New Graham Platner Ad Comes Out SWINGING Against Collins

Summary

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Bulwark Takes – New Graham Platner Ad Comes Out SWINGING Against Collins

Podcast: Bulwark Takes
Date: May 7, 2026
Host: Sam Stein (A)
Guest: Lauren Egan (B), author of the Opposition newsletter

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Episode Overview

This episode zeroes in on the kickoff of general election season in Maine, as Democrat Graham Platner and incumbent Senator Susan Collins release strikingly contrasting campaign ads. Host Sam Stein and guest Lauren Egan analyze both ads, unpack their strategies, and explore how these moves signal the tone and trajectory of the race. They also discuss broader campaign themes including age, incumbency, and the evolving Maine political landscape.

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Key Discussion & Insights

1. The Season of Political Ads

• Campaign ad season has arrived, and both candidates in Maine have released their first general election spots.
• The ads are "incredibly different," giving insight into each candidate's strategy and the dynamics of the contest.

Notable Moment

[00:41] Sam Stein: "All right, let's start with Platner's ad, which is, I would say generously, the more provocative of the two ads."

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2. Graham Platner’s "Swinging" Ad: A Bold Populist Approach

Ad Content & Messaging (Played at [01:03])

• Platner wastes no time attacking Senator Susan Collins directly, calling her out on:

  • Her remorsefulness and inaction regarding "a new, forever war"
  • Alleged ties to the "Epstein class" and accusations of enabling wealth redistribution from the working class
  • Failing to deliver concrete results on healthcare and reproductive rights
  • Offering only "performative politics"

• Memorable Quote (Platner, [01:03]):
  "Symbolic opposition doesn't reopen hospitals. Weak condemnations don't bring back Roe v. Wade... A performative politics that enables the destruction of our way of life is disqualified."

Hosts’ Reactions

• Stein and Egan note the aggressively populist and distinctly left-wing tone—unapologetic and "super aggressive."
• [02:12] Lauren Egan: "It's pure populist, lefty message... He goes right for her. The entire thing is just him trashing Susan Collins."

Assessment of Effectiveness and Risk

• Egan questions if this is an opening gambit that will pay off or might alienate some voters.
• Stein theorizes that Platner is deliberately trying to drive up Collins’s negatives, recognizing her entrenched reputation in Maine.
• Platner’s gamble: forego a traditional “introduce myself” ad to come out swinging.
• [03:49] Sam Stein: "He's got a job to do, which is to make people feel like, no, she's not acceptable anymore. And so that's what this ad's about."

Topic Selection—Foreign Policy and “Epstein Class”

• Platner leads with criticism of Collins’s stance on Iran and "forever wars," which is "not typical" but potentially resonant given current events ([05:14]).
• Both hosts find Platner’s swipe at "the Epstein class" notable but less relevant to Collins personally.
  • [06:19] Lauren Egan: "I don't know if that sticks to me. That doesn't stick as much with her..."

Risks for Platner

• His “wild card” persona, unorthodox approach, and checkered social media history could backfire if not managed wisely.

  • [07:38] Sam Stein: "...you do risk coming off as sort of being mean to this, you know, 70-whatever-year-old senator..."

• But Egan contends that we're "so far past" the point where civility is expected; voters may accept (or even prefer) rough-and-tumble campaigning ([07:47]).

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3. Susan Collins’s Ad: The Classic Incumbent Appeal

Ad Content & Messaging (Played at [10:48])

• Collins’s ad focuses on a local infrastructure success: the rebuilding of the Eastport Breakwater (a 2014 event).
• Features a grateful local, not Collins herself, and leans into her record of delivering federal dollars for Maine.
• [11:45] Susan Collins (Ad): "Susan, thank you."

Hosts’ Reactions

• Stein calls it "a relic of the past," likening its style and substance to political ads from a decade or more ago ([11:49]).
  • [11:57] Sam Stein: "It's like a relic of the past. It's, you know, look at this money I brought home from the Eastport breakwater."
• The ad is hyper-local and relies on the “I bring home the bacon” message that’s defined her career.

Is This Strategy Still Effective?

• Egan questions if Collins’s approach will still resonate, given shifts in political culture.

  • [13:03] B: "I mean, it's like a gut feeling. I just feel like something has shifted in a way..."

• The hosts note Collins's resilience ("she keeps on winning" [13:26]), but question if a classic appropriator argument is enough for modern voters.

• [14:21] Sam Stein: "I can insulate you if you just re elect me. Like, I can make things better for you people of Maine if you re elect me, but if you elect that guy, you can't have that element of protection."

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4. Age, Health, and Perceptions of Leadership

• Collins recently addressed public discussion about her benign essential tremor following online speculation.

  • [15:53] Collins (clip): "It has absolutely no impact on my ability to do my job or... on how I feel each day."

• Stein and Egan muse on how age and vitality are increasingly scrutinized, particularly "in a post-Biden age."

  • Vitality and energy might weigh even more on voters' minds, with both older and younger voters reflecting candidly on these factors ([17:10] Egan: "It's the old people that have an issue with electing older people.")

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5. The Big Picture and Looking Ahead

• Platner's tactic: go hard, nationalize the race, and create a sharp contrast.
  • [17:41] Sam Stein: "I think Platner's path here is very evident, which is he's just going to outwork her out, hustle or hit her every occasion, nationalize the race and, you know, seem, you know, create an incredible contrast."
• Collins's playbook: stick with what has worked for decades—provincial focus, securing appropriations, and steady presence.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• [01:03] - Platner's Ad:
  "Symbolic opposition doesn't reopen hospitals. Weak condemnations don't bring back Roe v. Wade... …performative politics that enables the destruction of our way of life is disqualified."

• [02:12] Lauren Egan:
  "It's pure populist, lefty message... He goes right for her."

• [11:57] Sam Stein:
  "It's like a relic of the past. It's, you know, look at this money I brought home from the Eastport breakwater."

• [13:26] Sam Stein:
  "But I mean, this is what's tough about Susan Collins is it's so easy to say that. And then she keeps on winning."

• [16:19] Susan Collins:
  "I have had it [benign essential tremor] for the entire time I've served... It has absolutely no impact on my ability to do my job..."

• [17:10] Lauren Egan:
  "It's the old people that have an issue with electing older people."

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:41 – Intro to the Platner ad, campaign season begins
• 01:03 – Platner’s ad plays
• 02:12 – First analysis and reactions to Platner’s approach
• 05:14 – Discussion on using foreign policy (Iran) in a campaign ad
• 06:03 – Impact and relevance of the “Epstein class” attack
• 07:38 – Risks for Platner in tone and branding
• 10:48 – Susan Collins’s ad plays
• 11:57 – Analysis of Collins’s throwback ad style
• 13:03 – Efficacy of Collins’s appropriations-based pitch
• 15:53 – Collins addresses her benign tremor
• 17:10 – Reflections on age and energy in Maine politics

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Tone & Final Takeaways

The episode is brisk, candid, and insightful, peppered with dry humor and shrewd political observation. Stein and Egan’s conversation illuminates how candidate messaging is evolving—or not—in this unpredictable cycle, and how Maine’s closely watched Senate race has become an encapsulation of national political tensions.

Both Platner and Collins have made clear who they are and how they intend to campaign. Whether Platner’s aggressive attack style can overcome Collins’s deep Maine roots and “old school” approach is the story this race will tell over the coming months.

Transcript

[A]

Hey, everyone, it's me, Sam Stein, managing editor at the Bulwark, joined by Lauren Egan, author of the Opposition newsletter. She had a good one last night. We're not going to be talking about that, though. Sorry, Lauren. We got other things on our mind. We're going to be talking about Graham Platner, who's got a new ad up in Maine, and Susan Collins, who has an ad as well. Incredibly different spots, and I guess it's the first indication that we are definitely in general election season. Lauren, are you excited to just be inundated with campaign ads?

[B]

Yeah, it's. I look forward to it every two years. It's my favorite thing.

[A]

At least we don't live. Well, you're in Tennessee, so you might.

[B]

I get a lot of them. Yeah, I'm already starting to get them. But this is where cutting. Cutting the cord helps. You know, with streaming, it's a little bit harder to find me.

[A]

Good point. Yeah. I feel for the people in California who are just can't escape the Tom Steyer ads right now. All right, let's start with Platinum's ad, which is, I would say, generously, the more provocative of the two ads. Again, these ads have incredibly different styles, and it really says a lot about the state of this race. Let's watch the Platinum ad first.

[C]

Susan Collins charade is over. We don't care that you pretend to be remorseful at the start of a new, forever war that you chose to let happen. We don't care that you are concerned while we go broke as you sell us out to the President and to the Epstein class who are engineering the greatest redistribution of wealth from the working class to the ruling class in this nation's history. Symbolic opposition doesn't reopen hospitals. Weak condemnations don't bring back Roe v. Wade. And selling out the same working class voters who've delivered mandate for change after mandate for change is not forgivable. A performative politics that enables the destruction of our way of life is disqualified. As a United States Senator, I am running because it is time. Time for change. I'm Graham Platner, and I approve this message.

[B]

I had to, like, turn my volume down.

[A]

This is the way it comes on with the Susan Collins I know.

[B]

Boom.

[A]

Yeah. So what'd you make?

[B]

It's pure populist, lefty message. It's super aggressive, as we'll see with the Collins one, it's very different. He goes right for her. The entire thing is just him trashing Susan Collins. I mean, it's an interesting choice because this is for both of them. These are their first general election, right? Like, we're now in general election season. It's their first ads of this phase of the campaign. And oftentimes people use that first general ad to kind of like, reintroduce themselves. Like, he could have gone out there and said, I'm this oyster man. Here's my story about Maine. Here's why I love Maine. He talks a lot about reaching out to Trump voters. He's put a lot of videos on his social platforms about him talking. Like that's something he could have done, right? And he didn't do that. This is a totally different choice. And, I mean, he's telling us the kind of race he wants to run. Like, this is the kind of campaign that Graham Platner wants to run, and this is what we've got.

[A]

Do you think it's effective?

[B]

I don't know. Like, certainly that's going to appeal to some people, right? Like, there's a segment of the party that is desperately hungry for that right now. I mean, that was a lot of his. It's not like this is knew about him. Like, this was his pitch during the primary phase as well. He's just obviously, like, really amping that up. And obviously, in a general, you might expect someone to kind of soften some of those edges a little bit. And that's not something he's doing. He's saying, no, this is the general election candidate. I'm going to be. I'm not going to try and sort of run away from the populist roots that I first announced on.

[A]

All right, so here's my view on it. And I have no reporting to indicate that I'm right, but it's. I think. I think I'm right. He needs to get her. He needs to get her negatives down. I mean, maybe she has negatives in these public polling, but time and again, she does well in Maine. And I think they've concluded that basically main voters are like, okay, Susan Collins is, you know, a reliable senator. We've been fine with her. She stands up for Trump and, you know, but she stands up to Trump, I should say. And we, you know, and she's independent minded, and therefore we're comfortable casting another battle for her. And we don't know this guy that well. And so he's got a job to do, which is to make people feel like, no, she's not acceptable anymore. And so that's what this ad's about, is just going, like, hard at her, hard at this idea that she's an actual check on Trump and more framing her as a, you know, revolving door for Trump that he can just walk over. Mixed metaphors there. And the other thing I was kind of curious about was the decision to use Iran up top. Like, that was the first thing he went after. We could talk about the Epstein class, too, which was notable, but, like the forever wars and Iran stuff, like, you know, it's like, I, I'm, I'm sort of my. The conventional wisdom is always that no one really votes on foreign policy stuff. I guess it's in the news and it's obviously top news item, but it's like kind of telling that he went there first.

[B]

Yeah, well, he's also an effective messenger on that. He's a veteran and he's talked about, like, I think. I agree, usually foreign policy stuff isn't first, but, like, I think Democrats are effectively transcending the Iran war into something much bigger. It's like Trump's just ignoring you. He's. There's all this shit going on at home and he doesn't care. It's not so much about what we are actually doing in Iran. It's the decision that for Trump to be distracted and spend a bunch of money over there when there's a lot of things that he said he's going to do back home that he's not doing. And I do think it's effective.

[A]

Yeah, I guess so. I'm curious if we'll see. This is something that I think we should probably monitor. Is like, is this going to be part of other people's ads against Republicans or. Or is it more fleeting? Right. Is it momentary, the Epstein class stuff? Like, what did you make of that?

[B]

That's definitely going to be. I mean, we've seen that from other Democrats so far, and I, I mean, I think that, that. I don't know. I think it depends who you're hitting with that, you know, Like, I don't know.

[A]

I don't, I don't associate Susan Collins with the Epstein class.

[B]

Yeah. Like, she doesn't. I don't know if that sticks to me. That doesn't stick as much with her, but I get the instinct to want to sort of wrap everyone up and like, in there, everyone in the Republican Party to tie them into that.

[A]

It's just like everyone who's in power is part of the Epstein class. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

Right, right. And if you're giving Trump cover, this is what you're giving him cover for. You know, it's kind of the message. But yes, she's a little bit tougher, I think.

[A]

Let's talk about the risks, if there are any here for Platner. So he needs, I guess if, if I had to diagnose a weakness, it's obviously that he's new on the scene and can be defined because people don't have perceptions of him. He's got, you know, some inappropriate tattoos, I will say, to put it mildly in some uncomfortable past posts on social media sites that he's got to deal with. And there's a perception that he's a bit of a wild card. Right. So the risk, I suppose, of an ad like this is that you forego the chance to kind of define yourself in lighter terms, as you put it. And if you're going so hard out of the gate, which I'm actually for, I think it's, you know, if you got to do it, if you're them, like, take, take the gloves off. But you do risk coming off as sort of being mean to this, you know, 70, whatever year old senator who's been a mainstay of Maine.

[B]

Yeah, I don't know if that's a huge risk, though.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I just feel like people are like, I just like in the age of

[A]

Trump, what am I talking about?

[B]

Yeah, like maybe it would have been like a decade ago, but we're just like so far past that. And I mean, Platner is new on the scene, but because this, because his primary got so much national attention, I actually think that that's like people in Maine for my perception of it and talking to folks there, it's like the state has gotten a chance to kind of get to know at least more than you would necessarily expect at this point in a race.

[A]

It's not a big state.

[B]

It's not a big state. It got so much national attention. He's like, kind of, you know, captured the attention of the, a lot of the Democratic Party. So it's not like people are just like, oh, just, just now finding out about this guy. So I think it's a little different. He is more defined than you would traditionally expect for a total newcomer like this.

[A]

Yeah, I will say he's gonna go at her. I mean, it seems pretty evident, like this is just gonna be the entirety of the next six months. He's just gonna hammer her.

[B]

I mean, she's gonna go like. There is some reporting, you know, that her. Some allied Collins groups are getting ready, unsurprisingly, to hit him with a bunch of stuff too. Obviously. We already got A flavor of all that with the Janet Mills.

[A]

Well, the distinction between the outside groups going after him and, and herself, she'll, she'll be elevated, but he is just going to be like absolutely throwing daggers at her the entire time. Which is different than what we would have gotten obviously with Janet Mills, who seemed to have like an aversion to doing any contrast with.

[B]

That's what was one of my first thoughts. I was like, wow, if this is Janet Mills, like the Janet Mills ad that would have run today would have been identical to the Susan Collins ad. You know what I mean? It just would have been like, here's what I did as governor.

[A]

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[D]

The Eastport Breakwater was originally built in 1962 with a lifespan of 20 years. Well, at the end of those 20 years, it was supposed to be replaced, but it never was. Back In December of 2014, we received a phone call at 2:17 in the morning, notifying us that the breakwater had tragically collapsed. There was thankfully no serious injuries. When the breakwater collapsed, it brought a halt to most of our economics and brought a tremendous amount of uncertainty to our future. But prior to sunrise, we received a phone call from Senator Susan Collins, who assured us that she would be there to help see it rebuilt. Just having that assurance meant so much to this community. Senator Collins helped lead the delegation in making sure that we got the federal funding that would be needed. The new breakwater wasn't simply replaced, it was upgraded. And it continues to be a central focal point of what makes Esport great. The breakwater has long been a part of esports past, and with the help of Susan Collins, it'll always be a part of our future as well. Susan, thank you.

[B]

I'm Susan Collins and I've approved this message.

[A]

I mean, incredible. It's like a relic of the past. It's, you know, look at this. Look at this money I brought home from the East Port breakwater.

[B]

This feels like it could have been like a 2010 ad. Yeah.

[A]

Like, and I will just say so she's not in the ad at all until the end when she approves the message. Just a local main man. And it's totally provincial. It's about a situation that happened in 2014, so over 10 years ago is when this breakwater collapsed. And it's basically her saying, hey, I can bring home the bacon for you if you just bring me back there. Which she has done to her credit. Like, she's managed to secure a bunch of stuff for Maine from the Trump administration because they're very, you know, aware that she's in danger. So she gets all this, like, special stuff for liheap and you know, for, you know, whatever, like energy sourcing and stuff like that. And she gets all these goodies. But does that sell in the modern age? Do people care enough? I don't know.

[B]

Yeah, I don't know either. Right. Because her whole pitch has always been, you know, she's on the appropriations committee, she can deliver for me, shares it that, you know. Yeah. But I don't. I really don't know if that's going to be enough anymore.

[A]

Why not?

[B]

Just feels like it's. I mean, it's like a gut feeling. I just feels like something has shifted in a way. Like the. We feel like we're in an entirely different place than when we were where we were in the 2020 race. Like, I just don't see this landing in the same way. But I mean, this is what's tough about Susan Collins is it's so easy to say that. And then she keeps on winning.

[A]

You know, I guess it's like from the vantage point of a main voter, I guess the calculation she's trying to make is all this shit's. Everyone knows all this shit's happening across the country and that the administration, Trump administration, is withholding funds all over the place, kind of skirting the law in terms of appropriations, doing unethical things, and launching this war in Iran. I can insulate you if you just re elect me. Like, I can make things better for you people of Maine if you re elect me, but if you elect that guy, you can't have that element of protection. And, you know, maybe for enough Mainers, that's like, cool. Like, we're happy with keeping ourself secure and safe and somewhat prosperous because of Susan Collins, but it also requires them to say, you know what? The rest of the country, we don't really care. Like, that's a little tough.

[B]

And like, Trump in 2020 is very different than Trump in 2026. You know what I mean? Like, if you're willing to kind of like, swallow that pill in 2020, it's a different calculation that you're making in 2026. Like, things are just way wilder than they were six years ago. And I think that's probably a tougher choice for some people.

[A]

We also don't have Trump on the ballot. Like, like, in 2020, his people came out regardless of place, and that included Maine. Right. And, like, are Trumpers going to come out for Susan Collins?

[B]

Right. And, like, if you are saying that she, you know, she can insulate folks from Trump or whatever. I mean, sure, but that's two more years. Like, we don't know. We don't know who's going to be in office in the White House in 2029. You know, it's not quite as. Which, you know, I guess is the same case back in 2020, but I just think it's. It's different.

[A]

Sure. Now, last thing is that hanging over all this is sort of the uncomfortable conversation around dynamism, age for LT health. Obviously, Platner is much younger, and Susan Collins has been around for a bit, and this week she was, I would say, forced to in a way, because it started bubbling up online and in some articles forced to address the fact that in some of these videos, she can be seen shaking a little bit. And she talked about how she has a benign tremor and she's had it her entire career. And it's totally innocuous. And she's worked through it. It's not a problem. But let's watch her talk about it.

[B]

What I have is an extremely common condition that is called a benign essential tremor. I have had it for the entire time that I've served in the United States Senate. It has absolutely no impact on my ability to do my job or, or on how I feel each day.

[A]

So it may not have an impact on her ability to drive. I don't think it does. And I'm, I trust that it has no impact on how she feels every day. What it does have an impact on is how voters perceive her. And we're in a post Biden age where this stuff now is way more out in the open and discussed and considered as a calculus for voters. And obviously we're in an age in the Democratic side of the ledger where people are hungry for younger, more, you know, candidates with more vitality, basically. What do you make of how that plays?

[B]

I mean, obviously this is something that matters to Democrats, but those folks are gonna vote for Platner anyways. I'm not, I'm curious to see, like, whether this is a hang up for the more independent folks, the folks that were crossover voters.

[A]

Maine is a really old state.

[B]

Maine's an old state. But that's, but you know what, when I was up there, I guess it was October the last time I was up there covering this race. It's the old people that have an issue with electing older people. You know, they're like, I don't have as much energy. I'm 70 years old and I don't have as much energy as I did when I was 40. Like, they're pretty self aware about it. So I actually don't think that because it's an older state that that means they're going to be like, more okay with nominating or electing someone who's older.

[A]

It's going to be an interesting contrast. I think Platner's path here is very evident, which is he's just going to outwork her out, hustle or hit her every occasion, nationalize the race and, you know, seem, you know, create an incredible contrast. And her case is way more like, I got a, a playbook that's worked for 30 years or whatever it is, and I'm going to do it again. We'll keep monitoring it. Lauren Egan, thanks so much. For those who are watching, thanks for watching. Subscribe to the Bulwark. Also, the plugs are going to stop soon because the shows are coming up May 20th and May 21st. We are in San Diego and Los Angeles. It's going to be great. Live shows. Me, Tim Miller, Sarah Long will come and watch us. Come and participate in live shows with us. Tickets are on [e-mail] events. Go grab them now. Hopefully we'll see you there. Take care.