About That Oyster Farmer
Read about a candidate who inspired my activist group to talk about canvassing road trips to Maine.
It’s the last day of the quarter, and if you have ever donated to a Democratic candidate, your phone is likely full of texts and voicemail messages, and your inbox is full of emails from candidates asking for donations before this fundraising deadline. I don’t want to add to your overwhelmed inbox, but I do want to talk about one candidate who inspired me and my friends when we met him on Zoom.
Last Friday morning, our groups – Markers For Democracy, Downtown Nasty Women Social Group, and Team Min – hosted Graham Platner on our postcarding Zoom. (We write postcards to voters together on Zoom three (or more) mornings a week, and while we write, we hear from candidates, authors, journalists, activists, and representatives of organizations doing work in Democratic and pro-democracy spaces. If that sounds like something you’d be interested in, you are welcome to join us!) I had been following Graham Platner since the day he announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate in Maine, in part because one of the smart, political data people I follow on Twitter/X, Adam Carlson (he’s not on Substack, but he should be), posted about Graham and shared his launch video. I learned that Graham is a veteran and an oyster farmer, and as I am a huge fan of Maine oysters (shout out to Eventide Oyster Co. in Portland), I tuned into a Zoom for Graham’s kick-off, which was held in a packed space somewhere in northeastern Maine. Graham was introduced by a woman who was a live wire in her own right; she turned out to be his mother, Leslie Harlow. Leslie owns a restaurant, Ironbound, in Hancock, Maine. Graham spoke as a down-to-earth and authentic Mainer. (I’ve made something like 15 trips to Maine in my life and have family and friends who grew up there, so I have some familiarity.) I donated to his campaign. The next thing you know, one of our members, Carlean G., who was on vacation in Maine, wandered into Ironbound without knowing about the connection or about Graham’s campaign, and met Leslie and Graham. (Carlean said it was the best meal she ate in Maine.) One thing led to another, and we hosted Graham on our Zoom and had a fantastic and wide-ranging conversation that covered topics from Frances Perkins and her connection to Maine, organizing in rural districts, the TV series Andor, the state of the Democratic party, and more. I may or may not have said that he was one of the hottest candidates running at the moment. Full disclosure: Graham is running in a Democratic primary that already has two other candidates, and the word on the street is that Chuck Schumer and the DSCC are leaning heavily on Maine’s 77-year-old Demcratic Governor, Janet Mills, to enter the race. She has not yet done so, but a strong fundraising quarter from Graham will show the DSCC that he is not a flash-in-the-pan but a formidable candidate who can go the distance and defeat Susan “I’m concerned” Collins.
One of our members, Louise Wollman (she is on Substack but I couldn’t figure out how to link to her), was so enthusiastic about Graham that she wrote to her friends after the Zoom, and I share her email below:
Friends and friends of friends!
I have never asked for money for a candidate, but here I am doing it.
Because I haven’t been so excited about a candidate since JOHN F. KENNEDY in 1959! I assume you all already know something about him but you should know even more. And hopefully donate!
He—Graham Platner, the “Maine Oysterman” running for Senate to oust Susan Collins—just spoke for an hour and answered questions at our Friday morning activist Zoom. He wowed every last one of us grown-up Progressives, average age probably 65. Everyone enthusiastically donating, members vowing to drive to Maine and canvas for him (though a NYC accent could probably cost him votes!)
He’s the real deal! Articulate, clear, passionate, well-schooled in history with values harking back to the New Deal and the labor movement. (He has strong connections to the labor movement in Maine.)
He served multiple tours—actually fighting—in Afghanistan and Iraq. Brutal memories that haunt him but are his reason for leaving a quiet life to run for national office. (Ellen’s addition: Today, after the horrific spectacle of Trump’s speech to generals, Graham tweeted: “I served with the National Guard in Afghanistan. American cities are not ‘training grounds.’ What a disgusting concept.”)
Parenthetically and believe it or not, the Party Brass (Democratic!) are actually trying, even threatening, to drive him out of the race. Nothing corrupts like power. (Or money.)
Anyway, his first Sept 30 funding deadline looms, and it would be great to see Graham stick it to national Party Brass with a massive showing. (So far in two months, he’s raised about 3 million.) He’s determined to build a grass-roots organization (like WisDems in Wisconsin), one that not merely defeats Susan Collins, but becomes a year-round fixture in Maine Democratic state politics.
Here are some interviews and articles. And a link to donate. Thanks for listening!
Louise
Interview with Chris Hayes on the Why Is This Happening? Podcast.
New Yorker article: Can a Maine Oyster Farmer Defeat a Five-Term Republican Senator
New Republic article: The Political Awakening of the Oyster Farmer Taking on Susan Collins
If you feel inspired . . .
P.S. One more thing from Ellen: I love this clip of Graham in which he says, among other things: “We are fighting for the freedom to have time to build, to create, to love, and to live lives not of just survival, but of fulfillment and joy.” Well said!
Great article! He was such a breath of fresh air!
Bravo! You write as well as Hubbell !! More please.