Democrats' Struggle with Multi-Racial America
Both parties face challenges in making their policies appealing in a multi-racial America.
Graham Platner: A Disappointing Hope
Graham Platner, a Maine Senate candidate, initially seemed like the answer to Democrats' electoral struggles. His biography and persona embodied blue collar machismo, which is lacking in the modern Democratic Party. As a veteran with multiple combat tours and an oysterman, he appeared to be an authentic figure who could promote left-wing populism as a solution to the heartland's troubles.
He was a man who could supposedly take on MAGA on its own terms by arguing that left-wing populism, not Trumpism, was the real solution to the heartland’s troubles.
However, Platner now embarrasses the liberals who once supported him. Recent discoveries reveal that he declared himself a communist and a zealous supporter of Antifa violence in online posts. Additionally, he has a Totenkopf ("death's head") skull-and-crossbones tattoo, an image associated with the Nazis' paramilitary wing.
Author's summary: Democrats face challenges in multi-racial America, with Platner's controversial past disappointing liberals.