Graham Platner shouldn’t be elected to represent Maine in the U.S. Senate, a former high-level staffer for the embattled Democratic candidate told voters just hours before polls opened in the state’s Tuesday primary.

Genevieve McDonald, once a Maine state representative who worked briefly as Platner’s campaign director last year, warned in an op/ed in The Washington Post on Monday evening: «Graham Platner is not someone who would be good for Maine or for the country.»

While she overlooked his Nazi-linked tattoo and possible cheating scandal, McDonald said in the piece titled «I know firsthand why Graham Platner shouldn’t be a U.S. senator» that she couldn’t ignore how «he exhibits a pattern of dishonest behavior,» and ultimately quit the campaign after just two months.

«I was one of the Platner campaign’s first gaslighting casualties,» she wrote.

McDonald said she was «disturbed» by what she learned during her time on his staff from August to October 2025.

«If America wants a stronger democracy, elevating leaders with integrity is essential,» she wrote in the opinion piece. «Leaders with sound judgment and ethics. Leaders who embrace and live the ideals the nation stands for.»

THE GROWING LIST OF CONTROVERSIES THREATENING DEMOCRAT GRAHAM PLATNER’S MAINE SENATE BID

McDonald complained about the series of skeletons that emerged, including the Nazi-linked tattoo on his chest, recent allegations of physical misconduct with an ex-girlfriend and lewd Reddit posts that have rocked his campaign.

She specifically took issue with one Reddit post where Platner said white, rural Americans are ‘racist’ and ‘stupid.’ The demographic he attacked is the one in which he is now hoping to represent in the U.S. Senate.

McDonald also slammed the campaign’s «feigned ignorance» of the significance of the tattoo, which she described as «appalling.»

Genevieve McDonald places a bait bag in a lobster trap while fishing off the coast of Stonington, Maine, on Sept. 5, 2015. (Gregory Rec/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images)

The woman who made allegations of physical violence against Platner, Lyndsey Fifield, stood in solidarity with McDonald after the piece was published on Monday night.

«Last year, I watched a woman sacrifice her career to stand on principle and warn the public about a dangerous man. Genevieve has been relentlessly attacked — but she kept her honor and her soul. She has inspired me to stay strong through this storm.»

Among other revelations in the op/ed, McDonald said the campaign offered her a severance package of $15,000 contingent upon signing a non-disclosure agreement, which she refused.

TOP OFF-THE-WALL REDDIT POSTS HAUNTING GRAHAM PLATNER’S MAINE SENATE BID

McDonald conveyed that she wanted to believe Platner’s narrative of redemption — the candidate often touts himself as a man with a troubled past who has since straightened up — but she felt the overwhelming scandals were too much for her to continue working on the campaign.

She also used the platform in the Post to take a dig at Platner, who has pitched himself as a working-class Mainer, humble oyster farmer and small-town harbor master.

«I realized the campaign had not been honest with me,» McDonald wrote. «As someone from a real working-class background, I knew this would undermine his cross-party appeal.»

PLATNER’S ‘LIVING ON THE SEA’ CLAIM DISMANTLED BY CRITICS AS FINANCIAL DOCS PAINT A DIFFERENT PICTURE

That narrative has recently fallen apart as his campaign came under fire from multiple angles.

Platner’s mother, who owns a restaurant, is listed as the only customer of his oyster farming business on its financial disclosers. He farms off a private island owned by the family of his business partner, and his father gave him a $200,000 loan to purchase a home.

Senatorial candidate Graham Platner speaks at a town hall at the Leavitt Theater in Ogunquit, Maine, on Oct. 22, 2025. (Sophie Park/Getty Images)

«I want better for my daughters, and for the people of Maine,» McDonald wrote. «Democrats are being sold a narrative that Platner is the only choice for the race against Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Maine voters don’t have to accept that.»

There are two other Democratic candidates on the ballot in Tuesday’s race, Gov. Janet Mills and consultant David Costello.

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Mills was Platner’s main challenger, but withdrew from the race due to her campaign’s lack of funds on hand. Her withdrawal, however, came after the ballots were already printed — so her name will still appear as an option for voters.

«The answer to a broken political culture is not to accept it,» McDonald concluded. «Demand better from those entrusted with power or seeking it.»

«Enough is enough.»

El Departamento de Agricultura de Estados Unidos (USDA) confirmó cinco casos de gusano barrenador del Nuevo Mundo en Texas y Nuevo México, una situación que afecta a ganaderos, veterinarios y dueños de mascotas desde inicios de junio de 2026. La reaparición de este parásito, erradicado en el país desde la década de 1960, genera preocupación por el potencial impacto en la ganadería y la salud animal, según informes oficiales.

De acuerdo con el USDA, los casos involucran tres terneros y una cabra en Texas, además de un perro en el condado de Lea, Nuevo México. La agencia explicó que el caso del perro, inicialmente reportado en Texas, fue reclasificado tras una investigación epidemiológica. Las autoridades estatales y federales han intensificado la vigilancia y han lanzado campañas informativas y de control biológico para frenar la propagación del parásito.

El contexto regional ayuda a entender el alcance del brote. El gusano barrenador, originario de América Central y Sur, avanzó hacia el norte en los últimos años y fue detectado en México a fines de 2024. Estados Unidos implementó controles fronterizos e intensificó el monitoreo en estados del sur, en respuesta a informes sobre casos en zonas cercanas a la frontera, según la Texas Animal Health Commission y la Texas Tribune.

El gusano barrenador del Nuevo Mundo es una larva de mosca que deposita sus huevos en heridas abiertas de animales de sangre caliente, incluidas mascotas y ganado, según el USDA. A diferencia de otras especies de moscas, las larvas consumen tejido sano, lo que puede causar daños graves o la muerte si no se detecta a tiempo. La agencia federal señala que la infestación puede afectar también a la fauna silvestre y, en raras ocasiones, a seres humanos.

El ciclo de vida del parásito inicia cuando la mosca adulta deposita huevos en lesiones, mordidas o cualquier herida expuesta. Las larvas emergen y penetran en el tejido vivo, donde pueden multiplicarse y provocar infecciones que avanzan con rapidez. El daño se agrava porque las heridas se amplían y pueden favorecer infecciones secundarias, de acuerdo con la Texas Animal Health Commission.

Las autoridades confirmaron tres terneros y una cabra afectados en Texas, junto con un perro en Nuevo México. El caso del perro representó el primer reporte en ese estado, según la reclasificación oficial del USDA. La agencia puntualizó que la investigación sobre el historial de movimientos del animal continúa en curso. En Texas, el gobernador Greg Abbott ordenó la activación del Centro Estatal de Operaciones de Emergencia, coordinando la respuesta entre organismos estatales y federales.

El brote llevó a restricciones en la movilización de animales desde Texas hacia otros estados y Canadá. El USDA suspendió temporalmente la importación de ganado y caballos desde la región afectada, según sus propios comunicados. Además, varios estados como Oklahoma y Florida implementaron controles adicionales para animales provenientes de zonas con casos confirmados.

El USDA y la Texas Animal Health Commission publicaron recomendaciones específicas para dueños de mascotas. La vigilancia diaria es clave: se debe revisar a los animales en busca de heridas, cortes o zonas de piel expuesta, sobre todo después de paseos o actividades en exteriores. Los síntomas más frecuentes incluyen:

• Heridas que empeoran o no cicatrizan.
• Inflamación o enrojecimiento inusual.
• Olor desagradable proveniente de la lesión.
• Presencia visible de larvas en la piel o dentro de la herida.
• Cambios en el comportamiento, como decaimiento, agitación o lamido excesivo de la zona afectada.

El USDA advierte que el hallazgo de larvas requiere atención veterinaria inmediata. La intervención temprana puede marcar la diferencia y evitar daños graves. Los veterinarios pueden tomar muestras, confirmar el diagnóstico y aplicar tratamientos específicos.

Las estrategias de prevención recomendadas incluyen:

• Supervisión diaria de mascotas y ganado para detectar heridas.
• Mantener limpias y cubiertas todas las lesiones.
• Consultar con un veterinario acerca de productos o medicamentos aprobados.
• Evitar trasladar animales con heridas abiertas desde o hacia zonas afectadas.
• Seguir las indicaciones de las autoridades sanitarias locales y federales.

El USDA implementa la liberación de moscas estériles como método de control biológico en áreas de riesgo, una estrategia que busca reducir la población de moscas silvestres y frenar la propagación del parásito.

El riesgo para humanos es bajo, pero no inexistente, según los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC). Pueden presentarse casos cuando hay exposición a moscas en áreas con brotes activos, especialmente en personas con heridas abiertas. Los síntomas en humanos incluyen dolor, sensación de movimiento bajo la piel, presencia de larvas y mal olor en el sitio afectado. Ante cualquier sospecha, se recomienda consultar a un médico.

De acuerdo con el USDA, el gusano barrenador no afecta la carne ni otros productos alimenticios. Los controles de calidad y las inspecciones impiden que animales infestados lleguen a la cadena de suministro. No obstante, el brote podría impactar el mercado ganadero en caso de propagación, según la Texas Tribune. Hasta el momento, no se han reportado incrementos significativos en los precios de la carne derivados del brote actual.

El USDA y la Texas Animal Health Commission han reforzado la vigilancia epidemiológica y habilitaron sistemas de reporte para casos sospechosos. Los propietarios de animales pueden comunicarse con las autoridades a través de líneas telefónicas y formularios en línea. Las medidas de control incluyen inspección de animales en zonas afectadas, cuarentenas y campañas de información para población y profesionales.

Las autoridades reiteran que la colaboración ciudadana es clave para la detección temprana y el control de la plaga. El objetivo es erradicar el gusano barrenador en territorio estadounidense, como ocurrió en la segunda mitad del siglo XX.

El brote activo de gusano barrenador del Nuevo Mundo exige vigilancia permanente y acción coordinada entre autoridades, veterinarios y población. La información oficial sostiene que la enfermedad es tratable si se detecta a tiempo y que la cadena alimentaria se mantiene segura. Las restricciones de movimiento, los controles fronterizos y la liberación de moscas estériles continuarán hasta lograr la erradicación de la plaga. Ganaderos, veterinarios y dueños de mascotas deben seguir atentos a la evolución de los casos y a las recomendaciones actualizadas de instituciones oficiales.

Senate Republicans have struggled to move the ball on President Donald Trump’s voter ID and citizenship verification bill, but a late-night vote in the upper chamber breathed some life into an issue once thought dead. 

During the Senate’s marathon «vote-a-rama» to advance the GOP’s $70 billion immigration enforcement package, Republicans tried twice to attach the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act to the massive bill. 

They failed both times, with a cohort of Republicans joining Senate Democrats to stymie the effort, which was destined to fail either way given that the amendments from Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Mike Lee, R-Utah, had to break through the filibuster. 

REPUBLICANS FAIL TO ATTACH SAVE AMERICA ACT TO PARTY-LINE FUNDING PACKAGE

Graham’s attempt was to attach the modified version of the SAVE America Act, which included several policy additions, like barring men in women’s sports, that Trump demanded months ago.

Four Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., voted against it. Their defections prevented the bill from even getting 50 votes, a prerequisite for success if Republicans were to launch a talking filibuster. 

But Lee’s attempt did hit 50 votes, with Collins flipping her vote to support the original version of the SAVE America Act. 

Lee cheered the moment on X shortly after as the vote-a-rama still raged and noted that, with Vice President JD Vance serving as a possible 51st vote, the SAVE America Act could pass.

WATCH: HAWLEY FUMES AFTER 4 GOP SENATORS HELP SINK TRUMP-BACKED VOTER ID LAW

«That means that but for the Zombie Filibuster, the House-passed SAVE America Act would now be on its way to the White House for President Trump’s signature,» Lee said. 

The moment was a big victory for the legislation, which thus far has wallowed in the Senate for months.

Conservatives like Lee have pushed Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to launch a talking filibuster to grind down Senate Democrats and pass the legislation at a simple majority threshold.

SEN LEE DARES DEMOCRATS TO REVIVE TALKING FILIBUSTER OVER SAVE ACT, SLAMMING CRITICISM AS ‘PARANOID FANTASY’

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, has been leading the effort for the Senate to take up the SAVE America Act, which would federally require voter ID nationwide. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

But Thune hasn’t pulled the trigger out of concern that Republicans wouldn’t stay together to bat down a deluge of Democratic amendments that could substantially change the legislation or target other elements of Trump’s agenda. 

Senate Republicans did launch a quasi-floor takeover to debate the SAVE America Act in March, but the steam behind that push has since fallen off substantially. 

The other option for Republicans would be to nuke the filibuster, something Trump has demanded they do sporadically throughout his second term.

Again, it’s an issue that Republicans aren’t unified on, and one that several fear could haunt them if and when Democrats regain control of the upper chamber. 

Trump has also shifted his ire to the Senate rules referee, Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth Macdonough, who ruled that the SAVE America Act didn’t pass muster to be a part of the immigration package at a 50-vote threshold. He’s called on Thune to fire her a handful of times in recent months. 

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«We have every right to change her, and should do so, IMMEDIATELY,» Trump said on Truth Social. «As long as she’s there, we will never get our desperately needed, SAVE AMERICA ACT, approved, and put into full force and effect!»

But, like the talking filibuster or outright nuking of the filibuster, it’s a move Thune isn’t in a hurry to make. 

«That’s not a new request, as you all know, and as is typically the case, the parliamentarian, the rulings break both ways,» Thune said. «And, you know, we lose a few, we win a few, but that’s been true when Democrats have been in the majority, too.»