Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner
Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner puts a Red Sox TV ad against private equity in front of Maine voters as he campaigns to unseat Sen. Susan Collins
Latest development Platner withdrawal opens July 27 Maine Senate race replacement
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Brief text
Graham Platner began Memorial Day weekend by releasing an ad on the cable station that airs Boston Red Sox games accusing team owners of ruining the storied franchise
- Frame 1Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner puts a Red Sox TV ad against private equity in front of Maine voters as he campaigns to unseat Sen. Susan Collins.
- Frame 2NESN pulls the ad after the broadcast, saying the spot used unauthorized third-party intellectual property and violated its advertising standards.
- Frame 3Fenway Sports Group mostly owns NESN and also owns the Red Sox and Liverpool, making the fight about ownership as well as politics.
- Frame 4Platner turns the removal into a populist message, arguing private equity is making everyday life worse and accusing team owners of silencing the critique.
- Frame 5Next test: whether NESN names the specific rule it enforced, or the pulled ad keeps feeding Maine's Senate race.
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- May 26, 6:59 PM EDT
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Related coverage
Related brief Graham Platner challenges Susan Collins in Maine Senate race ABC and CBS project Graham Platner will face Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Maine's November Senate race. ABC says the race is expected to be among the most-watched midterm contests as Democrats try to flip the Senate. The Guardian reported Platner won 72% after allegations emerged during the primary campaign.
Related brief Sanders, Warren Call for Platner to Quit Before Maine Ballot Deadline Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren called for Maine Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner to step aside after a new nonconsensual sexual conduct allegation, which Platner denies. July 13 is reported as the deadline for Maine Democrats to replace him on the ballot.