PORTLAND, Maine — After days of posting multiple apology videos, revealing a covered-up tattoo that had been linked to a Nazi symbol, and distancing himself from old online comments, Maine Democrat Graham Platner says he is more committed than ever to his U.S. Senate campaign.

Platner, an oyster farmer and first-time political candidate, is seeking to flip a Senate seat that has been held by Republican Susan Collins for nearly 30 years. However, before he can face Collins in the general election, he must first survive a competitive Democratic primary that includes Governor Janet Mills.

The 41-year-old made a splashy entrance into the Senate race in August as a progressive candidate. It wasn’t until after Mills, 77, declared her candidacy that news outlets began reporting on Platner’s old Reddit posts, prompting him to issue a lengthy apology. He also made a separate apology video after questions arose about a chest tattoo he drunkenly got nearly 20 years ago.

Despite the controversies, Platner is forging ahead, employing a strategy reminiscent of President Donald Trump, who has found success despite similar revelations that might have derailed campaigns a decade ago.

### Controversial Online Posts and Apology

Platner has not denied authoring a wide range of Reddit comments between 2013 and 2021 that appeared to endorse political violence, dismiss rape in the military, use homophobic slurs, and criticize both police officers and rural America. Instead, he maintains these posts were made after he left the Army in 2012, a time when he said he “still had the crude humor, the dark, dark feelings, the offensive language that really was a hallmark of the infantry.”

He has also shared that he was struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression during that period. Platner credits moving back to his hometown in Maine, undergoing therapy, and spending more time in his community for helping him evolve and change his views.

### Tattoo Controversy

More recently, a tattoo on Platner’s chest drew scrutiny as critics pointed out that the image resembled a symbol used by Hitler’s paramilitary Schutzstaffel (SS), which was responsible for the systematic murders of millions of Jews and others during World War II.

Platner covered up the chest tattoo earlier this week with a new design. He got the original tattoo nearly 20 years ago with some fellow Marines while in Croatia and said that until a few weeks ago, no one had ever pointed out the tattoo’s connotations.

He has largely accused his opponents of orchestrating leaks about his past online comments and raising questions about his tattoo.

### Platner’s Response and Support

In an interview with The Associated Press, Platner said he was warned against entering the race but has no plans to back down. At a town hall event in southern Maine, he addressed a packed crowd, saying the political establishment was “trying to destroy my life.”

He added that the establishment is “not trying to get out there and talk about issues” but instead “trying to figure out if I said something stupid on the internet 13 years ago.”

“The establishment is spooked, and I’ll say this: If they thought that this was going to scare me off, if they thought that ripping my life to pieces, trying to destroy it, was going to make me think that I shouldn’t undertake this project, they clearly have not spent a lot of time around Marines,” Platner said to cheers.

Platner’s supporters include prominent figures such as U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders and Martin Heinrich, U.S. Representative Ro Khanna, and the United Auto Workers. They have continued to back the embattled candidate.

“I’m not overly impressed by a squad of media running around saying, ‘What do you think about the tattoo on Graham Platner’s chest?’” Sanders told Axios, explaining his endorsement.

### Primary Race Developments

Governor Janet Mills has remained silent on Platner’s controversies. Meanwhile, another Democratic primary rival, Jordan Wood—a former chief of staff to U.S. Representative Katie Porter—has called on Platner to drop out. Wood stated that “Democrats need to be able to condemn Trump’s actions with moral clarity” and that Platner “no longer can.”

Maine’s Democratic primary election won’t be held until June 2026, giving Platner, Mills, and other candidates seven more months to make their case to voters.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/tumultuous-maine-senate-primary-126802660