Mainers Want Fresh New Faces to Repesent them in Washington, DC Such as Oyster Farmer and US Marine Vet Graham Platner, 41.

US Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) today endorsed Graham Platner in his campaign for Senate in Maine.

“Graham Platner is the kind of fighter Maine hasn’t seen in a long time, someone who tells you exactly what he thinks, doesn’t owe anything to the special interests and wakes up every day thinking about working famiies,” said Senator Gallego.  “He’s a Marine and reflects the grit and independence that defines Maine and that’s exactly why I’m proud to stand with Graham Platner.’

“It’s an absolute honor to have Senator Gallego’s endorsement,” said Graham Platner.  “I have an immense amount of respect for him and I”m looking forward to joining him as a fellow Marine and combat infantryman in the US Senate.  Senator Gallego is a relentless fighter who understands that we have to do things differently to start delivering for working people again.  Senator Gallego also knows how to win tough races — and he gets that if Democrats try the same thing year after year, we will lose.”

Senator Gallego carried Arizona by 2.4% in 2024, the same year Donald Trump won the state by 5.5% — a nearlly 8 point overperformance.  No Democrat who won a Senate seat in 2024 outperformed the top of the ticket by more.

This endorsement comes a week after an independent poll found Graham far outpacing his primary opponent in head-to-heads againse Senator Collins.  The same poll also found Graham up nearly 40 points in the primary against Governor Janet Mills.

Further, last week NBC News reported that unions have privately been urging Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to stop supporting Governor MiIls in the race.

Graham lives in Sullivan with his wife, Amy, just three doors down from the house where he grew up.  As a US Marine, Graham was deployed to Iraq three times.  As a member of the US National Guard, he was deployed to Afghanistan.

For background information on the unions’ effort to disuade Chuch Schumer from supporting Lame Duck Governor Mllls, please read post herein dated February 27, 2026.  And for background information on Graham’s almost 40 point lead over Lame Duck Governor Mills and lead over Senator Susan Collins, please visit post herein dated February 24, 2026.