Mark Berger lives in Waldoboro.

On Thursday, April 2, I had the very real pleasure of attending a Passover Seder in Bath that was attended, and jointly hosted by, Graham Platner.

Ten days before I received the invitation, I had reached out to the Platner campaign to suggest that Graham make himself available to voters in more personal settings where voters can have a one-to-one conversation without the crush you can get at town hall-type events.

The Seder was obviously already in the works and I was grateful to attend. I have been following Graham’s campaign from the beginning, and have been very impressed by the rapid rise of his profile as well as his direct and timely message. But as we all know, there were certain revelations regarding insensitive statements he had made, in addition to a tattoo that was seen as Nazi iconography.

It is very challenging for anyone who doesn’t know Graham personally to understand whether these past issues are, in fact, in the past. Some people running for office have been known to be less than forthcoming regarding exactly who or what they are. From the public statements Graham has made regarding these issues, I believe he has given clear explanations and sincere apologies.

But yet for me and many others, there is no substitute for meeting someone face to face, to get a better sense of their character. In Graham’s case, it is even more necessary, since he was until this moment unknown as a public figure. It is a big ask for voters to just trust someone’s words. Trust comes with time and consistency.

Prior to the start of the Seder, my wife and I were able to spend a few minutes with Graham. What Graham said to me regarding the allegations against him was that he felt frustrated because he knows he is not that personality those past moments have painted him as. He had to overcome the experiences and stresses that his military service left him with. He has grown and learned.

What strikes me most about him is that there is nothing flashy or insincere in his personality; he’s not a politician on the make. It’s about the fight, and the goals. It’s not about him. That overused word, authentic, is in this case correct. I don’t think Graham’s goal in politics is to become a creature of Washington, and certainly not to become rarely seen by the citizens of Maine. He’s gregarious but not driven to be the focus.

At the Seder, before it began, and when the 50 or so people were seated at their tables, he made a very short statement about some of the eternal lessons to be recognized from the story of Passover, such as the quest for freedom and to make the world as good as we can, even when it seems impossible. After that, he was just another person, listening to, and when it was his turn, reading from the prayer book.

You may well ask why my opinion of Graham should have any weight or credibility. After all, I too am an unknown to nearly all who will read this. I’m just a citizen, no more, no less, but I’m willing to sign my name in public support of Graham Platner, with the belief that he is of us, for us, and has the courage and energy to move Maine and the country forward.