Gramerica: A Season-Long Journey into Graham Platner's 2026 Senate Race

Episode Three: Him Too?

Voters in Maine had barely digested the full extent ofGraham Platner’s incendiary Reddit history—and the lingering questions over his infamous skull-and-crossbones tattoo—when an entirely new controversy erupted. A former campaign manager leaked a story to the press revealing that Platner’s wife, Amy Gertner, confided in her last year that in the early days of their marriage, Graham had been sexting multiple women. News of Platner’s digital infidelity provided a whole new avenue for Republicans who over Memorial Day weekend were busily targeting the former Marine with Swift boat-style attacks, weaponizing his own military service against him. As a veteran of Fallujah and Ramadi, Platner is no stranger to taking fire. But the fact that this sexting scandal emanated from within his own party—leaked by his former campaign manager—proves that Platner is now fighting a war on multiple fronts. Is this latest controversy just a flash in the pan? Should these sexts be a strictly personal matter—dealt with by Amy, Graham, and their therapists? Or does it confirm the Democratic establishment’s worst fears: that Platner is a loose cannon—unknown, untested, and completely under-vetted? And, most importantly, what do Mainers think—and how will they vote? The crowds of Platner supporters keep overflowing town halls, and his army of volunteers keeps knocking on doors. Will voters confirm his positive poll numbers and endorse his vision of a reimagined New Deal society? Has Donald Trump lowered the bar on acceptable behavior to the point that Platner’s baggage pales in comparison? Or are his opponents sitting on a veritable dirty bomb, just waiting to detonate it when summer Vacationland is in full swing? The Two Broke Woke Blokes chew over the latest events and explore what they mean for the campaign. We're trying to clear the decks for a discussion of the larger issues at stake in Maine—and the U.S.—if this frenetic, angsty news cycle ever calms down. For a full list of sources, video clips, and reading materials cited in this episode, visit our show notes at: ⁠⁠https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LArCxINrHuKCh6OZHjCBB18NrS1XiBNqsFn_CVGQ_HM/edit?usp=sharing⁠⁠⁠ [⁠https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LArCxINrHuKCh6OZHjCBB18NrS1XiBNqsFn_CVGQ_HM/edit?usp=sharing⁠⁠]

Episode Two: To the Senate from the Sea

Welcome back to Gramerica. After Governor Janet Mills’ abrupt exit from the field, oyster farmer and Marine veteran Graham Platner stands as the presumptive Democratic nominee in a fierce, one-on-one contest against the Republican incumbent, Senator Susan Collins. Following intense social media speculation, Collins has revealed she has been living with a neurological condition—a benign essential tremor—throughout her time in the Senate. Though she insists it won't impact her service, it creates a stark contrast with Platner's youthful, barnstorming campaign. Yet Platner continues to face scrutiny of his own over past Reddit posts, his working-class bona fides, and a recently covered-over Nazi Totenkopf tattoo from his days as a young Marine. In our second episode, the Two Broke Woke Blokes explore the tectonic shifts in this wild race, sifting through the scandals that supporters have made peace with and opponents refuse to let go. For a full list of sources, video clips, and reading materials cited in this episode, visit our show notes at: ⁠https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LArCxINrHuKCh6OZHjCBB18NrS1XiBNqsFn_CVGQ_HM/edit?usp=sharing⁠⁠ [⁠https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LArCxINrHuKCh6OZHjCBB18NrS1XiBNqsFn_CVGQ_HM/edit?usp=sharing⁠⁠]

Episode One: Shuck the Oligarchy (featuring political scientist Amy Fried of the University of Maine)

Welcome to Gramerica, a new series following the high-stakes Senate campaign of Graham Platner. In our premiere episode, Pip and Adrian unpack the improbable rise of this Maine oyster farmer and Marine veteran as he takes on the Titan of the Senate, Susan Collins. From launching a viral July video to quickly dispatching Democratic primary opponent Governor Janet Mills, Platner has completely upended the status quo. To his supporters, he is the long-awaited antidote to a calcified political system that has abandoned everyday people. To his critics—who weaponize his offensive, decade-old social media posts and a covered-over Nazi tattoo from his youth—he is a walking paradox, drawing contradictory barbs like “communist,” “Nazi,” “racist,” and “homophobe.” Yet through it all, he keeps on rolling. The Two Broke Woke Blokes are not Platner “fanboys,” nor do we pretend to be political experts. But like so many in Maine, we are energized by this race and ready to grapple with its many questions and contradictions. To help us set the table and make sense of it all, we’re joined by University of Maine Professor Emerita of Political Science, Amy Fried. For a full list of sources, video clips, and reading materials cited in this episode, visit our show notes at: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LArCxINrHuKCh6OZHjCBB18NrS1XiBNqsFn_CVGQ_HM/edit?usp=sharing [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LArCxINrHuKCh6OZHjCBB18NrS1XiBNqsFn_CVGQ_HM/edit?usp=sharing]