2026 Midterm Elections

[heelinhell]

It is a very difficult question, honestly, and I want to give you a thoughtful answer. Voting for Collins would be completely off the table so the real choice would be between Platner, third party, or leaving that spot blank on the ballot.

I am pretty utilitarian when I vote, so not necessarily considering it an endorsement of any particular candidate's entire platform or every life choice they've ver made, but just that they are a person who is likely to advance the kind of things that are important to me, and keep a Rep from winning. Where I stick on Platner is that, if he wins the primary I don't think he is going to keep a Rep from winning despite what the polls are saying here in March. I think he would lose to Collins because his track record has shown that he will continue to make unforced error after unforced error. And even more than that, I don't like what it would say about the Dem party that we would elect someone who is willing to make common cause with the alt-right. I hate the narrative that "bOtH pArTiEs ArE tHe SaMe" because they're clearly not - but this would be a step in that direction.

So with that long-winded explanation I think that I would wrestle with it up to election day and probably ultimately leave it blank.

I appreciate your response to a question I was going to pose.

I support Platner because if we lose Maine we lose the Senate. Platner has 14,000 volunteers on the ground knocking on doors. Platner is holding "sold out " town halls all across the state. He advocates policies that I support such as Medicare for all. He accepts no pac money

If its a Mills vs. Collins race, I don't see why voters would vote for Mills . She and Collins are little different so why replace a senior Senate GQPer with her junior Senate look alike ?

I don't think Platner is anti-semitic but that will be the coordinated attack strategy over the next 100 days.

 

[altoheel]

I appreciate your response to a question I was going to pose.

I support Platner because if we lose Maine we lose the Senate. Platner has 14,000 volunteers on the ground knocking on doors. Platner is holding "sold out " town halls all across the state. He advocates policies that I support such as Medicare for all. He accepts no pac money

If its a Mills vs. Collins race, I don't see why voters would vote for Mills . She and Collins are little different so why replace a senior Senate GQPer with her junior Senate look alike ?

I don't think Platner is anti-semitic but that will be the coordinated attack strategy over the next 100 days.

I understand being skeptical of anyone that Chuck Schumer likes. But between Mills and Collins, who is going to be a better vote on abortion? LGBT rights? Climate change? If Dems win the presidency in 2028, how about judicial appointees?

 

[heelinhell]

I understand being skeptical of anyone that Chuck Schumer likes. But between Mills and Collins, who is going to be a better vote on abortion? LGBT rights? Climate change? If Dems win the presidency in 2028, how about judicial appointees?

There is no difference between Collins and Mills on those issues.

Before 2028 we have 2026 elections. The question is will Mainers prefer Mills over Collins and keep the status quo by replacing a 78yo Mills for a 73yo Collins ?

Given the Mainer enthusiasm for a 42yo change candidate, it seems that Mainers may be ready for a change.

 

[altoheel]

There is no difference between Collins and Mills on those issues.

Before 2028 we have 2026 elections. The question is will Mainers prefer Mills over Collins and keep the status quo by replacing a 78yo Mills for a 73yo Collins ?

Given the Mainer enthusiasm for a 42yo change candidate, it seems that Mainers may be ready for a change.

I'm sorry but WHAT? When has Susan Collins ever done anything but tearfully cast the deciding vote on reprehensible legislation? And the governor who opposes Dobbs and worked to protect trans kids from Trump would not be better than that?

 

[pspsps]

I appreciate your response to a question I was going to pose.

I support Platner because if we lose Maine we lose the Senate. Platner has 14,000 volunteers on the ground knocking on doors. Platner is holding "sold out " town halls all across the state. He advocates policies that I support such as Medicare for all. He accepts no pac money

If its a Mills vs. Collins race, I don't see why voters would vote for Mills . She and Collins are little different so why replace a senior Senate GQPer with her junior Senate look alike ?

I don't think Platner is anti-semitic but that will be the coordinated attack strategy over the next 100 days.

You reject the idea that he is anti-Semitic and I can appreciate how one gets there from his campaign rhetoric. But how do you explain away the repeated instances of not just soft anti Semitic dalliances but virulently anti Semitic symbols, tertiary associates, and public appearances with openly far right anti-Semites?

My sense is Platner is viewing his campaign purely through the lens of populist labor and that comes with some creepy bedfellows. It probably also works in Maine.

 

[heelinhell]

I'm sorry but WHAT? When has Susan Collins ever done anything but tearfully cast the deciding vote on reprehensible legislation? And the governor who opposes Dobbs and worked to protect trans kids from Trump would not be better than that?

I've been day drinking since 7am so I don't remember the concerned and deeply troubled Susan Collins casting deciding votes against abortion, LGBT, or climate change.

Can you inform me as to which which bills where she voted against abortion ,LGBT rights, and climate change ? Thanks

 

[altoheel]

I've been day drinking since 7am so I don't remember the concerned and deeply troubled Susan Collins casting deciding votes against abortion, LGBT, or climate change.

Can you inform me as to which which bills where she voted against abortion ,LGBT rights, and climate change ? Thanks

She voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch, for one. That's enough damage to abortion rights, climate change, and LGBT rights for multiple lifetimes.

 

[superrific]

There is no difference between Collins and Mills on those issues.

Before 2028 we have 2026 elections. The question is will Mainers prefer Mills over Collins and keep the status quo by replacing a 78yo Mills for a 73yo Collins ?

Given the Mainer enthusiasm for a 42yo change candidate, it seems that Mainers may be ready for a change.

This is the stupidest thing I can remember you ever writing. The most important thing a Senator does -- by far -- is cast a vote for majority leader. That's like 90% of the job.

There is no universe in which Collins -> Mills is "status quo."

Edit: "stupidest" was an overreaction. It's just a disagreement.

 

[superrific]

I've been day drinking since 7am so I don't remember the concerned and deeply troubled Susan Collins casting deciding votes against abortion, LGBT, or climate change.

Can you inform me as to which which bills where she voted against abortion ,LGBT rights, and climate change ? Thanks

I hope that day drinking went smoother going in than it has coming out.

When has Jon Cornyn ever cast deciding votes against abortion, LGBT or climate change? So I guess it's just status quo to replace him with Jasmine?

 

[superrific]

My sense is Platner is viewing his campaign purely through the lens of populist labor and that comes with some creepy bedfellows. It probably also works in Maine.

I don't know about working in Maine, but that's my sense as well. And this has LONG been a barrier to progressive politics in this country. The solidarity of the working class has never existed because of the racial and ethnic and religious divisions. This is the liberal curse, and why it's so much harder to be a Dem and a Pub. These straits are narrow and full of rocks.

 

[heelinhell]

You reject the idea that he is anti-Semitic and I can appreciate how one gets there from his campaign rhetoric. But how do you explain away the repeated instances of not just soft anti Semitic dalliances but virulently anti Semitic symbols, tertiary associates, and public appearances with openly far right anti-Semites?

My sense is Platner is viewing his campaign purely through the lens of populist labor and that comes with some creepy bedfellows. It probably also works in Maine.

Good question

I dismiss the tattoo issue which has been discussed here over and over. He has been forceful in criticizing Israel's actions in Gaza and says it is genocide. This has aroused opposition from AIPAC and other steadfast supporters of Israel's actions. No doubt he will oppose the actions in Iran.

I oppose Israel's actions in Gaza and their actions in Iran. Does that make me anti-Semitic ?

 

[pspsps]

Good question

I dismiss the tattoo issue which has been discussed here over and over. He is been forceful in criticizing Israel's actions in Gaza and says it is genocide. This has aroused opposition from AIPAC and other steadfast supporters of Israel's actions. No doubt he will oppose the actions in Iran.

I oppose Israel's actions in Gaza and their actions in Iran. Does that make me anti-Semitic ?

You posed a generalized red herring of a question while whitewashing overt far right associations. You did not address the core of the criticism. I will not “look over there!”

 

[heelinhell]

This is the stupidest thing I can remember you ever writing. The most important thing a Senator does -- by far -- is cast a vote for majority leader. That's like 90% of the job.

There is no universe in which Collins -> Mills is "status quo."

I'm guessing you did not take time to read the prior post to which I responded and understand the context of my response. Hopefully you will do so and then say its not the stupidest I ever posted but maybe the 2nd or 3rd stupidist ?

 

[heelinhell]

You posed a generalized red herring of a question while whitewashing overt far right associations. You did not address the core of the criticism. I will not “look over there!”

I guess we will just have to disagree. You may worry that Platner is a Hitler-like Jew hater. I do not.

 

[Paine]

I guess we will just have to disagree. You may worry that Platner is a Hitler-like Jew hater. I do not.

Mmmm. Few things better than a good nothing burger in the morning.

 

[pspsps]

I guess we will just have to disagree. You may worry that Platner is a Hitler-like Jew hater. I do not.

Another “look over there!” You sound like ZenMode.

I said I would vote for him over Collins. I said his overt far right associations have not been adequately addressed and it is troubling they continue to occur. I find his explanation for the tattoo moderately flimsy but plausible. I find the Stew Peters and Nate Cornacchia associations outright problematic. Your response has been obfuscation.

 

[heelinhell]

Mmmm. Few things better than a good nothing burger in the morning.

Mmmm. Few things better than a good nothing burger in the morning.

It's 100 days until the primary and Platner is leading both Mills and Collins in the polls. Chuck is all in on Mills.

Unfortunately, I expect the Platner is a Jew hater meme to continue until the primary. But what if the Jew hater wins ? Will the Dem leadership support and fund him the general election ?

 

[superrific]

I'm guessing you did not take time to read the prior post to which I responded and understand the context of my response. Hopefully you will do so and then say its not the stupidest I ever posted but maybe the 2nd or 3rd stupidist ?

It started with you saying:

"There is no difference between Collins and Mills on those issues. Before 2028 we have 2026 elections. The question is will Mainers prefer Mills over Collins and keep the status quo by replacing a 78yo Mills for a 73yo Collins ?"

Then someone asked you about what has Collins ever done except cast deciding votes on terrible legislation. I took that to point out that she has never to my memory cast a decisive vote in favor of those things she supposedly favors. When they don't need her vote, she votes for the moderate position to keep up appearances. It's all part of her deeply troubled performance art. But she's always there for the Rs when they need her. Always. Maybe I'm forgetting one or two things, but for the most part, she's just the Pubs' leader's puppet.

Note that I wrote it was the stupidest thing you've written. Not the stupidest thing I've read or anything like that -- your worst is still above average. And maybe I was a little harsh. But I really, really object to the idea that Collins and Mills are more or less equivalent status quo options. You're starting to sound like the folks who cost us elections in 2000 and 2016.

 

[Paine]

It's 100 days until the primary and Platner is leading both Mills and Collins in the polls. Chuck is all in on Mills.

Unfortunately, I expect the Platner is a Jew hater meme to continue until the primary. But what if the Jew hater wins ? Will the Dem leadership support and fund him the general election ?

It doesn’t matter. No amount of hit pieces pushed by Mills and Schumer will make a dent in Platner’s lead. You have to be extremely online to even understand the current “controversy,” such as it is. It’s the “Bernie went on Rogan” shit all over again. If the tattoo didn’t sink him, this won’t either.

Worst thing I can say about the guy is he doesn’t have the best judgement in terms of optics. Same thing super said last week. He’s a novice candidate, so that’s expected.

He’s still the best option against Collins.

 

[superrific]

I dismiss the tattoo issue which has been discussed here over and over. He has been forceful in criticizing Israel's actions in Gaza and says it is genocide. This has aroused opposition from AIPAC and other steadfast supporters of Israel's actions. No doubt he will oppose the actions in Iran.

I oppose Israel's actions in Gaza and their actions in Iran. Does that make me anti-Semitic ?

This is bordering on Zen Mode levels of deflection and gaslighting.

altoheel was not asking about Platner's views on Gaza. He was asking a set of very reasonable questions specifically about Platner's conduct. Saying "now AIPAC is trying to defeat him" is a dodge, and a poor one at that. AIPAC isn't relevant to the question asked. Nor is Gaza. Nobody ever said he was a Hitler loving Jew hater. That's just you pulling a MAGA move there.

The question was, if I can paraphrase, what should we make of the fact that this guy continues to engage in questionable behavior that all points the same way. Can you answer that? Or must you try to answer another question that wasn't asked.

Pspsps gave one answer that could explain Platner's views. Do you concur with that?