False Bravery

On paper, Maine Democrat Graham Platner is the answer to all that ails his party.

His gruff demeanor and everyman vestiary convey easy and authentic masculinity — a plus in a party that has struggled with that and is shedding male voters as a result. He’s an oyster farmer and a Marine Corps veteran, which could help court the working-class voters who have abandoned the Democrats in the Trump years. And with his pledge not to support Chuck Schumer’s Senate leadership and the liberty with which he criticizes Democrats as well as Republicans, he’s sufficiently anti-establishment in a populist age. It’s no wonder he’s already raised a boatload of cash in his bid to unseat Republican Senator Susan Collins in the fall.

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.

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Maine

Susan Collins

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

On paper, Maine Democrat Graham Platner is the answer to all that ails his party.

His gruff demeanor and everyman vestiary convey easy and authentic masculinity — a plus in a party that has struggled with that and is shedding male voters as a result. He’s an oyster farmer and a Marine Corps veteran, which could help court the working-class voters who have abandoned the Democrats in the Trump years. And with his pledge not to support Chuck Schumer’s Senate leadership and the liberty with which he criticizes Democrats as well as Republicans, he’s sufficiently anti-establishment in a populist age. It’s no wonder he’s already raised a boatload of cash in his bid to unseat Republican Senator Susan Collins in the fall.

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.