(MENAFN- Live Mint) Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate running for the US Senate in Maine, who defended a series of controversial Reddit posts he made between 2013 and 2021, said they were intended to provoke reactions rather than reflect his true beliefs.

“That was me trying to get a rise out of people on the Internet,” Platner told Tommy Vietor on Pod Save America.“Those weren't even reflective of my opinions back then.”

He added that voters in Maine would see past the controversy when they meet him in person on the campaign trail.“People are going to recognize that this is not at all the person that they have come to know, and come to interact with in reality,” he said.

Apology and acknowledgment of mental health struggles

Despite his defense, Platner issued an apology in a video posted Friday on social media. He said the posts were made shortly after leaving the Army in 2012 and reflected his struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

“I still had the crude humor, the dark, dark feelings, the offensive language that really was a hallmark of the infantry when I was in it,” he said.

“I'm sorry for this. Just know that it's not reflective at all of who I am. I don't want you to judge me on the dumbest thing I ever wrote on the internet. I would prefer if people could judge me on the person I am today.”

Platner has also shared additional Reddit posts showing him encouraging veterans to seek mental health support and criticizing homophobia and misogyny in the military. One post described his disillusionment with“rampant misogyny and weirdness” in the Marines, where he also served.

Campaign fallout and staff resignation

The resurfacing of the posts has caused internal turmoil in Platner's campaign. His political director, Genevieve L. McDonald, resigned after the controversy.

“While I am empathetic to Graham's experiences and respect his personal journey and growth, I cannot overlook the volume and nature of his past comments, many of which were made as an adult, not as a young man,” McDonald said in her resignation statement.“These statements were not known to me when I agreed to join the campaign, and they are not words or values I can stand behind in a candidate for the United States Senate.”

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Sen. Susan Collins' campaign weighed in on Friday, saying Platner's past remarks“disparaged everyone from people living in rural areas, to the police, and the disabled.” The statement also suggested the controversy reflected deeper divisions within the Democratic Party.

Continued campaigning amid controversy

Despite the setback, Platner has continued campaigning across Maine, focusing on his policy agenda. The Democratic primary for the US Senate seat, which also features Maine Gov. Janet Mills, is expected to be one of the most closely watched races in the state next year.

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