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Democratic Senate hopeful Graham Platner, an oyster farmer and Army and Marine veteran, apologized Friday for old Reddit posts calling himself a "communist," labeling police "bastards," and saying rural white Americans are racist and stupid. In a video on X, he blamed the remarks on disillusionment after deployments, said his views have changed, and asked voters to judge him today. He also denied being a communist or socialist. 2013 posts reviewed by NBC News minimized military sexual-assault reporting. Platner launched in August with endorsements including Bernie Sanders, as Gov. Janet Mills’ entry sharpened the Democratic primary.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.