Why is an oyster fisherman with a controversial past splitting the Democrats?

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Why has an oyster fisherman from Maine – criticised for having a Nazi tattoo – become a frontrunner for the Democrats, and one of their best hopes to help take back the US Senate in this year’s midterm elections?

The north eastern state of Maine has become integral for Democrats as they look to unseat Republican senator Susan Collins, and elect their first Democrat senator in decades.

But it also tells a bigger story, about how the Democratic party is looking to take on Donald Trump more widely, beyond this November’s midterms and into the 2028 presidential elections.

Justin and Anthony unpack what Maine tells us about Democrat strategy and why Graham Platner, currently polling first, is not a typical Democrat candidate. And does it tell us something significant about what voters want in 2026?

Plus, we speak to Josh Keefe, a reporter for the nonprofit Maine Monitor, who went to school with Graham Platner. He discusses his memories of Platner, and what Mainers think about his tattoo and Reddit scandals.

00:00 Introduction
00.32 Why the Midterm elections matter now
02:55 What is the politics of Maine?
04:29 The Democrats big choice
07:57 Trump’s clash with Janet Mills
10:01 Why is Janet Mills struggling to gain support?
11:44 Who is Graham Platner?
14:26 Graham Platner responds to criticism
18:03 Janet Mills’ attack adverts
20:21 Interview: What was Graham Platner like at school?
22:54 Graham Platner: another populist candidate?
25:21 How important is age in this contest?
27:00 What are Graham Platner’s policies?

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A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has begun, with celebrations and fireworks in the Lebanese capital Beirut.

More than 2,000 people in Lebanon have been killed in the six-week conflict, with one in five people displaced; Israel said two of its civilians and 13 soldiers have been killed.

In Lebanon, our reporter said people are desperate for respite, while Israeli media report some residents close to the border in northern Israel feel betrayed.

The BBC’s chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet is reporting from Tehran on condition that none of her material is used on the BBC’s Persian Service. These restrictions apply to all international media organisations operating in Iran.

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China has warned that President Trump”s decision to mount a naval blockade of Iran’s ports is “dangerous and irresponsible” and threatens the recent ceasefire in the Middle East.

The US navy has begun blockading the strait of Hormuz, following the failure of peace talks between American and Iranian negotiators in Pakistan.

US Central Command says it has prevented any ships from passing through the strait since it began the blockade.

Russian and Chinese foreign ministers have been meeting to discuss the Iran crisis. The Chinese said the blockade would escalate tension and undermine the fragile ceasefire. China is a major buyer of Iranian oil and an ally of Tehran.

Donald Trump has unexpectedly announced that new peace talks with Iran may begin within the next two days.

Reeta Chakrabarti presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Frank Gardner and Sarah Smith.

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Talks between the US and Iran are “productive and ongoing”, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

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At least four Iran-linked ships – including two that visited Iranian ports – crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday following the start of a blockade by the US. At least three others also crossed the key shipping channel.

China’s foreign ministry condemned the blockade of Iranian ports as “dangerous and irresponsible” – a spokesman has warmed it would only “exacerbate tensions”.

Washington’s blockade came into force on Monday. US Vice-President JD Vance accused the Iranian government of engaging in an “act of economic terrorism” by blocking traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

Vance added that US President Donald Trump has shown that “two could play at that game”.

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