When political ambition eclipses moral character, everyone loses
Originally published on Candor & Conviction on Wednesday, July 8, 2026.
There’s such an abundance of discord and discontent, chaos and catastrophe in our world today—especially in the political realm—that I have had an extremely difficult time picking a topic for my inaugural Candor & Conviction post, the first opinion piece I’ve penned since stepping down as editor of The Millerton News four years ago.
Difficult, but not impossible.
Day after day I’ve shaken my head while perusing the news, regardless of whether the subject matter is local, national, or international. The reports grow increasingly depressing and disturbing.
Life has always had its fair share of trials and tribulations, but it used to be fairly straightforward. Now, though, the world seems to offer only strife and hostility.
Gone are everyday courtesies; now, we go straight for the jugular.
Is it any wonder? Toddlers, teens, and adults are all stuck in an endless loop of doom and gloom. We scroll through hours of news that’s dire and dismal, clicking on onerous opinions and contentious comments.
Who could expect constructive thoughts or behavior after such intensive exposure? Consider the percentage of positive clickbait that pops onto your screen compared with negative clickbait; my guess is it’s negligible.
I posit the fallout is more damaging—and widespread—than previously considered…
We were designed to embrace the negative, after all. Our brains are wired to notice and remember danger and darkness more readily than positivity and lightness. Nowhere is that more evident than on today’s political stage.
In 2026, it’s no longer helping us survive. It’s tearing us apart.
Take Graham Platner, the now-notorious Senate hopeful whose suspended campaign did little more than tarnish the Democratic Party’s reputation.
For 11 months, Platner was gunning for the seat held by Republican Sen. Susan Collins (Maine), who has served since 1997. Yet he did shockingly well in June’s Democratic primary. Any chance of victory plummeted on Monday after a former girlfriend accused him of rape, an allegation he denies. The accusation followed a slew of scandals that began two months after he announced his candidacy and have endured throughout its duration.
I honestly didn’t think there was a chance in hell he’d make it beyond the primary, but Platner won in a landslide with 72 percent of the vote.
Until this week, there was a strong chance he’d succeed in stopping his opponent from serving a sixth term. An exclusive article by POLITICO reporters Jessica Piper and Adam Wren published on Monday, July 6, seemed to be the only speed bump that effectively slowed the oysterman’s race—despite numerous verified accounts of shameful behavior that would surely have created hurdles for candidates in past political seasons—if not stopped them dead in their tracks.
According to POLITICO, a former girlfriend claimed Platner raped her, saying she did not give him permission to enter her house or consent to have sex with her.
Platner has denied the allegations, calling the report inaccurate.
The 41-year-old Maine resident, Jenny Racicot, said she and Platner dated on and off for a couple of years before the alleged incident in 2021.
She described Platner as “almost blackout drunk” the night he let himself in through an unlocked front door, came upstairs and proceeded to sexually assault her.
Racicot’s claims were thoroughly vetted and corroborated by the POLITICO reporters. They spoke with an ex-boyfriend she confided in afterward, evaluated emails between Racicot and her therapist—the first person she said she told—and reviewed messages between Racicot and an acquaintance she had warned about becoming romantically involved with Platner years before he ran for office.
Racicot told POLITICO she came forward only after wrestling with an internal moral dilemma—she was torn between supporting Platner’s politics but not his character, and didn’t want to be “known as a rape victim.”
Previously interviewed by The New York Times, Racicot merely described Platner’s behavior as “reckless” and “unsettling,” and told POLITICO, “I just want the truth out there… I just want people to have a whole scope of who he is as a person.”
Platner released his own statement: “Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically untrue.”
Platner waited until shortly after 8 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, July 8, 2026 to announce that he was “suspending” his campaign, leaving party leaders on edge for much of the day. They had threatened to cut off campaign funding if he remained in the nominee, a point Platner acknowledged in the roughly 10-minute video announcing his decision.
Until then, it seemed only a trickle of Democrats were calling out Platner, slowly revoking their endorsements. U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-California), who had enthusiastically campaigned for Platner, called sexual assault his “red line.”
Finally.
I was beginning to wonder if the Dems had a red line.
I was stunned by how many in the Democratic establishment supported Platner in the first place—and with such fervor.
Take Khanna, who flew across the country and joined Platner on the campaign trail even while shrouded in negative publicity.
Khanna was among Platner’s most ardent national allies during the primary, along with several other heavy hitters and national progressive leaders within the Democratic Party and the broader progressive movement, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Arizona), and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D).
Although it quickly became clear Platner had major character flaws, Khanna stood by his side, controversy after controversy.
He even described Platner’s conduct as “shameful” on CBS’s Face the Nation in early June, but said the candidate “had taken accountability,” adding “voters should decide whether his conduct should disqualify him.”
Khanna shirked his responsibility.
So, too, did the Democratic party at large.
At least until Monday’s rape allegation forced their hand.
Did it really take a rape accusation for the Dems to reach their “red line?”
That’s the bar today for judging a candidate’s moral character?
OK, before anyone protests, I realize readers will immediately think of our president, and rightly so.
A federal civil jury found President Donald J. Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation—acts that must be called out and condemned.
In addition to doing so, I’d like to add that the president’s language toward and about women has often been so vile it’s turned my stomach.
It’s unacceptable. Period.
Which is why calling out the Democrats’ hypocrisy in supporting Platner is so important. If such a lack of moral fortitude is not addressed—and corrected—it will continue to undermine our political paradigm.
Think about it: For generations, it was the Democrats fighting to break the glass ceiling, championing causes like the ERA. It was the Dems advocating for the #MeToo movement, giving voice to female survivors of sexual assault struggling to be heard, to be respected, to be believed. And it was the Dems standing arm-in-arm with Israel and Jewish Americans.
Those truths no longer stand in 2026. A large swath of Democrats have deserted the party’s core values.
Why?
To be honest, it’s partly connected to the anger and resentment that swelled up following Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, when 1,200 Israelis were killed and another 251 were taken hostage.
Although Hamas initiated the violence, kidnapping hostages from as young as 9 months to as old as 85 years—killing the youngest in captivity and holding the last of the hostages for 737 days—it was Israel that ended up looking like the bully.
The terrorist group won what may have been one of the most important battles: The war of public opinion.
A grassroots pro-Palestinian movement sprouted up across America, angry with how Israel defended itself and, along with the U.S., treated Palestinians living in Gaza. It’s managed to not only sustain itself but to flourish.
Support for the Palestinians is strongest among younger Americans and liberals. A February 2026 Gallup poll confirmed that 65 percent of Democrats said their sympathies were more with the Palestinians, whereas only 17 percent said their sympathies were more with Israel. That seismic shift is reflected in some recent Democratic candidates, many of whom belong to the pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel faction that’s been chanting for change.
Platner was one of several progressive candidates whose messaging had captured voters’ attention. A rising star among Democrats, no scandal seemed able to knock him off course. Not until his accuser uttered the word “rape” did this boy wonder’s luster begin to fade.
His political rise was certainly meteoric—startling, even, considering just how many controversies there were.
Platner won Maine’s June 9 Democratic primary in a landslide. He earned 72 percent of the vote. Official Maine election data show that Democratic U.S. Senate primary turnout increased from roughly 162,600 voters in 2020 to more than 222,600 in 2026—an increase of approximately 37 percent.
Those are huge numbers for a non-presidential primary, indicative of just how popular Platner was in spite of repeated negative press.
Before the primary, some Democrats even expressed apprehension about Platner’s character. But those concerns weren’t enough to override their desire for a November victory.
Let’s face it, some people only see color.
Like former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
She said as much when a mic was unceremoniously placed before her at the Capitol one week before Platner’s campaign imploded. The main concern, said Pelosi, is turning “red to blue” in the general election.
When politicians become so color blind, they lose sight of their values—American values—I think we’ve lost our way.
And when people, sometimes candidates themselves, sow the seeds of discontent in communities across our United States, we’re in dire need of more than a map. We’re in need of a compass—a moral compass.
Just remember we are united.
Some, though, seem determined to stir discontent and encourage infighting within our homes and communities. We should ask what they have to gain.
I fully support questioning authority, challenging the status quo, pushing for progress. But there’s a difference between looking to improve life for all through positivity versus maneuvering to tear things down and cause dissent.
Even party leaders like veteran Democratic strategist and former Clinton campaign adviser James Carville are concerned about their own party splintering, with far-left newcomers who criticize American values, institutions, policies, the military, the police, and our borders. Carville spoke about how extreme the Democratic tent has become by embracing socialist and even communist views on his podcast, Politics War Room, on June 26, 2026.
“I’m not in that fucking political party,” he insisted.
Yet progressives have been finding support with established Dems seeking favor with constituents, managing to wedge their way onto primary ballots with the promise of coloring Congress blue. Once in office, the Democratic institution may not like how these progressive, populist, and anti-establishment lawmakers vote or the agendas they push forward.
Take Democratic Socialist Avila Chevalier, who ran in June’s New York Democratic primary. Beating longtime incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat in the 13th Congressional District, her victory underscores the strength of the socialist movement.
Endorsed by Mamdani and the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), Chevalier posted an anti-American tweet in 2019 that didn’t damage her campaign one bit.
“I forgot to get napkins so I just wiped my hand on the American flag behind me,” her verified X (formerly Twitter) account posted.
No question, our country’s patriotism is in peril.
I wasn’t able to find a single verified report of a Democrat condemning Chevalier’s anti-American rhetoric before her primary win.
In fact, Democrats have shown an astounding lack of backbone, watching meekly as socialism and communism have gained popularity here.
Our country is now at an inflection point. We require leaders who love America and what it represents to ensure our interests will be protected here and abroad.
Even if we steer clear of such topics and focus on something on which it should be easy to agree, like taking a moral stand about our candidates, the Dems have fallen short. Instead, they doubled down in supporting people like Platner—until it became impossible.
Still, some well-known Democrats—U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) comes to mind—have remained silent, appearing hesitant to publicly renounce Platner.
Platner, meanwhile, announced he had “suspended campaign operations” via a video released on X (formerly Twitter) shortly after 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, stressing that his withdrawal was not an admission of guilt.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania) minced no words shortly afterward on Fox News, saying, “The trash took itself out,” and questioning why his party ever supported Platner in the first place.
I wondered the same myself. I was amazed Democrats ever saw Platner as a contender, given his considerable baggage, while recognizing that everyone deserves due process.
So, let’s unpack some of that baggage…
First there was the Nazi tattoo. For 18 years, Platner had the SS Totenkopf branded on his chest, claiming he was unaware of its meaning. A former girlfriend disputed that, saying he regularly called his tattoo “my Totenkopf.”
The offensive ink was covered up two months after Platner entered the Senate race, 24 hours after questions about the tattoo were raised at a press conference.
Platner was a guest on the YouTube show of Nate Cornacchia, a known anti-Semitic conspiracy theorist. During the January 2026 appearance, Platner described himself as a “longtime fan” of Cornacchia’s.
Following that appearance, Platner recirculated an X post from another familiar anti-Semitic alt-right commentator, Stew Peters, in February. The message was swiftly removed, with Platner claiming he didn’t know the original source of the post.
Platner’s wife also made news, announcing her husband sent roughly a dozen women illicit messages during their marriage. Amy Gertner spoke with The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and other media outlets about his proclivity for sexting, saying she told a senior campaign aide about it last year for transparency’s sake. Campaign Political Director Genevieve McDonald confirmed Gertner’s account; another campaign official said Platner sexted closer to six women and that the messages were sent prior to his campaign.
The sexting scandal broke in tandem with the release of a photo of a towel-clad Platner from his earlier Kik account, verified by The Wall Street Journal. The account was reportedly used to send sexually explicit messages.
Platner’s wife remained by his side during the mounting scandals, saying the couple has been to counseling.
That still left a litany of complaints from several former girlfriends accusing Platner of emotional and physical abuse, intimidation, and controlling and aggressive behavior.
The most serious charge, of course, was Monday’s rape accusation.
A day later, another ex-girlfriend, Lyndsey Fifield, 41, told The Washington Post Platner would “pull condoms off” during intercourse without her consent.
Known as “stealthing,” Fifield was quoted in the article saying that Platner would remove condoms “in a sneaky way,” adding that when he did so, he “wouldn’t tell me.”
Several countries consider stealthing sexual assault; it’s also illegal in some states in the U.S.
Platner’s campaign denied the allegations, telling The Post Fifield’s account is “categorically false,” adding she’s a conservative and “politically motivated.”
While accusations have been piling up in recent days, there is still plenty to break down from Platner’s past…
Platner took responsibility for posting a string of offensive comments between 2013 and 2021. In one, he referred to himself as a “communist”; in another, he wrote, “all cops are bastards”; and in a third, he agreed with a post that belittled rural white Americans as “racist” and “stupid.”
Platner blamed his comments on PTSD from his time in Iraq and Afghanistan while in the Marines.
He apologized for the posts during an interview on CNN, along with messages from a 2013 Reddit chat about anti-rape underwear and victim culpability. Platner reportedly asserted survivors of sexual assault should “take some responsibility for themselves,” “act like an adult for fuck’s sake,” and “not get so fucked up they wind up having sex with someone they don’t mean to.”
In spite of his reassuring the public that his views had evolved, Graham Platner never made me feel at ease.
But he must have done so for a majority of Democrats—at least until Monday’s bombshell rape allegation.
As of Tuesday, some Democrats started to grow a conscience.
It only took a woman alleging that Platner forced her to have sex against her will for many of those leaders to reconsider supporting this questionable candidate.
That’s when the following lawmakers withdrew their support: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York), Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York), Sen. Cory Booker (D-New Jersey), Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-New Mexico), Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Arizona), Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland), Warren, Gallego, and, most recently, one of Platner’s staunchest supporters, Sanders.
U.S. Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan) and Khanna also called for him to step aside.
Mamdani likewise joined the calls for Platner to drop from the race on Tuesday, noting it was the “only appropriate response.”
Echoing those requests were Maine Democratic gubernatorial candidate Hannah Pingree, Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin, the Maine Democratic Party, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC)—which said it would not fund Platner’s race if he remained the nominee—and Our Revolution, the progressive organization founded in the wake of Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential run.
It took them long enough.
Apparently having a Nazi tattoo didn’t do it; aligning with anti-Semites didn’t do it; victim blaming survivors of sexual assault didn’t do it; allegations of abusive behavior didn’t do it; identifying himself as a “communist,” and calling police “bastards,” didn’t do it.
I guess rape was the red line.
How horrifying that it took a rape allegation for so many to dig a little deeper.
Democrats looked the other way for 11 months, touting Platner as their hero the whole while.
Does winning matter that much—more than doing what’s right?
Sure, Platner raged against the machine like every other shiny new candidate, but he comes from wealth and is highly educated despite portraying himself as a blue-collar anti-establishment oysterman.
He was just great at playing politics, and his message resonated with frustrated voters wanting to end the status quo. Even the recorded message announcing the suspension of his campaign was highly effective. This man knows how to rally his base, no question about it.
Until this week, Graham Platner was Maine’s best hope for a win despite his massive liabilities. And no matter how concerned voters may have been, they were willing to hedge their bets.
Platner merely suspended his campaign and must still formally withdraw. Until he formally withdraws, Maine Democrats remain in limbo. He has until 5 p.m. Monday, July 13, to file the necessary paperwork, allowing the party to place a candidate of its own choosing—someone who is, ideally, more qualified and more morally grounded than Platner.
Moving forward, let’s hope party leadership, along with everyone observing this hot mess, gains some insight.
Democrats and Socialists directly, Republicans tangentially, and all Americans have the opportunity to realize how important it is to take responsibility for their part in the political process.
We can’t be entirely Machiavellian. The end doesn’t always justify the means.
Perhaps I’m naïve, given how long candidates dream about attaining office, how long they work to build their war chests, and how much energy they expend to win.
Yet I hold out hope. After all, people enter politics to change the world. They’re idealists; at least they began with pure intentions.
Are our public servants so corrupted, so blinded by party loyalty, that they’re willing to overlook such fatal character flaws as the ones that were revealed in the Graham Platner campaign?
I refuse to believe that—no matter how the Democrats have behaved throughout his nearly yearlong campaign.
As a skeptic and a realist, I’m hesitant to expect too much. But as an eternal optimist, pragmatic as I may be, I’m hopeful we can come away wiser.
Sure, it’s great to win: the Dems and the GOP both want the majority. That’s to be expected. But to forsake what’s right, what’s just, and what’s decent to get there is not what our Founding Fathers envisioned when creating our nation 250 years ago.
We must demand better and do better.
© 2026 Candor & Conviction
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