Graham Platner’s implosion in Maine is driving an intense debate among Democrats over how they wound up in this mess — and if the progressive, populist push for more “outsider” candidates has come at the expense of rigorous candidate vetting.
“People have overcorrected. … We do need more candidates from different backgrounds. We do need people who bring real-world perspective to our politics,” said Caitlin Legacki, a Democratic strategist who was publicly critical of Platner and his campaign. “But there is a reason that party committees do vet their candidates, and they do the research typically before these candidates launch.”
She added that this campaign should “serve as a cautionary tale.”