Several Maine voters who cast ballots in the state’s Democratic primary for Senate today told NBC News that they support candidate Graham Platner despite several controversies and allegations surrounding him.
“I am extremely conflicted,” said Judy Sides, who was undecided heading into her polling place in Scarborough, several miles south of Portland. “If I really thought [Gov. Janet] Mills had a chance, I may vote for her just to give Platner a message that he’s — not everybody is really for him.”
After she voted, Sides said that she cast a ballot for Platner to send a message to the Democratic establishment that Mainers support him. Mills, a Democrat, suspended her Senate campaign in April but remains on the ballot.
Green Party voter Lynn Thurston said she was torn but planned to vote for Platner: “I know the Republicans are spending a lot of money to put him down. You don’t know what to believe, but we need some fresh voices, somebody who will stand up to those jerks down there.”
Ryan Saucier suggested to NBC News that Platner was “the lesser of two evils.”
“I mean, we all go through stuff in our lives, and you know, the person who throws the stone in the glass house, right? I mean, you know, to judge him for stuff that he’s apologized for, he’s owned it, you know,” Saucier said.
Irena McQuarrie confirmed that allegations against Platner “give me pause,” but said there’s no perfect candidate.
“We have limited choices, and from the choices that I’ve been given, I feel like that’s the best choice,” she said about Platner.