Graham Platner, the leading Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Maine, is a progressive 41-year-old military vet and oyster farmer pitching a working-class revolution. The pitch really worked with Maine’s Democratic base and with donors. And now Platner, who has never held elected office, will be running against the state’s longtime Republican senator, Susan Collins. The Senate race in Maine is viewed as crucial for Democrats if they hope to win back the Senate in November. Platner has encountered some controversy in his short time in the national spotlight, starting with the revelation of a tattoo on his chest that was recognized as a Nazi symbol, and reporting on his past social media posts. So is he ready for prime time? Lulu Garcia-Navarro sat down with him to find out. Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/16/magazine/graham-platner-interview.html “The Interview” features conversations with the world’s most fascinating people. Each week, co-hosts David Marchese and Lulu Garcia-Navarro talk to compelling, influential figures in culture, politics, business, sports and beyond — illuminating who they are, why they do what they do and how they impact the rest of us. Subscribe to “The Interview”: https://www.youtube.com/@theinterviewpodcast Download the New York Times app: https://bit.ly/4gZdoip #theinterview