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DFW

(59,711 posts)
Tue Dec 30, 2025, 03:05 AM Tuesday

For the "Janet Mills is too old" crowd--and to her supporters as well

Janet and I are at a New Year’s gathering. I have already spent some time with her, will be spending more in the next two days.

Any one who says she is too old to be mentally sharp enough to be a US Senator? You obviously do NOT know her, and have never spent any time talking to her.

I held off on making this an OP, since it has been almost a year since I had spent any time with her and I wanted to be sure she hadn’t lost any of her edge. She hasn’t. She will make a very creditable Senator.

Iowans— your next governor, Rob Sand, is here, too. As a Texan, I envy you!! We’re still stuck with Greg Abbott (yuck!!).

32 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
For the "Janet Mills is too old" crowd--and to her supporters as well (Original Post) DFW Tuesday OP
Wow... I'm So Glad I saw this Cha Tuesday #1
You know me. "Jetlag" is my middle name. DFW Tuesday #9
I bet.. Born to Fly! Cha Tuesday #12
Thank you for posting this LetMyPeopleVote Tuesday #2
Thank you! betsuni Tuesday #3
Thank you, DFW. Spot on. yorkster Tuesday #4
I certainly agree with you, DFW Rhiannon12866 Tuesday #5
Excellent post and I agree 100% sheshe2 8 hrs ago #28
Cool! 2naSalit Tuesday #6
Maybe jaymac Tuesday #7
Maine's electorate is just never going to give you a downeast Gavin Newsom DFW Tuesday #8
Thank you... like your reply.. Cha Tuesday #10
okay jaymac Tuesday #11
Their mindset and policies have helped me far more than those of, say, Bernie Sanders. W_HAMILTON 23 hrs ago #20
It is up to Maine to decide, not me AZProgressive 11 hrs ago #24
And Sinema also voted for quite a bit of Democratic bills that helped the average American. W_HAMILTON 8 hrs ago #25
I don't see Sinema having Cha 2 hrs ago #31
The comparison to Gavin Newsom would make more sense AZProgressive 11 hrs ago #23
Second paragraph, +++ a zillion times! sheshe2 8 hrs ago #29
Happy birthday to Gov. Janet "took-Trump-to-court-and-won" Mills! LetMyPeopleVote Tuesday #13
Yes, Happy Birthday Today.. December 30! Cha Tuesday #16
Eve could have been her midwife dsc Tuesday #14
In this case, unseating Collins is the priority. maxsolomon Tuesday #15
If it's any consolation DFW Yesterday #19
There are other objections to her than simply age EdmondDantes_ Tuesday #17
It is not yet at all clear that she will be able to defeat Platner for the nomination... Jack Valentino 2 hrs ago #30
Janet is sharp and experienced mainer Tuesday #18
There's a school of thought that Platner is the better choice because he's more likely to broaden the tent BeyondGeography 13 hrs ago #21
Yes, I can't disagree that Platner might have a better chance mainer 13 hrs ago #22
Aloha mainer.. "Young people" care so little about our Cha 1 hr ago #32
My take? She is highly electable. Impressive woman. ALBliberal 8 hrs ago #26
Another take? She entered race reluctantly but felt she is the one to win it. ALBliberal 8 hrs ago #27

Cha

(316,566 posts)
1. Wow... I'm So Glad I saw this
Tue Dec 30, 2025, 03:34 AM
Tuesday

late at night

Mahalo for sharing, DFW It confirms how I think of Gov Janet Mills just from what I've seen and read from afar

Best of Good Luck to Rob Sand & Gov Mills

You sure do get around!! TY!

DFW

(59,711 posts)
9. You know me. "Jetlag" is my middle name.
Tue Dec 30, 2025, 06:16 AM
Tuesday

I’ll be in the USA until the end of January. Six states plus D.C. in 31 days. Sometimes I feel like I’m the one maintaining a schedule of election campaign stops!

Rhiannon12866

(249,695 posts)
5. I certainly agree with you, DFW
Tue Dec 30, 2025, 04:57 AM
Tuesday

Who are two of our sharpest congresswomen? No one could possibly question the sharpness, knowledge and experience of Nancy Pelosi and she's got a few years on Janet Mills. And then there's the indefatigable Maxine Waters who has a couple of years on Nancy Pelosi, but who would consider taking her on??

2naSalit

(99,847 posts)
6. Cool!
Tue Dec 30, 2025, 05:21 AM
Tuesday

I was planning on voting for her anyway, now that I live in her state. One of the reasons I decided I could live here was that she's been Governor for a time and the state is faring much better since she took office.

Enjoy the festivities!

jaymac

(213 posts)
7. Maybe
Tue Dec 30, 2025, 05:39 AM
Tuesday

She should step aside and sit on some corporate boards and try to lessen the costs to regular Mainers, like trying to lower electric costs? How about some volunteer work promoting independent clinics. But she won't do it. Too entrenched. The old guard has to go, they have not been good for the democratic base for years. Corporate dems have harmed us. We need a new way forward and it's not by doing the same old stuff.

I really hope I've stayed within the boundaries don't get negated.

DFW

(59,711 posts)
8. Maine's electorate is just never going to give you a downeast Gavin Newsom
Tue Dec 30, 2025, 06:04 AM
Tuesday

But they WILL give you a Paul LePage unless Maine Democrats present them with a candidate preferable to the locals. “All politics is local,” as Tip O’Neill used to say. He was right then, and he was right now.

You didn’t cross any boundaries that make my feet ache, fear not. However, I make use of my right to not give too much weight to arguments that use “corporate” twice in one paragraph. To me, that’s like when Republicans use the term “liberals” (pronounced “libbruls” where I’m from, but we know what is meant). I need something that comes across as less of a vague stock cliché.

If I lived in Maine, “Susan Collins” and “Republican Senate majority” would be MUCH higher up on my list of priorities of “has to go,” than any “old guard.”

jaymac

(213 posts)
11. okay
Tue Dec 30, 2025, 06:32 AM
Tuesday

First, we have many talented democratic politicians in maine. Gavin Newsom has a great comms office but not much else. And perhaps I did use corporate one time too many but favoring policies that benefit companies over everyday costs for citizens is not my idea of what we in Maine need. Paul LePage touted his business prowess and his handling of Marden's as a low cost alternative to persuade the electorate he could/would lower costs and similar to trump one of his first big ideas ( and one that continued throughout his time in office ) was to insult and berate individuals. He was an embarrassment and I was happy to see him move to Fla. and to have Mills replace him.
But honestly DFW, don't you see we need to get rid of what has been called "the third way" in dem politics. Their mindset and policies don't help most of us. And it has caused dems to lose time after time. The old guard has to change. We need term limits. Even if Mills can stay up partying and talk to many folks in an evening is not enough. Her treatment of our indigenous tribes has been horrid, but don't get me started.

W_HAMILTON

(10,029 posts)
20. Their mindset and policies have helped me far more than those of, say, Bernie Sanders.
Wed Dec 31, 2025, 01:24 AM
23 hrs ago

Achievable progress that has been achieved has helped me and tens of millions of other Americans, whereas simply """fighting""" for policies that have no chance of getting passed has gotten us absolutely nothing -- and I'd argue it's actually set us back and made it less likely those types of policies will pass anytime soon.

AZProgressive

(29,819 posts)
24. It is up to Maine to decide, not me
Wed Dec 31, 2025, 01:42 PM
11 hrs ago

but Schumer was involved in picking Sinema to run for Senate and he discouraged others such as Greg Stanton from entering the race and she fought against $15 minimum wage and other policies to help the average American. The fact politicians like her are against progressive policy says more about them than it does about the politician actually attempting progressive policy.

W_HAMILTON

(10,029 posts)
25. And Sinema also voted for quite a bit of Democratic bills that helped the average American.
Wed Dec 31, 2025, 04:06 PM
8 hrs ago

And she's since been run off anyway because she knew she couldn't win again because we Democrats would not vote for her, so I'm not sure what she has to do with this discussion.

Fact of the matter is I want progress -- I don't want """fighting""" with nothing to show for it.

Progress helps "the average American," even if it is incremental improvements.

Cha

(316,566 posts)
31. I don't see Sinema having
Wed Dec 31, 2025, 10:48 PM
2 hrs ago

anything to do with Gov Janet Mills running for Senate..

But didn't she fool a lot of people when she was first elected? Who can read the future and know how she would Morph?

TY

AZProgressive

(29,819 posts)
23. The comparison to Gavin Newsom would make more sense
Wed Dec 31, 2025, 01:36 PM
11 hrs ago

If Newsom was some far left radical but he can be as centrist as anyone.

All politics is local but national politics can drive people to the polls.

I'm not a big fan of the top 2 candidates in the race so personally I'll just support whoever the Democratic nominee will be.

dsc

(53,315 posts)
14. Eve could have been her midwife
Tue Dec 30, 2025, 12:35 PM
Tuesday

and I would still favor her given the other choice.

maxsolomon

(38,130 posts)
15. In this case, unseating Collins is the priority.
Tue Dec 30, 2025, 01:33 PM
Tuesday

So I DGAF how old she is, just that she can win.

In general, however, I oppose a Gerontocracy.

DFW

(59,711 posts)
19. If it's any consolation
Wed Dec 31, 2025, 12:26 AM
Yesterday

Janet is aware that she is likely to be a one-term Senator. That gives time enough to search for the next Ed Muskie. I agree we need less of the likes of Mitch McConnell and Bernie Sanders in favor of younger blood. But it has to be smart and competent younger blood— not just anyone who has made the big 3-0.

EdmondDantes_

(1,329 posts)
17. There are other objections to her than simply age
Tue Dec 30, 2025, 10:05 PM
Tuesday

Not that my opinion is relevant given I'm not a voter in Maine, but I'd prefer someone with a more progressive bent. Not that I think Platner is good either with his baggage. Maine likely has potential candidates I would prefer, but I suspect they won't run because Mills is and often the presumed favorite can clear out other candidates. I'm not a fan of that since it favors entrenched politicians. I think too often we go with the "safe" candidate. But what is that saying about how Democrats like to fall in love with their candidates?

Jack Valentino

(4,298 posts)
30. It is not yet at all clear that she will be able to defeat Platner for the nomination...
Wed Dec 31, 2025, 10:39 PM
2 hrs ago

at least not without a very negative primary campaign which may destroy the value of the nomination


mainer

(12,492 posts)
18. Janet is sharp and experienced
Tue Dec 30, 2025, 10:19 PM
Tuesday

We know her pretty well and she's a tough cookie, but the primary is going to be a nail-biter because she's up against a charismatic young man who seems to have captured the attention of a lot of young voters. I've been torn between the two, but am leaning toward Janet. Mostly I just want someone who'll defeat Collins.

BeyondGeography

(40,800 posts)
21. There's a school of thought that Platner is the better choice because he's more likely to broaden the tent
Wed Dec 31, 2025, 11:27 AM
13 hrs ago

Summarized here; I’d be interested to hear what you think:

Collins outperformed Donald Trump in every county. She built commanding margins in rural Maine, offsetting Democratic gains in Portland and the southern coast. Her real breakthrough came in the kinds of small towns where Trump lost and she won or closed the margin: Ellsworth, Brewer, Machias, Gardiner and Winterport.

Those former mill towns and service hubs once anchored the Maine Democratic Party. They’re home to exactly the kinds of voters who, in principle, might give someone like Platner a hearing: not deeply ideological, modestly skeptical of both parties and wary of national polarization.

But they are also the voters least represented in the Democratic primary electorate or the donor class fueling Platner’s campaign.

https://theconversation.com/why-rural-maine-may-back-democrat-graham-platners-populism-in-the-senate-campaign-but-not-his-party-269466

mainer

(12,492 posts)
22. Yes, I can't disagree that Platner might have a better chance
Wed Dec 31, 2025, 11:44 AM
13 hrs ago

My worry is that if Mills wins the primary, young voters will choose to stay home and Collins will win.
I also worry that Platner will turn out to be another Fetterman. There are things in his background that make me go "hmmm."

But there's no doubt the man has incredible charisma and is a great speaker.

Cha

(316,566 posts)
32. Aloha mainer.. "Young people" care so little about our
Wed Dec 31, 2025, 11:32 PM
1 hr ago

Democracy? I Hope to give them more credit than that.

Janet Mills is a popular Gov Winning State Wide Elections... Planter has a lot of Baggage from his Nazi tat to his revealing Reddit posts.. that are now deleted.. wonder Why?

Maine Senate candidate downplayed sexual assault concerns in deleted posts

One of Platner’s comments was a reply to a user who defended the need for the “anti-rape” shorts. “There’s always that story about the girl who gets raped because she drank too much and somebody took advantage of that,” that commenter wrote.

“How about people just take some responsibility for themselves and not get so f----d up they wind up having sex with someone they don’t mean to?” Platner asked in reply. “Men and women, you make a choice to consume enough of a substance to lose your self control. So if you don’t want to be in a comprising situation, act like an adult for f---s sake.”

https://www.masslive.com/politics/2025/10/maine-senate-candidate-downplayed-sexual-assault-concerns-in-deleted-posts.html?outputType=amp

Maine Senate candidate faces more resurfaced Reddit posts

The Bangor Daily News wrote that Platner — who has already disavowed his previous posts on Reddit — reportedly asked why Black people “don’t tip” in a thread of questions users “have always wanted to ask someone of another race.”

“I work as a bartender and it always amazes me how solid this stereotype is,” Platner reportedly wrote. “Every now and again a black patron will leave a 15-20% tip, but usually it [is] between 0-5%. There’s got to be a reason behind it, what is it?”

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5561274-platner-social-media-controversy/

ALBliberal

(3,204 posts)
27. Another take? She entered race reluctantly but felt she is the one to win it.
Wed Dec 31, 2025, 04:11 PM
8 hrs ago

I really like her. But I live in NM not Maine.

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