegations that ultimately suspended the campaign. Regarding the tattoo, I do not believe it represented Nazi symbolism for Graham but rather a skull and crossbones, and I will leave that issue there.
What I do want to address is his military service. As a lifelong peace activist, I never imagined I would support someone with Graham's background. But here is the thing: the world is in sad shape and that is largely due to toxic male behavior, especially toxic white male behavior. We need a massive awakening of men (and women, too) on a global level to change our accelerating environmental and cultural descent into annihilation. I saw in Graham someone who returned from
war profoundly changed. He has spoken about realizing that the wars he served in only benefited corporations and the oligarchy, not ordinary Americans. To me, that realization marked the beginning of a difficult but genuine awakening.
Awakenings are rarely neat or complete. They unfold over years through painful self-examination, accountability, and change. Graham has acknowledged past statements that no longer reflect who he believes himself to be and apologized for them. That does not erase the harm they may have caused, nor does it exempt him from criticism. But recognizing one's failures and attempting to grow from them is how genuine transformation begins.
As someone in long-term recovery from drugs and alcohol, I recognize that process. Recovery, or awakening, demands honesty, humility, and a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths. It is not a straight line. Watching Graham over the past year, I often saw someone wrestling publicly with those same challenges in real time. Whether every step was successful is beside the point. His willingness to engage in that work, under relentless public scrutiny, deserves recognition and support.
If they are true, the latest allegations, and the pattern they represent, have made me realize that Graham's journey out of toxicity is still in its earliest stages. They reveal someone who has much more work to do before he could become the leader many hoped he would be, or the man I believe he wants to be. Growth is not measured by good intentions alone but by sustained accountability and lasting change.
If I place responsibility anywhere beyond Graham himself, it is with the political professionals who elevated him as a candidate so quickly. Daniel Moraff and those around him failed to appreciate that the person they chose was still early in his own personal awakening and development. For his part, Graham has been a courageous soldier who answered their call to lead the charge. As disappointed as I am with how this has unfolded, I wish Graham all the best with the work he still has to do, and recognize him as an unlikely hero who has taken many bullets for me and the people of Maine.
I do not regret being part of the campaign. This movement remains worth believing in and fighting for. The people have clearly spoken that they want a candidate that will fight for the working people of Maine, our children and elders, healthcare for all, for money out of politics, an end to the support of Israel’s war and all wars of domination. I look forward to getting behind that next candidate.
- Pat Dobbs lives in Stonington and is the president of the Downeast Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America.
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