Graham Platner, an oyster farmer from rural Maine and a first-time political candidate, has found himself at the center of a political storm as he seeks the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Susan Collins. Platner's campaign, which has been buoyed by the endorsement of Senator Bernie Sanders and strong polling numbers, now faces a barrage of controversies that test the limits of voter forgiveness and party loyalty in a rapidly changing political landscape.
The most explosive revelation came in October 2025, when it emerged that Platner had a tattoo on his chest that closely resembles a Nazi symbol known as the Totenkopf, or "death's head." This symbol, infamously adopted by Adolf Hitler's troops in Nazi Germany, has long been associated with hate and violence. Platner, who said he got the skull and crossbones tattoo in 2007 during a night of drinking while on leave in Croatia with the Marine Corps, insisted in an interview with the Associated Press that he was unaware of its Nazi connotations until recently. "Going to a tattoo removal place is going to take a while," Platner explained, noting that he chose to cover the tattoo with another design due to limited removal options in rural Maine. "I wanted this thing off my body," he said.
Platner's campaign initially suggested he would seek removal of the tattoo, but he clarified that covering it up was the most practical choice. He also pointed out that, despite having the tattoo for nearly two decades, it was never flagged during his military service or when he passed a background check for a security clearance to join the ambassador to Afghanistan's security detail. "I also passed a full background check to receive a security clearance to join the ambassador to Afghanistan's security detail," Platner told the Associated Press.
The tattoo controversy is just one of several issues dogging Platner's campaign. In recent weeks, news outlets including CNN and The Advocate have unearthed a series of now-deleted Reddit posts made by Platner between 2016 and 2021. In these posts, Platner used vulgar, anti-gay slurs, criticized police officers, expressed frustration about his military service, and even described himself as a "communist" and a "socialist." He also made comments questioning the reality of military sexual assault and made disparaging remarks about Black patrons' tipping habits and rural Americans. Platner has publicly apologized for these statements, saying, "There was no reason to deny" the antigay Reddit posts and calling them "indefensible." He attributed his comments to a period after leaving the Army in 2012, when he was struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.
The backlash from within Platner's own party has been swift and varied. Some Democrats see Platner's actions as disqualifying. "I do not understand how we can go from having a subset of the party that is obsessed with calling Donald Trump a Nazi to then going to vast lengths to excuse a Nazi tattoo," an unnamed Democratic strategist told The Hill. Another strategist warned, "This matters next October when Republicans are putting money behind it in paid media. If you're honestly serious about beating Susan Collins, and you now have these headlines that exist and you know that Republicans are going to pour as much money as humanly possible to helping Sen. Collins [get] reelected, then you should think twice about whether or not you're going to give them the opportunity to put money behind some of these headlines."
Yet, Platner's supporters, including high-profile figures like Senator Bernie Sanders, remain steadfast. Sanders has described Platner as a stronger candidate than Governor Janet Mills, the two-term governor and Platner's chief rival in the Democratic primary. Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, defended Platner, arguing, "There is a huge difference between a Republican that supports Trump's gestapo-like tactics, sweeping people off the street with no due process and shipping them to El Salvador and who has a Nazi symbol associated with themselves. One is somebody confirming a whole ideology that they actually believe in and in Graham Platner's case, it's an unfortunate bump in the road."
This internal conflict has exposed a deep rift within the Democratic Party between its establishment and progressive wings. The party is grappling with a desire for generational change, especially after a year marked by the deaths of three House Democrats in their 70s and former President Biden's decision not to seek reelection amid concerns about age and fitness for office. "We're living in an outsider moment. There is a craving for those who are not creatures of the political system," said Green. "Somebody who makes a mistake, admits it, and moves onto fighting for working people is more favorable to most people than a 77-year-old governor who is perceived as a Chuck Schumer-endorsed creature of the inside."
Polling data suggests that, for now, Platner's controversies have not significantly eroded his support among Maine Democratic voters. According to a University New Hampshire Survey Center poll conducted between October 16 and 21, Platner leads Mills by a wide margin—58 percent to 24 percent among Democratic primary voters, with 14 percent undecided and 2 percent supporting other candidates. Internal polling commissioned by the National Republican Senatorial Committee also shows Platner with a commanding 46 percent to 25 percent lead over Mills, with other candidates far behind.
Still, not all Democrats are willing to overlook Platner's past. On Friday, Democratic primary candidate Daira Smith-Rodriguez dropped out of the race and endorsed Mills, citing Platner's previous comments about military sexual assault. "As a survivor of military sexual assault, I cannot, in good conscience, indicate support or remain silent if there is even a possibility that someone who questions the reality of this crisis could be elevated to the United States Senate," Smith-Rodriguez said in a statement.
Nationally, the Platner saga has reignited debates about candidate vetting and the risks of elevating untested figures in a time of political flux. New England-based Democratic strategist Mary Anne Marsh cautioned, "There's the cost benefit analysis of making someone the nominee and then if they do prevail, what are they going to be like when they're in office?" Others argue that the party should let voters decide, noting that what resonates in Maine may not work in other states.
Meanwhile, Platner remains defiant, pressing forward with his campaign and holding events like the recent town hall in Ogunquit. As HBO's Bill Maher quipped on Real Time, "So, it seems like his days as a Democrat are numbered, and his days as a Republican are just beginning." But for now, Platner's supporters are standing by him, and the Democratic base appears willing to give him a chance—at least until the next round of headlines.
The Maine Senate race has become a microcosm of the broader tensions shaping American politics: generational change, the struggle between pragmatism and principle, and the challenge of confronting uncomfortable truths in the quest for power.
