The GOP often exploits confusion around these concepts, suggesting that long‑standing public programs are “communism.” That rhetoric resonates with a segment of voters who have embraced increasingly mythic views of Donald Trump — some seeing him as a modern King David, and a smaller but vocal subset treating him as a divinely chosen figure.
Is the new smear tactic against Democratic socialists (progressives) going to be sexual assault allegations? Are the allegations against Platner legit? Maybe they are, maybe they aren't. Reports have said that there is 'evidence' against Platner, but evidence can be manufactured or fabricated. So, if progressives are going to be called to step down every time that there is a so-called scandal against them, Americans have no hope of changing the status-quo. One-time California gubernatorial candidate Eric Swalwell was the victim of such 'allegations'. Considering who is in the White House right now, we cannot let any smear tactics undermine our future for trying to fix America's ills. We cannot continue to take the high road when republicans and MAGAs continue to cripple America by being vile, hateful, and destructive just because they want power and money. Platner himself should have released a statement saying that he would step down from his campaign ONLY if Trump resigned from office. The fact that we have a serial sex-offender in the Oval Office and he gets to do anything he wants in office, while Platner was forced to step down because of ONE 'allegation' is completely sickening.
You went into more detail but I have made a number of comments saying much the same things. It’s nice to know I’m not crazy for thinking such. I think Democrats are caught in the middle of the tug of war between progressives and establishment in the time of trump’s massive criminality and republican’s willingness to go merrily along with it. It’s confusing so candidates can be successfully pushed in desperation as Platner was. Look at all the big names who were touting him even though there were plenty of voices almost screaming that he was a loser especially after seeing that tattoo of his. The fact that he came out of nowhere with no really significant civic engagement and running for the US Senate should have been another red flag. What were people thinking and that includes the voters. I understand not wanting to send Janet Mills in spite of it being ageist as hell but voters had a chance to send a much cleaner progressive to DC. Should Platner finally decide to drop out, and he should, I hope Mainers run their second choice candidate against Collins who will be gunning to save her seat.
While I often agree with your analysis I think you are looking at only one side of the coin. Talking points do not motivate people, policies and a willingness to fight for them, do. While it is true that older voters generally have dubious views on "socialism" broadly they do like healthcare and the DSA candidates like it as not are the only ones flogging that issue.
Centrist Democrats, like Mills, are generally trying to run on a slate of talking points and the faith that rejection of Trump will deliver them a victory. But that experiment has been run. In 2018 and 2020 it sort of worked but not much. It failed disastrously in 2016 and 2024. At this point I think motivating people with things you will do is far and away a better plan than saying little and banking on the fever breaking.
Many of the young liberals, 35 and under, don’t want stability, they want real change. Politicians calling themselves Democratic Socialists need to explain their policies to voters. Many republicans want universal healthcare. This is actually America First. If we have democratic socialists losing because the messaging is weak and if the DNC is not beating this drum loudly over every media platform and taking it rural then we have the DNC to blame.
Time for us old men to step aside and let the young folks take charge. We can talk about the horrors of "cominism" over breakfast at McDonald's on Saturday morning.
Why are DSA candidates gaining ground? Because people are tired of establishment Dem centrists, Dixiecrats, or Republican lights who never get anything ACTUALLY done. Times they are a changin’ and using the word socialist isn’t the boogyman old school Dems think it is anymore not when we actually want many of their policies effectuated.
I'm not a Mainer, and thus have no skin in this game. But regardless of what Platner decides, I see a ray of sunshine within this particular storm cloud.
Take a look at the most popular political figures in the country right now.
Top 6 most popular are liberal Democrats, or Democratic socialists. No centrist Democrats, no Republicans of any kind.
Platner may not appear on this list, but his platform does….at the top. Mainers knew from the beginning that his character was in question, but his platform is why he won his primary, personal issues notwithstanding.
I find that hopeful. The DemSoc movement is exploding, and the GOP knows it.
They are Trump's ‘Communists’. Why else would he and the GOP suddenly start banging this particular drum so loudly and so often?
AOC is 6th most popular, nearly tied with the top Republican, Rubio, and Kamala Harris.
You'll also notice how few straight white men there are in the top third of this list. And Rubio, a POC and son of immigrants, has the third highest 'don't know' percentages of the 7 Republicans mentioned by name….but still ranks higher than the rest.
Vance and Trump are tied, BEHIND the Republican party….and way behind Jon Ossof at #5, even though 55% of respondents admitted they knew nothing about him!!
AND they're both also ranked behind Gavin Newsom. Musk ranks even lower.
Tucker Carlson, who's been tagged as the Great White Hope of Republicans in 2028 barely made the list, and look at the percentages of people that don't know anything about him compared to the same number for AOC....and then see the wide disparity in their rankings.
Yikes, that does not speak well of Carlson and where he ranks with the people that DO know him. Conversely, it speaks well of the Democratic socialist platform that AOC, with nearly the same recognition percentage, ranks so close to the top
Added to this, the non-partisan platform http://vote.org/ reports record-breaking voter registration in the first half of 2026.
38% of those who used the platform to register, so far this year were 18-years-old, and nearly 80% were under the age of 35.
Who do you think these new young voters are going to support?
No wonder Republicans are trotting out that old dead horse of McCarthyism.
They have nothing else to offer.
And look where Dem party leaders appear on the list. They also have nothing to offer, but folks seem to recognize who does, and they're still Democrats.
As an interesting side note...my mom, a three time Trump voter....loved Bernie Sanders in 2016.
What survey are you citing here? I personally doubt that American Democratic Socialism will have much coherence without Bernie to carry the banner and explain what it represents. The term is almost inexplicable as it seeks to redefine what “socialism” actually means. Bernie has the good sense to talk about billionaires and not oligarchs. We forget that Zohran Mamdani barely broke 50% against the ghastly Andrew Cuomo and a clownish Republican candidate. He does not have a “mandate” and persists in talking divisively about Israel when that issue is not part of his portfolio as mayor. I would prefer that we all call ourselves Democrats without confounding everyone with the term Democratic Socialism that suggests a complete repudiation of capitalism. Elizabeth Warren provides a model of how progressive policies can be articulated and advocated.
By conflating Platner's woes with the recent small moment democratic socialists are having, you do a disservice to your readers. Dem socialists had nothing to do with Platner's baggage, nor the fact that Mills was the other option. You seem to be surprised by the idea that primaries tend to be dominated by the more extreme wings of every political party. My other 2 cents ... i hope Platner withdraws and Mills runs against Collins. With a smart few months of campaigning, Mills can win the seat.
If the allegations about Graham are substantiated, he could become a serious liability. Voters don’t want a second Trump‑style figure representing their state, and Democrats especially reject that kind of behavior. Associating our party with anyone who mirrors Trump’s known behavior toward women risks damaging our brand and weakening the trust we’ve worked to rebuild.
Many voters are put off by a party that championed sweeping, unrealistic goals without regard for practical consequences.
We can’t lose sight of our central mission to retake the congress, stabilize the economic turmoil created under Trump, fully restore the Affordable Care Act, repair the broader economy, and rebuild America’s international reputation.
Troy Jackson is Bernie Sanders backed and was my first choice for Governor. He didn't quite get enough votes but it was split by some excellent candidates with similar platforms. Troy also has some big unions on his side.
Troy is a logger from up North and has a background in Maine State level politics, he served as the President of the Maine Senate. Apparently the only reason Troy hasn't run for Senate Senate is because he didn't want to be on the Federal level. Given the insane reality we find ourselves in, he's likely changed his mind about it.
From what I read in the New York Times today, Troy Jackson seems like an excellent option so long as he really wants to do it. He has the DSA creds that should mollify angry Platner voters. He has grown on some culture war issues like reproductive freedom and LGBT rights having emerged from a conservative Catholic background. He seems very much a Mainer. Maybe Platner could withdraw and endorse Jackson to help Maine Dems settle the matter and get pointed toward November.
The GOP often exploits confusion around these concepts, suggesting that long‑standing public programs are “communism.” That rhetoric resonates with a segment of voters who have embraced increasingly mythic views of Donald Trump — some seeing him as a modern King David, and a smaller but vocal subset treating him as a divinely chosen figure.
Is the new smear tactic against Democratic socialists (progressives) going to be sexual assault allegations? Are the allegations against Platner legit? Maybe they are, maybe they aren't. Reports have said that there is 'evidence' against Platner, but evidence can be manufactured or fabricated. So, if progressives are going to be called to step down every time that there is a so-called scandal against them, Americans have no hope of changing the status-quo. One-time California gubernatorial candidate Eric Swalwell was the victim of such 'allegations'. Considering who is in the White House right now, we cannot let any smear tactics undermine our future for trying to fix America's ills. We cannot continue to take the high road when republicans and MAGAs continue to cripple America by being vile, hateful, and destructive just because they want power and money. Platner himself should have released a statement saying that he would step down from his campaign ONLY if Trump resigned from office. The fact that we have a serial sex-offender in the Oval Office and he gets to do anything he wants in office, while Platner was forced to step down because of ONE 'allegation' is completely sickening.
You went into more detail but I have made a number of comments saying much the same things. It’s nice to know I’m not crazy for thinking such. I think Democrats are caught in the middle of the tug of war between progressives and establishment in the time of trump’s massive criminality and republican’s willingness to go merrily along with it. It’s confusing so candidates can be successfully pushed in desperation as Platner was. Look at all the big names who were touting him even though there were plenty of voices almost screaming that he was a loser especially after seeing that tattoo of his. The fact that he came out of nowhere with no really significant civic engagement and running for the US Senate should have been another red flag. What were people thinking and that includes the voters. I understand not wanting to send Janet Mills in spite of it being ageist as hell but voters had a chance to send a much cleaner progressive to DC. Should Platner finally decide to drop out, and he should, I hope Mainers run their second choice candidate against Collins who will be gunning to save her seat.
While I often agree with your analysis I think you are looking at only one side of the coin. Talking points do not motivate people, policies and a willingness to fight for them, do. While it is true that older voters generally have dubious views on "socialism" broadly they do like healthcare and the DSA candidates like it as not are the only ones flogging that issue.
Centrist Democrats, like Mills, are generally trying to run on a slate of talking points and the faith that rejection of Trump will deliver them a victory. But that experiment has been run. In 2018 and 2020 it sort of worked but not much. It failed disastrously in 2016 and 2024. At this point I think motivating people with things you will do is far and away a better plan than saying little and banking on the fever breaking.
Many of the young liberals, 35 and under, don’t want stability, they want real change. Politicians calling themselves Democratic Socialists need to explain their policies to voters. Many republicans want universal healthcare. This is actually America First. If we have democratic socialists losing because the messaging is weak and if the DNC is not beating this drum loudly over every media platform and taking it rural then we have the DNC to blame.
Time for us old men to step aside and let the young folks take charge. We can talk about the horrors of "cominism" over breakfast at McDonald's on Saturday morning.
As an Independent who leans Democrat, to your observations I say, Amen. Now if only the Democratic establishment can learn from such reality.
Why are DSA candidates gaining ground? Because people are tired of establishment Dem centrists, Dixiecrats, or Republican lights who never get anything ACTUALLY done. Times they are a changin’ and using the word socialist isn’t the boogyman old school Dems think it is anymore not when we actually want many of their policies effectuated.
Get over it.
You are incredibly naive.
Guess we’ll find out whether people vote for more of the same and get nothing or try a different approach.
I'm not a Mainer, and thus have no skin in this game. But regardless of what Platner decides, I see a ray of sunshine within this particular storm cloud.
Take a look at the most popular political figures in the country right now.
Top 6 most popular are liberal Democrats, or Democratic socialists. No centrist Democrats, no Republicans of any kind.
Platner may not appear on this list, but his platform does….at the top. Mainers knew from the beginning that his character was in question, but his platform is why he won his primary, personal issues notwithstanding.
I find that hopeful. The DemSoc movement is exploding, and the GOP knows it.
They are Trump's ‘Communists’. Why else would he and the GOP suddenly start banging this particular drum so loudly and so often?
AOC is 6th most popular, nearly tied with the top Republican, Rubio, and Kamala Harris.
You'll also notice how few straight white men there are in the top third of this list. And Rubio, a POC and son of immigrants, has the third highest 'don't know' percentages of the 7 Republicans mentioned by name….but still ranks higher than the rest.
Vance and Trump are tied, BEHIND the Republican party….and way behind Jon Ossof at #5, even though 55% of respondents admitted they knew nothing about him!!
AND they're both also ranked behind Gavin Newsom. Musk ranks even lower.
Tucker Carlson, who's been tagged as the Great White Hope of Republicans in 2028 barely made the list, and look at the percentages of people that don't know anything about him compared to the same number for AOC....and then see the wide disparity in their rankings.
Yikes, that does not speak well of Carlson and where he ranks with the people that DO know him. Conversely, it speaks well of the Democratic socialist platform that AOC, with nearly the same recognition percentage, ranks so close to the top
Added to this, the non-partisan platform http://vote.org/ reports record-breaking voter registration in the first half of 2026.
38% of those who used the platform to register, so far this year were 18-years-old, and nearly 80% were under the age of 35.
Who do you think these new young voters are going to support?
No wonder Republicans are trotting out that old dead horse of McCarthyism.
They have nothing else to offer.
And look where Dem party leaders appear on the list. They also have nothing to offer, but folks seem to recognize who does, and they're still Democrats.
As an interesting side note...my mom, a three time Trump voter....loved Bernie Sanders in 2016.
What survey are you citing here? I personally doubt that American Democratic Socialism will have much coherence without Bernie to carry the banner and explain what it represents. The term is almost inexplicable as it seeks to redefine what “socialism” actually means. Bernie has the good sense to talk about billionaires and not oligarchs. We forget that Zohran Mamdani barely broke 50% against the ghastly Andrew Cuomo and a clownish Republican candidate. He does not have a “mandate” and persists in talking divisively about Israel when that issue is not part of his portfolio as mayor. I would prefer that we all call ourselves Democrats without confounding everyone with the term Democratic Socialism that suggests a complete repudiation of capitalism. Elizabeth Warren provides a model of how progressive policies can be articulated and advocated.
By conflating Platner's woes with the recent small moment democratic socialists are having, you do a disservice to your readers. Dem socialists had nothing to do with Platner's baggage, nor the fact that Mills was the other option. You seem to be surprised by the idea that primaries tend to be dominated by the more extreme wings of every political party. My other 2 cents ... i hope Platner withdraws and Mills runs against Collins. With a smart few months of campaigning, Mills can win the seat.
If the allegations about Graham are substantiated, he could become a serious liability. Voters don’t want a second Trump‑style figure representing their state, and Democrats especially reject that kind of behavior. Associating our party with anyone who mirrors Trump’s known behavior toward women risks damaging our brand and weakening the trust we’ve worked to rebuild.
Many voters are put off by a party that championed sweeping, unrealistic goals without regard for practical consequences.
We can’t lose sight of our central mission to retake the congress, stabilize the economic turmoil created under Trump, fully restore the Affordable Care Act, repair the broader economy, and rebuild America’s international reputation.
Troy Jackson is Bernie Sanders backed and was my first choice for Governor. He didn't quite get enough votes but it was split by some excellent candidates with similar platforms. Troy also has some big unions on his side.
Troy is a logger from up North and has a background in Maine State level politics, he served as the President of the Maine Senate. Apparently the only reason Troy hasn't run for Senate Senate is because he didn't want to be on the Federal level. Given the insane reality we find ourselves in, he's likely changed his mind about it.
https://www.notus.org/campaigns/graham-platner-maine-senate-troy-jackson
From what I read in the New York Times today, Troy Jackson seems like an excellent option so long as he really wants to do it. He has the DSA creds that should mollify angry Platner voters. He has grown on some culture war issues like reproductive freedom and LGBT rights having emerged from a conservative Catholic background. He seems very much a Mainer. Maybe Platner could withdraw and endorse Jackson to help Maine Dems settle the matter and get pointed toward November.
Thank you for this important message