Maine Dem Senate Candidate Platner Says He Forgot to Close His Kik Account. Sure.
A report that a Kik account linked to Platner remained active has prompted questions about his judgment as a Senate candidate.
SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYRedState is an opinion-oriented, partisan publisher, so its institutional credibility is below that of an established general-news newsroom. This article attributes its central reporting to The Wall Street Journal, but its own presentation is openly argumentative.
- Source type — Opinion-oriented partisan outlet; lower institutional credibility than a general-news newsroom.
- Transparency — The article identifies The Wall Street Journal as the source of the original reporting it discusses.
- Editorial standards — The article uses advocacy-oriented framing rather than a detached news presentation.
- Author attribution — A named author is provided.
The article identifies its central source and includes the campaign’s explanation, but mostly builds an accusatory argument from the existence of an account and the platform’s reputation. It offers little independent evidence about Platner’s use of the account or any connection to wrongdoing.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article includes the campaign’s explanation and cites outside sources about Kik, but it gives little space to context about the account itself or a response from Platner beyond that explanation. Its conclusion is strongly critical.
- Loaded language — The article uses dismissive and accusatory phrases, including questioning the explanation and saying voters deserved better.
- Counterarguments presented — The campaign's explanation that Platner deleted the app but did not deactivate the account is included, with no further response from him.
- Source diversity — It cites the Journal, prosecutors and child-safety advocates, but offers no independent perspective on Platner's account or its use.
- Omitted context — The article does not establish what Platner did on the account beyond its reported profile details and continued activity.
The article uses overtly skeptical and condemnatory language about a Democratic Senate candidate and frames the account disclosure as damaging to him. Its presentation aligns strongly with a conservative critique of the candidate.
- Language tone — The headline's dismissive ending and the article's sarcastic, accusatory phrasing signal a strong point of view.
- Framing — The account is framed as a serious judgment problem for a Democratic candidate, with little exploration of alternative interpretations.
- Source selection — The article emphasizes prosecutors, child-safety groups and a Republican-leaning political critique, without comparable contextual voices.
RedState criticizes Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner after The Wall Street Journal reported that an account linked to him remained active on Kik; his campaign said he had deleted the app but not deactivated the account. The story argues the disclosure could affect voters’ views of his judgment.
The article says The Wall Street Journal linked an active Kik profile to Graham Platner and that his campaign confirmed the account was his. The campaign explained that Platner had deleted the app from his phone but had not deactivated the account. RedState emphasizes Kik’s association with child-exploitation cases, citing prosecutors and child-safety organizations; it does not allege that Platner engaged in exploitation.
Community verdict
6 VOTES
People in this story
SWIPE →Maine Senate candidate whose Kik account was reported as still active
Maine senator whom Platner leads in a cited poll
Massachusetts representative quoted as calling Platner’s controversies disqualifying
Part of a bigger story
6 OUTLETSOutlets report that Graham Platner, a Maine Senate candidate, has been linked to a Kik account and that reports allege he sent explicit messages to women. The disclosures have added scrutiny to his campaign. Center outlets focus on the reports as added campaign scrutiny and include his wife's defense. Right-leaning outlets emphasize the profile and alleged messages as a campaign liability or judgment issue, sometimes foregrounding Kik's association with predators.
- ARTICLES
- 7
- OUTLETS
- 6
- AVG CRED
- 56
Discussion · 0
Loading comments…