Graham Platner, the Maine Senate candidate, has been reshuffling his campaign team in response to growing controversies over his past social media posts and a Nazi tattoo. The campaign, which has seen significant backlash for his history of offensive online content, has made several changes to its leadership structure. Kevin Brown, a former campaign manager for figures such as Elizabeth Warren and Barack Obama, has been appointed as the new manager of the Maine Senate campaign. In addition to Brown, the campaign has also hired an in-house attorney and brought on Spruce Street Consulting, a compliance firm with ties to progressive activists like Zohran Mamdani.
As the fallout from Platner’s controversial past intensifies, his campaign has taken steps to address the issue by sending non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to staff members. Some, like former top political director Genevieve McDonald, declined to sign the NDAs, citing the financial offer as a condition. McDonald, who resigned last week, recounted that the campaign offered her $15,000 to sign an NDA, which she rejected. A campaign spokesperson described the $15,000 offer as standard severance for all campaign employees and contractors.
The ongoing controversy surrounding Platner’s past has led to significant staff turnover and tensions within the campaign. McDonald, who resigned due to the candidate’s past posts, criticized the campaign for not thoroughly vetting Platner’s history. She argued that the campaign’s failure to address these issues would hinder its chances of success in a critical primary race against Gov. Janet Mills, a favorite of Democratic leaders. A Platner campaign representative, however, called McDonald a “disgruntled former employee” and later voided the NDA offer.
Platner’s campaign is now in damage control mode following recent revelations about his social media history. He has expressed regret over his past posts, including homophobic slurs, anti-LGBTQ+ jokes, and content that downplayed sexual assault in the military. He has also apologized for getting a Nazi symbol tattooed 20 years ago. Despite these controversies, a recent poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center found that Platner leads Mills in a primary matchup, 58 percent to 24 percent among first-choice voters in Maine’s ranked-choice voting system.
The campaign’s actions have been met with mixed reactions, with some criticizing the use of NDAs to silence former staff. Meanwhile, the campaign’s efforts to restructure and enforce compliance remain in place as Platner seeks to regain momentum in a crucial state for Democrats. As the primary race approaches, the controversy surrounding his past may continue to shape his campaign’s trajectory in the coming weeks.