Eleanor Weisman is a retired educator living in Belfast.

Rep. Valli Geiger’s Oct. 23 op-ed on her support for Graham Platner (“Graham Platner deserves grace“) sends an important message to Mainers. Her compassion for veterans who suffer from PTSD empathetically invites political outsiders into the electoral process.

In these dark times we need new voices in our Senate primary, candidates who are willing to challenge the status quo. I do not judge Graham Platner for what he said or did five years ago but I support him for who he is in 2025, for what he hopes to accomplish for Mainers and working people, and for his commitment to stopping the power of the wealthy that has stolen our democracy and is wrecking our climate.

I happened to meet Graham almost a year ago and was immediately impressed by his values and his leadership skills. Even before becoming a candidate for Senate, he was invested in organizing working Mainers to promote health care, housing and benefits for all. I witnessed his vulnerability when speaking about his history in the armed services and his realizations that foreign wars are all part of the corporate greed and drive for profit that runs all aspects of our government.

Graham’s politics is based in community and labor organizing. He is a New Deal Democrat willing to confront and challenge the status quo Democratic Party that has turned our government into a duopoly with both parties supporting the wealthy oligarchs at the expense of working people.

Our country is in a dangerous period with a deeply disturbed president who is a pathological liar and a solipsistic narcissist who has no repentance for any of his actions. The actions of the administration inflict pain and cruelty onto citizens and legal immigrants while destroying all measures to mitigate the breakdown of the fragile climate.

The United States continues to fund war and famine profiting the defense industry. People, including Mainers, are losing access to health care and nutrition while enduring a housing crisis. Simultaneously, hedge fund managers and billionaires are gaining more wealth and power.

The Supreme Court legalizes corruption and racial profiling, creating an all-powerful executive branch that destroys government services that we all need. Because Congress has failed to impeach or stop the abuse of power, it is time for new voices in the Senate.

As a 74-year old Jewish Mainer, I can understand that social media posts and tattoos can make good-intentioned people question Graham Platner’s potential as Maine’s next senator. However, I stand with Graham and encourage everyone to learn more about who he is now and what he stands for now.

Graham Platner has the ability to reach voters of many different constituencies. He understands younger people who have always known the online sphere and he is a role model for vulnerability and self-growth.

I trust his promises, including protection of bodily autonomy and preserving Social Security while working for nationalized health care. Graham knows that it will take time and all of us to wrest power from the ruling class and give it back to working people.

We do not need mainstream pundits telling us that Platner should drop out. We do not need Democratic Party leaders supporting old school candidates. We do not need others telling us what to think. We do need to hear directly from the candidates and learn about their policy platforms. 

Hopefully our local media outlets will host debates and candidate forums. We can also do the research for ourselves by reading Graham’s online platform, by going to a Platner town hall and by listening to his speeches and interviews.

Graham Platner is a charismatic, hard-working, selfless Mainer who I believe is truly working for the good of all. I trust that he is the best candidate to represent Mainers in the U.S. Senate and that once elected, he will work for structural change to bring power back to the people.