By Gloria Ogbonna
CNN Chief National Correspondent John King said Friday that many Maine voters have grown increasingly frustrated with Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner, arguing that they want him to stop speaking publicly and step away from the political spotlight following the collapse of his campaign.
Speaking on CNN’s Inside Politics, King described the mood among voters he has been tracking in Maine, particularly women who had already expressed doubts about Platner before his campaign unraveled. According to King, many now believe it is time for the former candidate to move on so the Democratic Party can focus on selecting a new nominee ahead of a crucial Senate election.
Host Dana Bash asked King about conversations he has continued to have with Maine voters after recently reporting from the state.
“You’ve spent a lot of time in Maine, and you’ve stayed in touch with voters, especially female voters who were already somewhat skeptical of Platner,” Bash said. “What are you hearing now that his campaign has imploded?”
King responded by saying the most common reaction has been one of exhaustion and frustration.
“First and foremost, they wish he would just shut up,” King said. “Forgive my language, but that’s how they feel.”
He explained that many voters were particularly unhappy with Platner’s farewell video, in which he portrayed himself as the victim of the controversy that ended his campaign.
According to King, those voters believe Platner himself bears responsibility for his political downfall rather than outside forces.
“They think he’s the problem,” King said. “They also believe that the people around him—including Bernie Sanders supporters, political consultants, and labor unions that encouraged him to run—are still trying to influence the race.”
King noted that while some progressive Democrats remain loyal to Platner and his campaign, many other Democratic voters simply want to move beyond the controversy.
“It’s not just about Platner,” King explained. “Many voters also want the people surrounding him to step back so the party can focus on the election instead of reliving internal disputes.”
The situation has created additional uncertainty for Maine Democrats, who must now navigate a two-week process to choose a replacement candidate for one of the party’s top Senate pickup opportunities.
King said the developments have left many Democratic leaders deeply concerned.
“As you noted, this was Democrats’ number-one opportunity—a Republican-held Senate seat,” he said. “Their goal was to defeat Republican Senator Susan Collins, but now many Democrats fear this internal division could once again cost them the race.”
King pointed to Maine’s recent voting history as evidence that Democrats should, in theory, be highly competitive statewide.
He noted that former Vice President Kamala Harris carried Maine by approximately nine percentage points, while President Joe Biden also won the state comfortably in the 2020 presidential election.
On paper, those results suggest Democrats have a favorable electoral environment.
However, King emphasized that Senator Susan Collins has repeatedly demonstrated her ability to outperform national political trends.
He reminded viewers that Collins won reelection in 2020 even as Biden carried Maine by a wide margin, illustrating her longstanding appeal among many independent and crossover voters.
“That’s exactly what worries Democrats,” King said. “Even in what was considered a very strong Democratic year nationally, Susan Collins found a way to win.”
According to King, Democratic strategists fear that another divisive nomination battle could discourage some supporters from fully backing the eventual nominee in the general election.
“If the party remains divided after selecting its next candidate,” he said, “some voters on the losing side of that contest may simply decide not to show up in November.”
King concluded by saying that many Maine Democrats believe the party’s immediate priorities are clear: quickly unite behind a new nominee and put the controversy surrounding Platner behind them.
“For many voters,” King said, “the message is simple—they want a new candidate, and they want Graham Platner to quietly step aside so Democrats can focus on defeating Susan Collins in one of the country’s most closely watched Senate races.”
Source Breitbart
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