Platner, Leading Mills In Democratic Primary Polls, Wins Over Jon Stewart
The oyster farmer and Senate hopeful impressed the veteran host with an hour-plus interview free of political platitudes.
Democratic U.S. Senate hopeful Graham Platner sat down with Jon Stewart on the host's podcast, The Weekly Show, on April 30, and came away with praise from the veteran interviewer for what he framed as unusual candor.
An oyster farmer from Sullivan and a military veteran campaigning on a populist platform, Platner has outpaced his nearest Democratic rival, Gov. Janet Mills, in recent primary polling. Whoever wins that race would go on to challenge five-term Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
Over the course of the hour-plus conversation, Platner touched on how he got into politics, his call for what he termed a political revolution, wealth inequality and his views on the Democratic Party's establishment wing. Stewart, who has spent years interviewing figures in politics, told him, "This might be the longest conversation I've had [with a politician] without a platitude." He also said getting to know Platner's story firsthand left him with a clearer picture than the one painted by national media coverage.
This story was first reported by Bangor Daily News.
