It was entirely doable, Democratic strategists told me then. It still is today, they maintain. But the harsh truth is the party machinery cannot stage-manage the in-state primaries from afar. It’s gotten to the point where major players—including those close to Schumer—are acknowledging that the safer, more-electable candidates might not be able to compete with the base’s affection for more ideological fighters.
Platner vs. Mills in Maine
The biggest schism in the party is arguably playing out in Maine, where Sen. Susan Collins, a perpetual target for Democrats, is seeking a fifth term. Schumer landed his dream recruit in Gov. Janet Mills, now 78 and potentially the oldest first-term Senator in history. Progressives, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, had other ideas and are backing Graham Platner, a 41-year-old harbormaster who served three tours as a Marine in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. Platner vs. Mills has emerged as an emotional, high-stakes proxy fight that we’re going to see a lot in this column.
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