Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner on Monday drew more than 500 people to the first of a series of town halls he's holding across the state, using the event to hammer Republican Sen. Susan Collins and national leaders in the Democratic Party.

Since he launched his campaign in August, Platner has sought to channel Democratic voters' simmering anger with Collins and their disillusionment with the national party.

Speaking to a capacity crowd at a local brewery in Ellsworth, the oyster farmer and military veteran framed both as proxies for corporations and wealthy interests that have used the political system for enrichment while working class Americans struggle to get by.

He urged attendees to join what he says is a movement to retake the party and change that system.

"And so

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