Platner Unleashed a Movement. Where Will It Go Next?

LEWISTON, Maine — They had been waiting for someone like Graham Platner. Someone who was angry and a little crass and knew exactly what had to happen: universal healthcare, an end to the “endless wars,” an end to the “oligarchy.” Sure, it was an act—he was a prep-school dropout playing hardscrabble oysterman—but they all did that! On June 9, more than 150,000 Mainers voted for Platner in the Democratic Senate primary—more than any Democrat had ever won in a Senate primary in the state. Then came the final allegation—the only credible rape charge, to date—and on July 10, he was out.