Meet Graham Platner: Marine, oyster farmer, communist

Inside Graham Platner's Controversial Rise

Graham Platner is sitting down for a bite between campaign events in his dining room overlooking Frenchman Bay, the scenic Down East waterway where he once farmed oysters, and more recently takes reporters on boat rides to talk about his unexpected political ascent. Sun streams into the room, which is decorated with family photos and wooden Easter eggs painted pastel shades. Suddenly Platner’s black Lab, Zevon (named after rock star Warren), lun…

Meet Graham Platner: Marine, oyster farmer, communist

In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here. Over the weekend, the New York Times magazine sat down with Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner to profile the “everyman” Democrat hoping to unseat longtime Sen. Susa…