The Futile Quest to Define Class in America

Maine's working class hated Platner's working-class shtick

Editor's note: Today's piece goes out to everyone. If you're not subscribing, I hope you will consider doing so. This newsletter is how I make a modest living. It's how I make rent! Link at the bottom. (PS: Don't forget the tip jar! Thanks!) –JSClick here for the tip jar. Say $10? Thanks!Years from now, when people look back on Graham Platner's disastrous bid for the Senate, they will probably recall that it was the Maine Democrat's terrible tre…

The futile quest to define class in America

Former U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner speaks during a campaign event with the Maine A.F.L.-C.I.O. on May 1, 2026, in Portland, Maine. (Photo by Graeme Sloan/Stringer via Getty Images)The implosion of Graham Platner’s Senate campaign has spurred an interesting discussion of class in America. I think there are two reasons this episode is revealing, both of which stem from the Platner campaign’s decision to characterize him as a working-class…