Cole Kinsler is a web developer and musician who lives in Westbrook. 

Thoughtful Maine voters may be interested in comparing the policy platforms of the two leading Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate. Head to Graham Platner’s website and you’ll find a “Platform” page with detailed descriptions in several issue areas. He supports popular policies like Medicare for All, the PRO Act to strengthen labor unions and a billionaire minimum tax.

Altogether, his platform reflects an economic populist agenda that has earned him several union endorsements, while Janet Mills has yet to receive any.

By contrast, browsing Mills’ campaign website, you will find no comparable policy page. Her campaign instead emphasizes biography and broad themes, describing her as someone who will “fix what’s broken in Washington” and “lower costs for everyone.” While she touts a wealth of experience from a long political career, that experience has yet to produce a clearly articulated policy agenda.

Perhaps answers can be found on the campaign trail. Platner has made himself highly accessible — joining protests, walking picket lines and hosting 48 (as of the writing this piece) town halls across the state since the start of his campaign. At town halls, he answers questions and offers a clear-eyed critique of the unchecked wealth and influence of the billionaire class, and outlines a theory of change rooted in the labor and civil rights movements. 

The Mills campaign, by comparison, has taken a more low-key approach, hosting closed-door “roundtables” with small businesses and community members on her “Candid Conversations Tour.” It is unclear how open these events are to the general public, as they are not publicized in advance. From clips shared on social media, there is not much offered in the way of policy details aside from a dedication to protecting reproductive rights and a willingness to “fight” for Maine.

So without a clear agenda to point to, what is the positive argument for Janet Mills? The most common answer I’ve heard is electability. She has name recognition, and has won statewide elections in the past. But that argument doesn’t hold up to scrutiny.

The majority of recent polling shows Platner has better odds of beating Sen. Susan Collins in the general election. A February University of New Hampshire poll, for example, showed Platner leading Collins by 11 points, compared to just a 1-point lead for Mills. Furthermore, by garnering the endorsement and financial support of Chuck Schumer and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Mills has tethered herself to a Democratic establishment that has reached historic lows in public approval.

It should come as no surprise that, with little policy to run on, Mills has turned to attack ads against Platner. The new ad resurfaces years-old Reddit comments he made, rather than engaging with his current platform. It remains to be seen what impact this will have.

Early polling from when these stories first emerged showed little impact on the enthusiasm for his campaign. Many Mainers seem willing to judge Platner for the man he is today, rather than his actions from over a decade ago. I’ve found it heartening to see a candidate take ownership of past mistakes head-on, and to demonstrate growth in the process.

In the June primary and the November general election, Maine has an opportunity to send a message to the rest of the nation. By making Graham Platner our next senator, we can show that the time has come for a new kind of politics.

The corporate-friendly, status quo politics of the past are no longer sufficient. Voters deserve more than vague gestures toward affordability without a concrete plan. We need leaders who are willing to stand up to the billionaires, and to fight for working families every day — not just when it’s convenient. As Maine goes, so goes the nation.