Welcome back to Gramerica.

After Governor Janet Mills’ abrupt exit from the field, oyster farmer and Marine veteran Graham Platner stands as the presumptive Democratic nominee in a fierce, one-on-one contest against the Republican incumbent, Senator Susan Collins.

Following intense social media speculation, Collins has revealed she has been living with a neurological condition—a benign essential tremor—throughout her time in the Senate.

Though she insists it won't impact her service, it creates a stark contrast with Platner's youthful, barnstorming campaign.

Yet Platner continues to face scrutiny of his own over past Reddit posts, his working-class bona fides, and a recently covered-over Nazi Totenkopf tattoo from his days as a young Marine.

In our second episode, the Two Broke Woke Blokes explore the tectonic shifts in this wild race, sifting through the scandals that supporters have made peace with and opponents refuse to let go.

For a full list of sources, video clips, and reading materials cited in this episode, visit our show notes at:

⁠https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LArCxINrHuKCh6OZHjCBB18NrS1XiBNqsFn_CVGQ_HM/edit?usp=sharing⁠

Welcome to Gramerica, a new series following the high-stakes Senate campaign of Graham Platner. In our premiere episode, Pip and Adrian unpack the improbable rise of this Maine oyster farmer and Marine veteran as he takes on the Titan of the Senate, Susan Collins.

From launching a viral July video to quickly dispatching Democratic primary opponent Governor Janet Mills, Platner has completely upended the status quo. To his supporters, he is the long-awaited antidote to a calcified political system that has abandoned everyday people.

To his critics—who weaponize his offensive, decade-old social media posts and a covered-over Nazi tattoo from his youth—he is a walking paradox, drawing contradictory barbs like “communist,” “Nazi,” “racist,” and “homophobe.”

Yet through it all, he keeps on rolling.

The Two Broke Woke Blokes are not Platner “fanboys,” nor do we pretend to be political experts. But like so many in Maine, we are energized by this race and ready to grapple with its many questions and contradictions.

To help us set the table and make sense of it all, we’re joined by University of Maine Professor Emerita of Political Science, Amy Fried.

For a full list of sources, video clips, and reading materials cited in this episode, visit our show notes at:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LArCxINrHuKCh6OZHjCBB18NrS1XiBNqsFn_CVGQ_HM/edit?usp=sharing