The Democratic Senate hopes Graham Platner will evaluate the U.S. political system as he speaks more than 6,500 people in Portland, Maine.
“We don't live in a broken system, and he aims to challenge Republican Senator Susan Collins, 40,” said Platner, a 40-year-old oyster farmer and combat veteran.
Fighting is a democratic faithful desire, and it is obvious that they don't see it.
Platner appeared with Senator Bernie Sanders as part of the latter’s “fighting oligarch” journey. Platner’s passionate condemnation of the status quo (fighting existing power and the power that attracts Americans) is exactly what Sanders plays. But besides this influence, Platner represents a new approach to civic politics, driven by the base’s anger at the policy of President Donald Trump and the party-building response.
Fighting is a democratic faithful desire, and it is obvious that they don't see it. A new Gallup poll shows that the party’s popularity is a historic low, even if only 0.4% of Democrats are happy with the direction of the country (76% of Republicans say it is). Some established mature Democrats, such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom, have the opportunity to provide voters with a fighter that can both tow the president on social media and resist his deployment in Los Angeles' National Guard. A July poll found that Californians’ approval rate rose to 56% from 38% a month ago after clashes with Trump on deployment.
Fighting alone is not enough. Newsom's approval is less than 40% in very blue states and should be concerned that Democrats believe the governor provides a strong path forward for the party. Democrats are divided and face many foreign and domestic problems. “It is no coincidence that our taxpayers' money can build schools and hospitals in the United States, rather than destroying their bombs in Gaza,” Platner said, comparing resistance with Trump's resistance to the victory message of appeals and progressive politics, rather than just replaying the “Orange Man Bad” message to voters (even if it's clear, the Orange Man is indeed the Bad).
Maine's Senate primary looks like the next old guard for the Democrats with a new test. Despite being a political newbie, Platner raised more than $1 million in the first nine days. But Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is reportedly working behind the scenes to get 77-year-old Gov. Janet Mills to the competition.
Whether the mill enters or not, it is a struggle that the old guards may be lost in the long run. Platner is not alone in combining the new blood of the young cohort with a stronger, powerful message to position democratic values as the party’s path. Candidates like Zohran Mamdani, the New York Democratic mayor, have seen successful victories, which has left voters unhesitant to improve policies and a general rejection of Trump. Texas Rep. James Talarico, a Senate candidate in 2026, worked to bridge the gap between state Christians and liberal politics.
Whether Gov. Janet Mills enters or not, it's a struggle that the old Guards may lose in the long run.
Other relative newcomers who aim to capitalize on Republicans’ political success, such as Kat Abughazaleh, 26, of Illinois, who tend to be their anti-Trump sincerity. “Donald Trump said there are people in the United States who want him to be a dictator,” Abughazaleh, who last week's open seat in the 9th Congressional District of Illinois, released last week. “I’m running for Congress to stop this from happening.”
In Florida, another 26-year-old Elijah Manley is running for future Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who will postpone being a key part of his message with Gov. Ron DeSantis. Manley told South Florida Suns Seney in August during a Grand Slam for Republican governor that he wanted to “the new Jim Raven” in the state.
Combining a strong struggle against Trump and the Republican Party with progressive policies may not be what Democratic leaders like Schumer want to see for the party’s guidance, but, as the success of Platner and others suggests, this approach appeals. For fresh politicians like this, it's easy to sell. Voters agree – but will the party adapt to the times?