If Democrats around the nation have a problem with Maine’s Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate, Maine’s Democratic voters certainly do not seem to, as discussed on today’s BradCast along with the latest primary election results from five different states and much more. [Audio to full show follows this summary…]
Among our stories on today’s program…
- The annual inflation rate ticked up yet again in May under Donald Trump‘s failed Tariffs and War policies. Prices are up 4.2% year-over-year, the highest rate in three years, thanks in no small part to increases in gasoline prices amid Trump’s war in Iran, where he quickly ramped up bombing today to help you not notice his failed, inflationary economic policies.
- Solar power continues to hit new milestones in the U.S., despite Trump’s best taxpayer-funded efforts to kill clean, cheap, renewable energy in favor of dirty, expensive, deadly fossil fuels like coal, which Trump just announced he is shoveling at least $700 million more in federal money to in hopes of keeping the dying industry alive. Despite that, his gutting of Joe Biden‘s landmark renewable energy polices, and Administration efforts to slow-walk or deny approval of renewable energy projects, new data find the continued growth of solar, decline of coal and, for the first time last month, solar supplied more of the nation’s electricity than coal. Solar is now the top source of new power in the U.S. for five years running. The combination of solar with battery storage capacity was practically the only new energy resource (91%) built in the first quarter of the year in the U.S. amid rising energy prices because of Trump’s war and increased demand by AI data centers. Bonus irony: States won by Trump in 2024 account for 74% of all new solar capacity so far this year.
- Shortly after airtime yesterday, media outlets called the second slot on the November California Gubernatorial ballot for Trump-endorsed Republican Steve Hilton. He will face Democratic candidate Xavier Beccera, making a total hash out of Trump (and fellow Republican poodles) evidence-free claims that the election in CA is somehow “crooked” or “rigged”. If Dems are stealing elections in the state, they are doing a terrible job of it, as explained in more detail today.
Then, it’s on to the available, noteworthy results from Primary Election Day on Tuesday in North Dakota, Nevada, South Carolina and Maine.
Lots to dig into in each of the states, including…
- Two far-right, Trumpy members of Congress — Reps. Nancy Mace and Ralph Norman — didn’t even make the primary runoff for the Republican Gubernatorial nod in South Carolina. The Trump-endorsed candidate who did, will have to win again in next month’s runoff, as she didn’t clear 50%.
- 17-term Congressman and civil rights icon James Clyburn easily won his primary with more than 90% of the vote. The fact that he was on the ballot at all is the news here, after Trump and state Republicans attempted to erase his majority-minority U.S. House District into Jim Crow history, just weeks ago.
- Both the Democratic and Republican nomination contests for Governor in Maine will go on to several rounds of a Ranked Choice Voting in an “instant” runoff where it may take several weeks to determine winners. Will Trump and his Republican stooges accuse Maine of “rigging” the election simply because it takes a week or two to determine the nominees of both parties?
- Formerly the dumbest Governor in the nation, Paul LePage, is back! And he’s running for Congress this year in Maine! (And, no, wind turbines still do not turn because they have secret little electric motors inside of them.)
- Despite a controversial campaign roll-out amid his barnstorming across the state, combat vet, oyster farmer and progressive Democratic populist Graham Platner easily won the nomination in Maine on Tuesday to take on five-term U.S. Senator Susan Collins (who vowed back in 1996, during her first run, that she would serve no more than two terms). We share a few clips from Platner’s victory rally last night, in which he talked about how his imperfections and failures in life have made him a stronger candidate, and how he plans to take on Collins, in one of several key opportunities for Dems to flip Republican Senate seats this year to regain a majority in the upper chamber next year…
The BradCast
with Brad Friedman
6/10/2026
Maine Dems Elect Platner in Landslide: ‘BradCast’ 6/10/2026 | Repub Hilton 'wins' slot in CA Guv general election; Inflation spikes again; New U.S. solar milestones despite Trump; Primary results from ND, NV, SC and ME... · · · · · Maine Dems Elect Platner in Landslide: ‘BradCast’ 6/10/2026 | Repub Hilton 'wins' slot in CA Guv general election; Inflation spikes again; New U.S. solar milestones despite Trump; Primary results from ND, NV, SC and ME...
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