'We are ready for change!': Victorious Platner thanks supporters and BLASTS Susan Collins

Summary

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Podcast Summary

The Briefing with Jen Psaki

Episode: “We are ready for change!”: Victorious Platner thanks supporters and BLASTS Susan Collins
Date: June 10, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode, anchored by Jen Psaki on a major primary night, centers on the dramatic Democratic Senate primary in Maine, where outsider Graham Platner clinched the nomination to challenge Republican Senator Susan Collins. The episode features real-time election analysis, on-the-ground reporting, and Platner's victory speech, setting the stage for a high-stakes general election. The conversation also touches on parallel races in South Carolina and California, reflecting broader trends and tensions in American politics.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Setting the Scene: Election Night in Maine and Beyond

[00:59] Jen Psaki outlines the stakes in multiple states, with a particular focus on Maine, where Graham Platner, a military veteran and newcomer, emerges as the Democratic frontrunner despite personal scandals and a field that included the respected outgoing Governor Janet Mills.

• Noted the gravity of the Collins seat for Democrats’ hopes of retaking the Senate.
• Discussed the turbulence in Platner’s candidacy, including recent allegations and controversies.
• Also covered key races: Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, contentious South Carolina GOP primaries (notably Lindsey Graham’s win), and California’s gubernatorial and congressional contests.

2. Early Returns and Analysis

[05:10] Ali Velshi at the big board provides updates and context:

• Platner takes a strong lead early, holding above 70% of votes, despite only a small percentage reported.
• Emphasizes that Maine is a linchpin for Democratic Senate control.
• Discusses the Republican primary dynamics in South Carolina, highlighting MAGA divisions, and notes California’s shifting landscape.

3. Voter Sentiment on the Ground

[09:24] Alex Tabitt, reporting live from Portland, Maine:

• Two types of Platner voters:
  • Reluctant Supporters: Troubled by recent scandals, voting for Platner as the only viable path to unseating Collins.
    • “It didn’t stop me from making the decision. I’m not enthused by a lot of [the scandals] … but it didn’t stop me from voting.” [10:04]
    • “If someone is going to come in and do the right thing for the working people of Maine, I kind of have to let that be more important than some personal decisions...” [10:20]
  • Galvanized Defenders: Mainly young men, who view the scandals as smear campaigns and are more motivated to support Platner.

4. Expert Commentary: What’s at Stake

[11:42] Jim Messina (Obama’s former campaign manager):

• The path to a Democratic Senate majority almost certainly requires defeating Susan Collins.
• Platner must pivot to issues impacting working families and away from personal controversies.
• South Carolina’s Republican infighting is emblematic of larger divides, especially over Trump’s Iran war.

[13:58] Alex Seitzwald, local editor and campaign observer:

• Notes a diminished enthusiasm for Platner post-scandal, but most Democrats are rallying behind him out of desperation to finally beat Collins.
• Warns that Collins’s swing voters—especially older, educated coastal women—remain a formidable obstacle.
  • “The big question ... is on the margins ... even a small portion [of swing voters] deciding ... ‘I don’t trust this Platner guy’ could make a difference.” [13:58]

[16:29] Jim Messina:

• Platner’s best strategy: make the race a referendum on Donald Trump, tying Collins to Trump-era policies unpopular in Maine.

5. The Main Event: Graham Platner’s Victory Speech

Platner’s speech, delivered upon confirmation of his win, is both confessional and combative—a populist rallying cry directly addressing scandals, embracing personal redemption, and attacking Collins as emblematic of establishment corruption.

Key Moments & Quotes

• On personal change and redemption:

  • “If you believe that we can change our politics and change our country, then you must also believe that people can change. And the reason I believe that is because I have lived it.” [23:02–23:18]
  • “Redemption is not just some simple or easy destination. It’s a journey ... I’ve made mistakes in my life, mistakes that I regret, that I live with, that I continue to learn from.” [27:43–28:10]

• On his grassroots movement:

  • “You have built the most powerful grassroots movement in the history of this state. ... When we finally defeat Susan Collins, that will be because of you.” [24:11–25:37]

• On his working-class identity and struggle:

  • “I am a son of rural Maine. I was a kid who picked blueberries under the July sun. ... I found a living on the sea and a home in a community that offered love and redemption.” [27:43]
  • “I will be a senator for the people who cannot afford to buy a senator.” [28:43]

• On Collins and establishment corruption:

  • “Susan Collins ... has become just as spineless and corrupt as the establishment she now serves. ... She promised to protect Roe v. Wade, only to put a justice on the court who overturned it. She lied to us.” [34:37–35:50]
  • “Susan Collins is getting rich while we’re getting screwed.” [35:50]
  • “She has stood by and done nothing while [private equity companies] ... bought up nursing homes, local businesses, the last of the houses we could afford, stripped our communities for parts.” [35:50–36:57]

• On war and personal cost:

  • “Susan Collins has never met a war she didn’t like. She’s been supporting endless wars since I was a teenager ... I got blown up while you handed out billions to defense companies you’re invested in. You and your friends profited—and my friends died.” [36:39–36:57]

• On the campaign’s meaning:

  • “This is not about me at all. This is a movement about us. ... The political establishment has counted out the voices of every single person without the money to buy influence.” [31:20–33:44]

• On his promise:

  • “We are ready for change. And they will try to make this race about everything other than what it absolutely is: a simple choice for who will represent us in the United States Senate.” [33:47]
  • “We will defeat Susan Collins. We will take back this Senate seat. We will take back our power.” [40:21–41:05]

• On the stakes for Maine and the nation:

  • “As Maine goes, so goes the nation. If you want to stop a Trump family slush fund ... if you want to stop the corruption ... if we want to dismantle ICE, win back the Senate, check Donald Trump's power and take back ours—as Maine goes, so goes the nation.” [42:56–43:44]

6. Post-Speech Reaction

[44:21] Jen Psaki & Jim Messina:

• Messina hails the speech as a “masterclass,” spotlighting Platner’s ability to center redemption and systemic change, compared to Obama’s signature rhetoric.
  • “If you believe we can change the system, then you gotta believe that people can change. ... Platner putting it not about himself and building it to about all of us ... was a brilliant political move.” [45:39]
• Psaki notes Platner’s appeal to those who feel shut out by establishment politics: “A senator for the people who cannot afford to buy a senator.” [44:21–47:06]

7. Election Data and Analysis Wrap-up

[49:17] Ali Velshi highlights:

• Platner’s win called early due to overwhelming leads, especially once urban counties reported.
• Janet Mills, though no longer campaigning, still drew nearly 20%—evidence that Platner must continue uniting the Democratic base.
• Platner’s focus on economic populism seems to have resonated with Maine voters despite scandals.

[51:20] Jim Messina:

• Platner smartly acknowledged the necessity of earning back trust—critical to Democratic unity and overcoming Collins’s entrenched appeal.

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Notable Quotes

| Speaker | Quote | Timestamp | |--------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------| | Graham Platner | “If you believe that we can change our politics and change our country, then you must also believe that people can change. And the reason I believe that is because I have lived it.” | 23:02 | | Graham Platner | “I will be a senator for the people who cannot afford to buy a senator.” | 28:43 | | Graham Platner | “Susan Collins is getting rich while we’re getting screwed.” | 35:50 | | Graham Platner | “You and your friends profited—and my friends died.” | 36:57 | | Jim Messina | “There is no credible path to getting control of the United States Senate if we can’t beat Susan Collins.” | 11:42 | | Alex Seitzwald | “Her swing voters are ... older, educated women on the coast who like Collins ... even a small portion ... could make a difference.” | 13:58 | | Jen Psaki | “A senator for the people who could not afford to buy a senator. ... That’s a line a lot of people in this country relate to.” | 44:21 |

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:59] – Jen Psaki sets the stage: key races and stakes
• [05:10] – Ali Velshi first big board summary of early Maine returns
• [09:24] – Alex Tabitt reports voters’ mood on Platner scandals
• [11:42] – Jim Messina breaks down the national Senate map and Maine’s import
• [13:58] – Alex Seitzwald analyzes Platner's challenges and Collins’s base
• [22:49] – AP projects Platner’s win; live coverage of his victory speech
• [23:02–42:46] – Platner’s full victory speech (numerous notable quotes)
• [44:21] – Psaki & Messina post-speech analysis
• [49:17] – Velshi returns: final numbers, implications, grassroots messaging

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Episode Tone and Language

• Populist, urgent, confessional: Platner’s speech and campaign, embracing working-class rhetoric and “redemption.”
• Analytical, unsparing: Psaki and her commentators, candid about the difficulties ahead, focused on data and emotional undercurrents among voters.
• Cynical of establishment: Frequent references to corruption, billionaire influence, and party machinery.

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Takeaways

• Graham Platner achieves a decisive primary win despite scandal, due to both anti-establishment energy and the pressing Democratic desire to finally unseat Susan Collins.
• Platner’s rhetoric blends personal redemption and systemic critique, with economic populism at its core.
• Collins remains a formidable opponent, with a history of appealing to swing voters; Platner’s task now is party unity and appealing beyond his energized base.
• The episode reflects broader national themes: internal Republican strife, the shadow of Trump, and an electorate tired of establishment politics but wary of outsiders’ baggage.

Transcript

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[Jen Psaki]

It is election night in four states across this country. There is a lot we are watching tonight. We're going to keep you updated on all of it. We're going to move things around if we need to because there's a lot of things to watch now. In Maine, Democrats are voting to decide which candidate will of course face off against Republican Senator Susan Collins in November. You can see that on the screen right there. Only 1% in at this point in time. We'll be watching it closely. And Graham Platner, of course, a military veteran and plain speaking populist, anti war oysterman, came into the race, remember, as a virtual unknown last summer. Most people didn't really know who he was in the state. And then by the spring, despite an avalanche of controversies, his surgeon support in the state was enough to prompt his chief opponent, Governor Janet Mills, to suspend her campaign in April. I mean, and she was a pretty popular governor in Maine. Still is a pretty popular governor, although her name, I would note it remains on the ballot, which is something that she has actually pointed out publicly in recent weeks. Then in just the last 10 days, another series of news stories was published about Platner revealing that he was sexting with women while he was married, as well as some concerning details that were alleged about his past relationships. So we're just starting to see votes trickle in out of that race. And we have Ali Velshi standing by at the big board to track those numbers as they come in. Yep, we're watching it Very, very closely. But only 1% is in, as you can see on your screen right now, right now with 1%. Graham Platner does have a big lead, but lots to go. We're also watching several other big races in Maine, including the primaries for governor. So there's no incumbent running in that race, but there are still a lot of recognizable names, including the son of a US Senator, the daughter of a congresswoman and a member of the Bush family. Just a whole group of people who pulled themselves up by their bootstraps there, everyone competing against each other there. We're also watching the primary race for a crucial seat for Democrats this November, which is Maine's second Congressional District. Now, this is a district that Trump won by nine points back in 2024 when he faced Vice President Harris. But despite that lopsided margin, the Democrats still managed to hold onto that seat. But this year, incumbent Democratic congressman, the guy who held onto that seat despite Trump winning by 9 points, is not seeking reelection. And now four Democrats are vying to replace him on the ticket. So whoever wins will take on Maine's controversial former Republican Governor Paul LePage in the general election for that Trump friendly district. Now, we're also keeping a close eye on primary races in South Carolina, where polls closed two hours ago. We can now project that Trump's favorite Senate bootlicker, Lindsey Graham, beat back a primary challenge after spending a whole host of money from furniture store magnate Mark lynch, which was essentially a proxy battle between MAGA factions who have been divided over Trump's war in Iran, which is pretty interesting on its own. And late today, we got a stark reminder that that war is anything but over, thanks to the Trump administration, of course. Now, just a few poll hours before polls closed, Trump launched a new strikes against Iran and what he said was retaliation for the downing of a U.S. helicopter yesterday. Graham, who is again a staunch defender of Trump's war, maybe the staunchest of defenders, will face off against the victor of South Carolina's Democratic primary for Senate, who is projected to be physician Annie Andrews. You can see her on the screen. She's going to be joining me here later this hour to talk all about that race, too. Tonight, we also got to have our eye on the Republican primary for governor in South Carolina, where the Trump endorsed lieutenant governor and is facing off against four other candidates, including Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace. I just mentioned this, who says Trump rejected her over her vote to release the Epstein files. And while tonight is all about the primaries, it's really as any of these primary nights are the start of the general election in these states, specifically in that main Senate race, which Democrats see as key to their path to win back control of the upper chamber. So that's where I'm gonna start tonight with my good friend Ali Velshi, who's over at the big board tirelessly, as always. So let's get straight to Ali. What are we seeing in these races right now?

[Ali Velshi]

Well, let's start. You really outlined a lot of it very, very clearly. But let's start in Maine. Right now, we have less than 8, less than 1% of the vote in right now. Graham Platner with a lead of a thousand votes, but that's 71.6% to Janet Mills, 18%. This has been fairly consistent. In fact, Graham Platner's lead as a percentage has increased. But I just want to be very, very clear. We're talking about less than 1% of the votes in all of these counties in blue have some vote in. There's no county in which Graham Platner is not. But again, it's. The numbers are small. The counties in yellow, we have no vote yet. So that's Bangor, Augusta, Portland. We still don't have any vote there. So yet to see what's going on. Janet Mills has had a very interesting, you know, couple of weeks in which she's made the point of saying that she's still on the ballot, but no money or particular effort has gone into her campaign. So we're going to watch for a million reasons, everything that's going on in Maine, including the fact that this was one of the more obvious paths to Democratic control of the Senate. Let's see what happens in there. I want to pull back, too, to the GOP primaries in South Carolina. You talked about this a lot. This is really interesting. Lindsey Graham has won. You have to have 50%. It's a Southern state where you need 50% of the vote. He's got it 58.7%. What did. I mean, you know this better than I do, Jen. What did Lindsey Graham do to deserve that? I mean, there are a whole bunch of people who get shellacked for stuff. Why is Lindsey Graham got a runner up at 27.3%? And by the way, when we called that race, we called Annie Andrews first. In other words, the Democrat running against who will be running against Lindsey Graham got called before we were actually able to call the race for Lindsey Graham. So just a lot of interesting things going on in South Carolina, including in the gubernatorial primary. Here's the interesting part. This is Lieutenant Governor Pamela Yvette. Again, you need to advance to a runoff. If you don't get 50% of the vote, the way it's breaking down, no one will get 50% of the vote. She's advancing. Alan Wilson is is advancing. Those two will advance. Look who's not advancing. This is only 56% of the vote, but we know what this is gonna turn out to be. Ralph Norman, a sitting United states congressman. In third place, Nancy Mace, 11.5%. She is actually claimed to be the most MAGA person in this race but for the fact that she went up against Donald Trump on the Epstein files and she's getting punished for that tonight. So interesting stories every way you cut it in South Carolina. Again, all eyes on Maine. What we did talk about a little earlier, I just wan remind you of this. In California, Steve Hilton has advanced to be in the gubernatorial primary. He will. Tom Steyer is not going to be able to make up the difference. 91% of the vote is in there. We do have a couple of specific things I just want to show you here. Kevin KILEY In District 6, we advanced him on Tuesday during the primaries. He will face off against Richard Pan, a Democrat. This is a redistricted constituency. Kevin Kiley went from being a Republican to being an independent to try and win in that district. He'll now face off against a Democrat. If you look just below that in District 7, you remember this, you were talking about this last week. Doris Matsui, the incumbent, we advanced her last week. But Mai Vong, who is I think 40 years her junior, has now taken the lead. The two of them will advance to face off against one another. And I'll just tell you one final one. In District 40 in Southern California, it will be two Republicans. It was designed this way during redistricting that it would likely be a Republican district, but it will be two Republicans including young Kim, the incumbent, facing off against Kevin Calvert, squishing two Republicans into one district.

[Jen Psaki]

So interesting. Ali, as always and all such a reminder. We talked about the red mirage last week. It takes time in California. Yes, this is all a reminder of that, as is the LA mayoral race. Thank you so much. We're going to check back in with you over the course of the hour. So stay hydrated as always. Okay, I want to turn back to Maine and Emma. Now's Alex Tabitt who's on the ground in Portland, Maine and has been talking to voters there all day long. So many eyes on this race. Alex, you've been on the ground all day. You've been talking to voters all across the state. What have those voters been telling you?

[Alex Tabitt]

That's right, Jen. We've been talking to about dozens and dozens of different voters, most of whom voted for Graham Platner. And they really fall into two different buckets. The first bucket is Graham Platner voters who rolled up to this polling location behind me like this, holding their nose, not happy about the slew of recent controversies and scandals surrounding Platner, but recognizing that he is really their only hope of unseating incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins, who's represented the state of Maine in the halls of the Senate since 1997. I want you to hear what those voters had to say about the recent controversies surrounding Platner.

[Ali Velshi]

It didn't stop me from making the decision. I'm not enthused by a lot of them. Some of them are a little. A little tough to, like, want to put, like, a bumper sticker on my car or anything, but it didn't stop me from voting.

[Jen Psaki]

If someone is going to come in and do the right thing for the working people of Maine, I kind of have to let that be more important than some personal decisions people made when they were younger and in a bad place.

[Alex Tabitt]

And the second bucket of voters was much smaller that we spoke to. It was all young men. And they saw these recent scandals as some sort of calculated smear campaign against Platner. And they told us that those scandals, those controversies, actually galvanized them to go out and vote for Platner even more.

[Graham Platner]

Jen.

[Jen Psaki]

Alex Tabitt. Nothing is more interesting than talking to voters and hearing what they actually think. Thank you for being out there. Okay. And joining me now are two people I've been dying to talk to tonight about all of this that's happening. Jim Messina is the former campaign manager for Barack Obama's 2012 reelection campaign. And Alex Seitzwald as DEP editor of Maine's Mid Coast Villager and one of the smartest people reporting on this race right now. If you don't follow him, you should absolutely follow him. I'm sure Jim and I both follow him. Okay, Jim, let me start with you. We only have kind of a fraction of the results, and so far in Maine, that's really literally a fraction, 1%. But some things we know, South Carolina, other places. We'll know more as the evening proceeds in Maine. But what are you watching for tonight? What has stood out to you about what we've learned so far?

[Jim Messina]

Well, Jen, there's two. There's two truisms in the Democratic Party wine is good. And this is going to be the year. Beat Susan Collins. Like we just have been believing this for a very, very long time. There is no credible path to getting control of the United States Senate if we can't beat Susan Collins. And so, you know, the whole world, especially in D.C. is looking to see how much damage Platner has done to himself. How big is his margin going to be? He's clearly going to win, but, you know, and whether there's going to sort of be a reverb. I thought your reporter had it exactly right. There's a bunch of voters who are going to say, hey, everyone's smearing him. Everyone makes mistakes. Voters in the end don't care as much about that stuff. They want to know if these candidates are in it for them. They want to know that these candidates are going to make the working families lives better. And I think that's where Platner has to get the race back to. I also think South Carolina is incredibly interesting. You have a modern Republican Party that is just at war with itself over some of the biggest issues in front of us, including Iran, including populism, including tariffs. And you saw that Lindsey Graham had to spend $13 million to get through a primary against people. We don't. Nancy Mace, who in my opinion may be the most MAGA person I've ever met, finishes fifth because she did the right thing on one vote in her entire career. This is a party that just cannot decide what it wants to be. And you're seeing these fights in the Republican primary. We saw it last week when you and I were together in Iowa. You're seeing it again tonight. And the Republicans are gonna have a real tough time in 2028 figuring out which side of their party is gonna be the nominee for president.

[Jen Psaki]

Especially, I mean, it's Iran war. It's a proxy over the Iran war in South Carolina. Okay, we'll come back to that. Alex Platner's campaign, it's created a lot of enthusiasm. You're actually on the ground. They've defied political gravity in many ways for those of us who are not on the ground. But he's also earned, he said, a lot of coverage, negative coverage of allegations from the past. You've been there, you've been talking to people. Have you seen a shift? And recently, over the last 10 days, week and a half, we heard a little bit of this from Alex Tabit's reporting, but you've actually been talking to probably far more voters than even that. What have you Seen.

[Alex Seitzwald]

Yeah, Jen. I mean, it's definitely been a shift in attitude, in feeling and vibes, if you will, and a lot of the joy, the energy, the enthusiasm that really marked the early months of the Grand Platner campaign, including during last fall's issues around the Reddit post and the tattoo that's been sucked out of the room a little bit, and the kind of Teflon that he seemed to have, the shield that he seemed to have has withered a little bit. People are uncomfortable. They're heartbroken, as one voter put it to me. But as Alex reported, most Democrats that I've talked to say they're still gonna vote for him in November because as Jim just pointed out, Democrats in Maine have been trying to get rid of Susan Collins for years. She keeps winning, and she wins because she has this unique ability, almost unheard of in this day and age, to actually win crossover voters. In 2020, something like 57,000 people voted for Joe Biden at the top of the ticket and then Susan Collins below her. And she could have done it by my back of the envelope math at around 22,000. So the question, as with any close race, and I think this will be a close race and always was going to be a close race, is on the margins. And her swing voters are not working class, white, former labor union guys. It's older, educated women on the coast who like Collins, who think she's reasonable, think she's a good senator. And even, you know, a small portion of them deciding, I'm going to vote for her one more time. I don't trust this Platner guy. It could make a difference. Because the big question hanging over all of this is, is there more to come? And even the fear of more to come for Platner could dampen enthusiasm. You know, his supporters, his campaign is convinced that this is the floor, but Republicans and some others think that there's lower to go from here.

[Jen Psaki]

We certainly don't know. I mean, we don't know if anything else or validations or anything else will come out. Maybe there will be, or maybe that's the end of the allegations. We'll see. But even with what they have to work with at this point, I mean, primary voters in that electorate is very different from the general election electorate as well. And to Alex's point, they now have to just keep Democrats with them, which they've. They've really done to date. We'll see what happens tonight. But they also need to win over independents, Republicans, some of these Republican women. Jim, if you Were them. How do you. I mean, I know they want to turn the page on this, but how do they do that? Does he still need to keep addressing it? What do you do if you're them?

[Jim Messina]

If you're them, you go to the other thing we haven't talked about in this race, and his name is Donald Trump. Like, you look at his numbers in Maine and you just make this race about a referendum on Donald Trump and explain that Susan Collins says one thing in Maine, but then goes to D.C. and votes to make your gas prices more expensive, votes to make your grocery prices more expensive. You tie her to Donald Trump and make this a referendum, which is what midterm elections usually are. Susan Collins has been able to kind of not make that happen in the past, but she's never had a unpopular incumbent like Donald Trump on her, on kind of on top of her campaign. And so Platner is going to try to make this race about Donald Trump. And that fits right exactly into what the Democratic playbook is. And, and it will scare the kind of swing women that we were just talking about who are going to have to decide which version of Susan Collins they want to believe in. And it's going to be pretty clear by the end of this campaign that Donald Trump's going to be her biggest problem.

[Jen Psaki]

It's an interesting, the Trump factor. You know, in the past, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't work. Alex, I want to point, I want to ask you this question because Susan Collins has voted by our numbers. You tell me if this is right 96% of the time with Trump. But there have been a number of times on votes that Democrats are running on in other places, like the big ugly bill. She's also kind of flipped a bit on the Iran war. If your Platner, tell us about kind of the dynamics of Trump and the view of Trump. I know he's not popular, but if you're him, you're running against Trump, you're running against the war. Like, where are Mainers on all of these issues that are kind of flowing in the national dialogue?

[Alex Seitzwald]

Yeah, you're running against all of that and more and the kind of establishment, the system overall. I mean, this was the only state that Ross Perot came close to winning electoral votes back in 1992. It's a very libertarian, strong libertarian streak, a strong, you know, kind of small business, anti big everything state. And I think Platner can tap into that. And I think Jim is right about Trump. You know, Susan Collins does not want to talk about being A Republican. She doesn't want to talk about Donald Trump. She wants, she talks about being a senator from Maine who brings back lots of money, who is a good representative. It's a very kind of apolitical message that she's trying to push. And as much as Platner reminds voters about her votes, her votes, especially for the Supreme Court around Brett Kavanaugh and the overturning of Roe v. Wade, that's the issue that for a lot of those women that we've been talking about, really pushes them back, back into the Democratic corner. And I also think that Platner has done an effective job of kind of there's this perception in Maine. There's, there's Mainers and then there's from away. And Platner has turned all of these negative headlines into a perception that this is stuff that's from away, that's trying to attack our way of life and who we are. And he's the maniest Mainer whoever did Maine. So, you know, that hits deep in the core of a lot of Mainers and has helped insulate him, I think, from some of these attacks and really bonded him with his supporters in a way that has kept them with him despite all the bad headlines.

[Jen Psaki]

Yeah. One of the things that strikes me is just the anti establishment, anti Washington theme we're seeing all across the country. And he looks very uncomfortable at a Washington, D.C. fundraiser, which I think works in a lot of places. Jim, I always ask you this, but, you know, Democrats will say Maine is just part of the path. I know you might say that, too. Maine seems pretty pivotal to the path. What do you think?

[Jim Messina]

Yeah. When you run the scenarios, you know, as you know, I'm a data nerd and we run 60,000 some scenarios on the Senate and you just kind of have to have Maine. Yes, there are other theories, but it's tough to see us winning states like Iowa, states like Texas and not winning Maine, like Maine is the one. It's the most Democratic. It obviously. Harris, one by seven points. We just don't have any other states like that. So, yes, there's a chance to do it without Maine, but, boy, it gets really tough. And, you know, you just got to think you got to have Maine.

[Jen Psaki]

Alex Heitzwald, thank you as always for your excellent reporting and for keeping us grounded on what's actually happening on the ground. Thanks for taking the time tonight. And Jim Messina, I'm going to ask you to stay around because we got more to discuss, more politics to discuss. The results are, of course, still rolling in from across four states right now. Ali Velshi is going to let us know as soon as we've got more from the vote in Maine. And we also just got a big call out of California that makes Donald Trump's claims of a rig election out there look even more ludicrous than they already did. We're just getting started tonight and we'll be right back.

[Freedom From Religion Foundation Announcer]

America is an idea. For 250 years, that idea has helped expand our rights and our freedom, but progress isn't guaranteed.

[Graham Platner]

Today.

[Freedom From Religion Foundation Announcer]

Those founding principles are being challenged by efforts to mix religion and government. The Freedom From Religion foundation is working to protect the Constitution and keep power where it belongs with we the people. Visit FFRF US MSNOW or text Ms. Now to 511-511-Text Ms. Now to 511-51-511 and keep state and church separate. Text fees may apply.

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[Jen Psaki]

Oh Kevin, we told you we'd keep you updated. And the Associated Press has just projected Graham Platner has won the Democratic nomination for U.S. senate in Maine. He's addressing supporters right now. So let's listen in.

[Graham Platner]

That we can change our politics and change our country, then you must also believe that people can change.

And the reason I believe that is

because I have lived it.

And the reason that I have lived

it is because of my wife,

Amy. Jane, you are my best friend and

the love of my life. Thank you.

Over the last nine months I have seen Mainers come together behind a vision

to take back our Power from corporations and billionaires.

I love every single one of you. Everyone who has shown up at a town hall, who has knocked on a door, who cast their vote not for me, but for a vision of a life in Maine that you can afford, A life of dignity and a government that actually serves its people. I want to thank our incredible campaign team and all 15,000 volunteers. You have built the most powerful grassroots movement in the history of this state. This is because of you. And when we finally defeat Susan Collins, That will be because of you, too. You don't just believe in a different kind of politics. You have dedicated your time and your

talents to

is a service to our state and to our nation. And thank you. I also want to thank Governor Janet Mills for a lifetime of service to a state that we both love. We are eternally grateful. And to any of those who feel let down or disappointed or disillusioned, it

is my job to earn your trust, faith, and support.

And I will spend every day of

this campaign, and if I have the privilege, every day in the United States Senate, doing exactly that.

It is deeply humbling to stand here as your Democratic nominee. It is an honor, and I will not let you down. Until recently, I thought that Harbormaster would

be the height of my political career.

It now appears that things have changed. But it's funny. This morning. This morning was a normal one.

I woke up in my home, just a few doors down from the house I grew up in. Amy and I shared a pot of coffee. We walked our dogs on the same road that I've spent most of my life on. We spent the afternoon knocking on doors and getting ready for this evening. And then we drove down here to Blue Hill, where I was born. Born in a maternity ward that has since closed,

I am a son of rural Maine. I was a kid who picked blueberries

under the July sun. And then one day, I was a kid who signed up and left to fight for his country. And when I returned, I carried with me the weight of forever wars and the struggle and the alienation that came with it. But I'm also a lucky one who found his way back, who found a living on the sea and a home in a community that offered love and redemption. Redemption is not just some simple or easy destination. It's a journey. I've made mistakes in my life, mistakes that I regret, that I live with, that I continue to learn from. And I'm still far from perfect. But every day I wake up and I try to be a little bit better and a little bit kinder. Than I was the day before. And if you give me the chance,

I will be a senator for the

people who cannot afford to buy a senator.

I will stand up for you and against billionaires and greedy corporations. I will serve you, the people of Maine, not some lobbyist party boss. I will be the champion for your dreams as if it were my own. No matter the challenge or the expense, I will fight for you. I have been willing to die for my country. There is nothing that I will not

do for the state of Maine.

You have lifted me up. You have had my back. This is the state that raised me, and this is the state that saved me. Now, I am. I am not a deeply religious man,

and yet I cannot help but think tonight about him. I once was lost, but now I'm found. Found because of the grace of the people of Maine. Grace comes when a tree falls and your neighbor brings over a chainsaw.

Grace comes when your truck gives out

late at night and someone you've never met stops to help you.

Grace comes when you need it most and expect it it least.

When your parents need a hand and an old friend doesn't hesitate to go shovel the driveway.

Or when a teacher, as underpaid as they are, stays late after school, gives

up their own precious free time to help a kid who has fallen behind.

Grace. Grace is not inevitable. But here in Maine, sometimes it feels like it is. And that is something I will never take for granted.

It is a mighty gift and one that I am committed to extending outwards.

Maine. I love you. I love this state. Now. Now, the national pundits, the political establishment, they keep looking for that one story, that one headline, that one moment in my life that they can define the campaign by. But in trying so hard to understand me, they failed to understand that this is not about me at all. This is a movement about us. About the far too many working far too hard and struggling far too much at the hands of the ruling class. It is not a story of my hardship. It's of our hardship. A story of the hardship of every working Mainer. People that used to be able to stern in the summertime, plow in the winter, dig clams, and be able to send your kid off to college. But you can't anymore. Because that hard work, it isn't enough. Now, this story, the story of this campaign, it's not about how the political

establishment counted me out.

It's about for how far too long

the political establishment has counted out the voices of every single person without the money to buy influence.

But they don't know Maine. Those who think we can be fooled by a handful of billionaires who think they can just buy elections like they

buy yachts or other houses.

But they don't know Maine. We will continue to show up for one another. We will be the people that fight for each other in the places that we love. We are ready for change. And they will try to make this race about everything other than what it absolutely is. A simple choice for who will represent us in the United States Senate. Susan Collins may have started. May have started her career decades ago

in Washington with good intentions, but she

has become just as spineless and corrupt as the establishment she now serves. She got elected promising to protect Roe vs. Wade, only to turn around and put on a justice, put a justice of Supreme Court who overturned it. She lied to us. Susan Collins has used her privilege and power to funnel $60 million in federal contracts, 60 million of our tax dollars to her lobbyist husband. If that's not corruption, I don't know what is. Susan Collins. Susan Collins has gotten 21 times wealthier just in the last 15 years. Has anybody else gotten 21 times wealthier since Susan Collins was elected to office? Does Maine have 21 times the schools and hospitals?

No. We have less.

Susan Collins is getting rich while we're getting screwed. The last time she ran for office, she received more money from private equity than any other member of Congress, including. Including some of the same private equity companies that shuttered the mills here in Maine. And ever since then, she has stood by and done nothing while they have bought up nursing homes, local businesses, the last of the houses we could afford stripped our communities for parts. Hell, they bought the Boston Red Sox. And Susan Collins has never met a war she didn't like. She's been supporting endless wars since I was a teenager, and I know I

had to fight in two of them.

Senator Collins, I got blown up.

While you handed out billions of dollars to defense companies that invest in you. Sorry. That you're invested in.

You and your friends profited.

And my friends died. Susan Collins has voted to send billions of our taxpayer dollars to fund other people's wars. Susan Collins, how do you justify closing hospitals in Maine while using our tax dollars to destroy them halfway around the world?

If you reflect Maine's values, why are you funding masked agents who are ripping our neighbors off the streets, driving them off in unmarked vans? That is not the freedom that I serve four tours defending. If you are an independent voice, why do you vote with Donald Trump 95% of the time? If you're so bipartisan. Why were you the deciding vote to put Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court? The deciding vote to defund our health care and our hospitals. Why did you. Why did you rubber stamp the greatest redistribution of wealth from the working class to the ruling class in the history of our nation? Susan Collins is only bipartisan when it doesn't matter. Susan Collins calls herself the gold standard of common sense. Common sense would be Mainers not having to choose between seeing a doctor or paying your mortgage.

[Jen Psaki]

Mortgage.

[Graham Platner]

Common sense would be banning billionaires from buying elections. And it would also be giving workers same seat at the table as CEOs. Common sense would be a minimum wage. That's a living wage. It would be keeping our hospitals open and our schools funded and our kids from having to fight in another generation of forever wars. Common sense would be releasing the Epstein files. Should be unafraid of upsetting the wannabe

king to whom Susan Collins bows. Susan Collins said she would only serve two terms.

She's now running for her six. She is. She has worked in politics longer than Joe Biden. She hasn't held a town hall since

I was in eighth grade.

I've held 83 town halls in the past eight months. What are you trying to hide, Senator Collins?

Now, the truth is, Susan Collins doesn't serve us.

She serves Donald Trump. She serves the Epstein class. She serves her corporate donors and the corrupt political system that has rigged the economy against us. She does not serve us. And so we will defeat Susan Collins. We will take back this Senate seat. We will take back our power. And when we do, I want you

to imagine what it will feel like when we hold Trump and his criminal enterprise to account.

When we end

prescription drug price gouging.

When a trip to the grocery store, to the gas station doesn't break the bank. When everyone who was born in Maine, raised in Maine, and who loves Maine can stay in Maine. When we codify roe v. Wade, When we pass, yes, Medicare for all. But when we defend our democracy, our

country, once we've defended our freedom, let it be a different kind of freedom. Not merely a romantic freedom, but a freedom that is real, that is material. The freedom to start a family, to raise your kids under a roof that is your own, with the promise of security and the guarantee of time. Time to build, time to create, time to love. The freedom to live lives not of struggle and scraping by, but of dignity and fulfillment.

Main the eyes of the nation are upon us. And while they are here, Please go

to grand4senate.com and make a donation or sign up.

Or sign up to be a volunteer. There's an old saying, as Maine goes, so goes the nation. If you want to stop, if you want to stop war with Iran and end the forever wars, if you want to give workers the raise they deserve, seniors the security they worked for, you want to bring back Roe v. Wade. As Maine goes, so goes the nation. If you want to stop a Trump family slush fund, fund their ballroom, their deals with Saudi princes and tech oligarchs. If you want to stop the corruption. As Maine goes, so goes the nation. If we want to dismantle ice, win back the Senate, check Donald Trump's power and take back ours. As Maine goes, so goes the nation. Together we will defeat Susan Co. Together we will win back this Senate seat.

[Jen Psaki]

We've been listening to Graham Platner addressing supporters after clinching the Democratic nomination for U.S. senate in Maine. He'll now turn to his general election race against Susan Collins. And former Obama campaign manager Jim Messina is back with us. Okay, Jim Messina, there are a bunch of things that have struck me about this, and he's just wrapping up there. Bunch of things that struck me about what he just said. I mean, clearly this was the biggest audience he was going to have in Maine. It's also probably the biggest audience perhaps nationally he may have. As he's trying to reset after a series of allegations and stories over the last of years, couple, couple of weeks that didn't seem to impact so far the outcome of this race, I was struck. He started the speech basically by saying if we can change our politics and our country, we can change personally. That's clearly a nod to the scandals of the last several weeks and even before that, and mistakes I made in my life, I continue to live with. He referenced later. He's not digging back into it. He's just relating, I think, attempting to the imperfections of people. But I think the best line, and then I want to hear what you thought was a senator for the people who could not afford to buy a senator. And if people were tuning in, I think that's a line a lot of people in this country relate to. But what did you think of that speech and where we sit right now?

[Jim Messina]

Well, first of all, I thought that was a masterclass. I don't know if he wrote that or who wrote that, but that was really good. And the fact that he one year ago wasn't a politician and then he delivers that in front of basically the entire country, I thought that was, you're seeing a star is born. And you're seeing how a guy who no one had heard of a year ago, even in Maine, no one had heard of him, just beat the incumbent governor in a primary. And so I thought it was amazing. I too thought the first two minutes of that speech was amazing when he said, if you believe we can change the system, then you gotta believe that people can change. And I know people can change because I have relating it to that I thought was perfect political theater. And it's true. And then coming back later saying, hey, this race isn't about me. Race is about us. As you remember, that was a very big Barack Obama line in 2008. He was just the, he was the vehicle for people's hopes and dreams. I think Platner putting it not about himself and building it to about all of us and then deliver the line you talked about. There's nothing that people get more mad about a broken political system and they realize the deck is stacked against them and they realize why the deck is stacked because of money. And so that line, I thought was a brilliant political move. And I think it's a guy who understood the moment he was in.

[Jen Psaki]

Yeah. You know, Maine is still hard. Susan Collins is hard to beat. I'm always surprised more politicians don't remember. This is about a cultural moment in movement and trying to bring people into a community with you. And that's what running for office is like, is supposed to be. And you heard that from him tonight. Jim Messina, thanks for hanging with us through the show and through that speech as well. We're going to take. You're going to hang with us more? I'm sorry, we're going to take a very quick break. We're going to keep talking about election rolls. Results will be right back. Ellie Velshi is still the big board.

[Freedom From Religion Foundation Announcer]

America is an idea. For 250 years, that idea has helped expand our rights and our freedoms. But progress isn't guaranteed. Today, those founding principles are being challenged by efforts to mix religion and government. The Freedom from Religion foundation is working to protect the Constitution and keep power where it belongs, with we the people. Visit FFRF US MSNOW or text MSNOW to 511-511-Text MSNOW to 511-51-511 and keep state and church separate. Text fees may apply.

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[Jen Psaki]

Okay, Graham Platner has just clinched the Democratic nomination for Senate in Maine. So let's go back to our friend Ali Vel. She was at the big board. Ali, what can you tell us just

[Ali Velshi]

before you went to Graham Platner's speech? We were getting the numbers in. We had 8% of the vote and we now have 18%. We were able to, to show you that the AP had advanced Graham Platner as the, as the winner of the primary with 8% of the vote in. Now why is that the case? It's because of the way main shapes out all of this part of Maine, which is basically, this is all bordering Canada. It's very, very rural. We have votes in from every county except one. Again, a very, very rural county. The population centers are all down here. And right before the call was made that Graham Platner had won, we did not have vote in from Bangor, Augusta and Portland. And it all came in all at the same time. Augusta just came in not too long ago. But you go to, you go to Bangor and you see he had 71% to Janet Mills, 18%. In Portland, 77.5% to Janet Mills, 18%. And in Augusta, which came in 67%, we thought Janet Mills would do better there than probably in any other county. And it looks like that's possible. She had about 22% there. In Graham Platner's home county where he was talking to us from, where he made a speech from in Hancock County. Gun. He's got a very healthy lead, 76%. But it's very, very small numbers in that county. So the bottom line is we were waiting for that to happen. It's very unusual to be able to call a race with 8% of the votes in. But it was so decisive. Useful to note Janet Mills, who, you know, suspended her campaign, she did say in the last couple of weeks that she's still on the ballot, which she is, but she didn't make any meaningful effort to campaign, coming out with at this point, 19% of the vote. That's telling. It's not nothing for somebody who people knew wasn't really in the race. So a very interesting race. And then, of course, you aired Graham Platner's entire speech in which he talked about sort of his redemption. He made references to how having been lost and found by the people of Maine and then leaning into that economic message and saying he's a senator for people who can't afford to buy a senator. It seems that for all of his troubles in the last several weeks, his economic message, for whatever reason, seems to have resonated with Maine voters.

[Jen Psaki]

Ali Velshi, what an interesting one to watch. I know you're still there. You're still tracking things. We're continuing our coverage. Thank you and always for being with us. We're back with former campaign manager for Barack Obama, Jimin, who's been hanging with me through the show here as things are developing. Early in his speech, Platner said, to those who feel let down or disappointed or disillusioned, it is my job to earn your trust, faith and support. I thought, I mean, that is trying to send the message, I am humble. I know I have screwed up. I know that I have to earn your vote. What'd you make of that?

[Jim Messina]

Yeah, I think it was really smart. He's assuming nothing. And, you know, as the, as the main reporter you had on earlier said, I think exactly right. This race is going to be really, really close. And he just cannot afford a base that is not solid. And, you know, I think Ali's right. 20% of the vote for Janet Mills, who wasn't really running, shows that he still has some work to do. He still has a base to unite, still has a party to unite in what's going to be the closest to most expensive Senate race in America. So I think him acknowledging it, him, I love the quick hymn that he talked about, that he was lost and now he's found he's attempting to say, I know I've screwed this up, but it's about us, not me. And I think that's the key here. And he understands that he needs a united Democratic base. It'll be interesting to see what Janet Mills says tonight and tomorrow night because I think that's gonna be a very important moment to consolidate the Democrats going into the general election.

[Jen Psaki]

No question about it. We've seen that in Texas. It certainly is gonna be important here. We'll see. I mean, she's still a pretty popular governor in Maine, too. So I think that's important for people to remember. So many interesting things to watch. These dynamics and what is happening in states that are very different from what people inside, you know, cushioned rooms in Washington, D.C. are projecting is what makes politics so fascinating sometimes. And this is certainly one of the more fascinating races to watch. Jim Messina, I always enjoy talking to you. Thank you for bringing us through the course of this evening, as always. And I'm sure we're going to be talking to you again many times in the future about political races. So thank you again.

[Jim Messina]

I hope so. Thanks, Jen.

[Jen Psaki]

All right. Thank you so much. Okay, that does it for me tonight. You can catch the show Tuesday through Friday at 9pm Eastern on MSNow. And don't forget to follow the show on Bluesky, Instagram and TikTok.

[Freedom From Religion Foundation Announcer]

America is an idea. For 250 years, that idea has helped expand our rights and our freedoms. But progress isn't guaranteed. Today, those founding principles are being challenged by efforts to mix religion and government. The Freedom From Religion foundation is working to protect the Constitution and keep power where it belongs with we the people. Visit FFRF US MSNOW or text Ms. Now to 511511, text MISSISSIPPI now to 511511 and keep state and church separate Text fees. Maybe.