Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner targeted Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) during a Sunday town hall, calling the Pennsylvania senator “an a–hole.”
Platner made the remarks while discussing how he plans to operate in the upper chamber if elected, emphasizing the importance of legislative teamwork.
“The Senate really is a place of — it’s a lot about relationships, and … I don’t want to go down there and simply be nonfunctional,” Platner said. “I mean, as you can all probably tell, I got a lot of criticisms about the way this government functions, but in order for us to make it functional, we’re going to have to do stuff, and you can’t just go down there and be John Fetterman, and … just sort of be an a–hole.”
Platner later defended his language by stating that Fetterman “said mean things” about him, adding that he is “allowed to say that.”
The friction between the two politicians has built up over recent months. Fetterman has bucked his party on several high-profile issues, drawing criticism from fellow Democrats. In late April, Fetterman publicly targeted the Maine candidate.
“Democrats really, really like Platner in Maine but the Republicans f‑‑‑ing love him,” Fetterman said at the time, adding that “if Maine wants an a‑‑hole with a Nazi tattoo on his chest, they get him.”
The back-and-forth comes at a difficult moment for Platner’s campaign. National Democrats are increasingly questioning whether the progressive candidate is becoming a political liability in a race that is critical for control of the Senate.
Within the last few weeks, Platner has faced revelations regarding sexually explicit messages he sent to women during his marriage. Additionally, a recent article published by The New York Times featured interviews with several former girlfriends who portrayed the candidate in a negative light.
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