Tucker Carlson on Thursday downplayed and defended Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner’s Nazi tattoo.
On the Canadian &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzL_fmyMJJ0&amp;list=PLAxb11SPUbo6zjovYj1FPmfsMPxqtG387">Can’t Be Censored</a>&#8220; podcast<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzL_fmyMJJ0&amp;list=PLAxb11SPUbo6zjovYj1FPmfsMPxqtG387">,</a> the former Fox News host sat down with Travis Dhanraj and Karman Wong to discuss President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Israel, Iran, and why he says he can no longer support the Republican Party.
Carlson raised eyebrows with his defense of Platner’s candidacy to challenge incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins in Maine, where Carlson also lives. Republicans across the country have targeted Platner over a series of personal scandals, including a Nazi tattoo that women around him have said he understood the meaning of.
“Look at Graham Platner, this guy who&#8217;s running in the state of Maine, where I live … he&#8217;s a Democrat, he&#8217;s liberal, I don&#8217;t have strong feelings about it,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/JustinUSA/status/2067951494289145935?s=20">Carlson said</a>. &#8220;But rather than respond to what the guy&#8217;s positions are, they just have called him a Nazi for the last month, because he had a tattoo that was not a swastika, but apparently it was connected to the German military at some point, it&#8217;s not even clear he knew that.” 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
As expected, Tucker Carlson has rushed to Graham Platner’s defense.
He claims Platner didn’t even know about his Nazi tattoo, and insists the real reason people are attacking him is because he’s “not sufficiently supportive of Israel.” <a href="https://t.co/R30ZKXdtSv">pic.twitter.com/R30ZKXdtSv</a>
— Justin (@JustinUSA) <a href="https://x.com/JustinUSA/status/2067951494289145935?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
Then, the podcaster speculated why Republicans don’t support the Bernie Sanders-backed leftist. 
“They&#8217;ve attacked the guy, and his personal life. They don&#8217;t like him because he&#8217;s not sufficiently supportive of Israel,” Carlson added. 
Several women, including an ex-girlfriend, have gone on the record to say Platner knew the meaning behind his infamous Nazi tattoo, with one telling the <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/11/us-news/graham-platner-cheated-on-fiancee-bragged-about-nazi-tattoo-ex-girlfriend/?utm_term=MANUAL&amp;utm_medium=browser_notifications&amp;utm_source=pushly&amp;utm_content=All%20Push%20Subscribers&amp;utm_campaign=142895716">New York Post</a> the symbol reminded him that “the U.S. was the evil bad guy overseas.” The Senate hopeful’s former political director also disputed Platner’s account and accused him of “a pattern of dishonest behavior.”
The Platner campaign insists he picked a “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-accuser-platner-said-nazi-tattoo-reminded-him-u-s-was-the-evil-bad-guy-overseas?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=23&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=New+Accuser+Reveals+What+Platner+Said+About+His+Nazi+Tattoo">skull-and-crossbones tattoo off a wall</a>” to “commemorate surviving Ramadi and his friends who were killed there.” 
“Graham has also since covered up the tattoo and answered countless questions about it,” a spokesperson for the campaign has said. 
In the same interview, Carlson cast doubt on the motive behind Charlie Kirk’s assassination. 
“He was not murdered for his opinions on transgenderism,” Carlson insisted with no evidence. “Obviously, he was — I believe, and most people who knew him well, as I did, and was friends with him as I was — believe he was most likely murdered for his evolving views on Israel.” 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Charlie Kirk was not murdered for his opinions on transgenderism. Obviously.
Those of us who knew him best and called him a friend believe he was most likely murdered for his evolving views on Israel. 👀
— Tucker Carlson 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/D1mf5UXwHi">pic.twitter.com/D1mf5UXwHi</a>
— Travis (@NihiloX) <a href="https://x.com/NihiloX/status/2067799643979759965?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
Prosecutors say Tyler Robinson, the Utah man accused of assassinating the Turning Point USA founder, wrote in a message to his trans-identifying boyfriend that he had an “opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I took it,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inside-the-twisted-confession-tyler-robinson-is-accused-of-making-to-his-boyfriend">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported. 
Carlson, a vocal critic of the Trump administration’s foreign policy, said he has no interest in running for president but announced a permanent split with the Republican Party.
“The Republican Party in Washington is just completely out of control. I don&#8217;t share their values on any level, their personal values, the way they live, greedy, bizarro sex lives, loyal to a foreign country above the United States,” Carlson said, before taking shots at individual elected officials. 
“Beginning with the speaker of the House, Speaker Mike Johnson, and extending to the president and the leaders in the Senate. I have nothing in common with these people at all. I do not share their values. I find their priorities appalling, and so I&#8217;m just not going to participate in that party,” he said.

Tucker Defends Platner’s Nazi Tattoo, And Adds A Shot At The GOP

2026 Midterms

graham platner

Maine

News

Republican Party

Tucker Carlson

Maine Senate Democratic hopeful Graham Platner is taking fresh heat after a buried online post revealed he once branded all police officers &#8220;opportunistic cowards&#8221; — the latest in a parade of scandals that have plagued his bid to unseat incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
The since-deleted Reddit screed, unearthed by <a href="https://themainemonitor.org/platner-reddit-comments/">The Maine Monitor</a>, dates to June 2020, when Platner — then 35 and posting under the handle &#8220;P-Hustle&#8221; — fired off a rant mocking the Hancock County Sheriff&#8217;s Department for requesting riot equipment during the height of Black Lives Matter unrest. Rather than engage seriously with the request, Platner ridiculed the deputies as &#8220;overweight pansies&#8221; too soft to handle &#8220;George Stevens Academy sophomores and aging hippies&#8221; without taxpayer-funded gear. Then came the kicker: &#8220;Cops are opportunistic cowards.&#8221;
Retired federal special agent and Maine state Rep. Donald Ardell expressed his anger. &#8220;It just shows a complete lack of understanding of the way law enforcement operates,&#8221; the Maine Republican told <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dem-senate-hopeful-under-fire-resurfaced-comments-calling-cops-opportunistic-cowards">Fox News</a>. &#8220;They have to be prepared for eventualities.&#8221;
That same month, Platner blasted a Maine police chief as &#8220;thin blue line trash&#8221; for refusing to take a knee alongside Floyd protesters. He also endorsed the slogan &#8220;all cops are bastards&#8221; — later reported by <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/16/politics/kfile-graham-platner-maine-senate-candidate-deleted-reddit-posts">CNN</a> — and questioned in 2021 whether corruption runs through the entire law enforcement profession.
Ardell, who says current and former colleagues are &#8220;disgusted&#8221; by Platner&#8217;s remarks, summed it up bluntly: &#8220;It&#8217;s a series of consistent bad decisions, and it seems to be continuing.&#8221;
The cop commentary is just one item on a lengthening rap sheet of controversy for the self-described &#8220;oyster farmer&#8221; and far-Left populist. Platner&#8217;s Reddit history — spanning nearly a decade before he scrubbed it upon launching his campaign — also includes him calling himself a &#8220;communist&#8221; and &#8220;socialist,&#8221; mocking rural white voters as &#8220;racist&#8221; and &#8220;stupid,&#8221; and making cruel remarks about a teenage girl&#8217;s suicide attempt.
His personal life hasn&#8217;t fared much better under scrutiny. His campaign admitted he sent sexually explicit texts to at least half a dozen women while married. He <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/see-it-graham-platner-has-active-profile-on-predators-paradise-messaging-app">maintained a profile</a> on Kik — a messaging app critics call a &#8220;predator&#8217;s paradise&#8221; — and has struggled to explain why ex-girlfriends knew about his Nazi-linked tattoo years before he claims he learned of its significance himself.
Platner has insisted his online posts were jokes, dismissing them as &#8220;sh*tposting.&#8221; He&#8217;s attributed some remarks to PTSD from military deployments.
Ardell isn&#8217;t buying the rehabilitation narrative.
&#8220;This is not a guy that has a skeleton in the closet,&#8221; the lawmaker said. &#8220;This is a guy that has a whole graveyard.&#8221;

Maine Democratic Candidate For Senate Graham Platner Campaigns Across The State

‘Opportunistic Cowards’: Graham Platner’s Cop-Hating Past Resurfaces

Police

U.S. Senate

Kate Bedingfield said that prominent Democrats refusing to disavow Maine Senate Candidate Graham Platner — over several scandals and allegations — amounted to an &#8220;indictment&#8221; of the party.
Bedingfield, who served as communications director for former President Joe Biden, addressed the issue on CNN&#8217;s &#8220;The Arena,&#8221; telling host Kasie Hunt that she believed at least part of the problem could be chalked up to sexism.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
💥NEW: Former Biden Official Kate Bedingfield on Graham Platner: “I think it’s demoralizing that his transgressions are being overlooked … I think it’s an indictment of our party that we’re willing to look the other way on this.” <a href="https://t.co/ATAWk3nDZT">pic.twitter.com/ATAWk3nDZT</a>
— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) <a href="https://x.com/JasonJournoDC/status/2065873209073742080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I personally — I think it’s demoralizing that his transgressions are being overlooked,&#8221; Bedingfield said. &#8220;However, I&#8217;m not overly stunned in part because I think that the gender breakdown on how people are reacting to what they&#8217;ve read about him is very telling.&#8221;
She pivoted quickly to point out why that disparity could cause political problems for Platner in Maine — namely the fact that the electorate there skews toward women and older voters — and argued that he would have to win over some of the split-ticket voters who had chosen Biden and incumbent Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) in 2020.
&#8220;He&#8217;s got to pull some Biden-Collins voters from 2020 over his way, and Donald Trump continuing to attack him is one way that some of those people, you know, may come along,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;So, you know, listen, I personally don&#8217;t love it, but the people of Maine, you know, I don&#8217;t live there so they probably don&#8217;t really — they don&#8217;t really care what I think.&#8221;
&#8220;But I think it&#8217;s — I&#8217;m going to just say it and I have said it consistently, I think it’s an indictment of our party that we’re willing to look the other way on this, personally,” Bedingfield concluded.
Bedingfield&#8217;s assessment aligns almost perfectly with that of Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), who has also been very critical of Platner throughout the campaign. When Fox News host Laura Ingraham asked Fetterman directly whether he would campaign against Platner and for Collins — who by record and by most accounts is a moderate — he drew a <a href="https://x.com/Acyn/status/2065577500294713769">hard line</a> and reminded her that at the end of the day, he is a Democrat.
President Donald Trump officially endorsed Collins in the Maine Senate race several days earlier despite conceding that the two are definitely not &#8220;best friends.&#8221;

White House Director Of Communications Kate Bedingfield Holds Press Briefing

Biden Spox Goes Scorched Earth On Platner: To Accept Him Is ‘An Indictment’ Of Dems

Biden Spox Goes Scorched Earth On Platner: To Accept Him Is 'An Indictment' Of Dems

Democrats

Joe Biden

Embattled former First Son Hunter Biden offered an extensive defense of Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner, arguing that his critics should be the first to reveal the contents of their own phones.
Biden, speaking with Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA), explained away everything from Platner&#8217;s Nazi-inspired tattoo to his apparent history of troubling behavior with women before arguing that he made up for any shortcomings by taking appealing political positions. Biden also suggested that Platner&#8217;s issues were irrelevant anyway, since the people raising concerns about him were probably equally dirty.
WATCH:
<div style="max-width: 728px; margin: 0 auto;"><iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/SLTixf9qWGp2VGaA6SQQz6KX2gMh1Uex?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=b2505ab1-b567-49b5-a3e5-400490f7099c&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=2026-6-12%20Hunter%20Biden%20Platner%20Phone%20Test&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2F94da9552-eb08-4116-b307-81d84263dc11.jpg&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
Newsom raised the question about Platner, who has faced a number of controversies since he rose to the top of the heap in Maine, asking Biden what he made of the way things had played out in recent weeks.
&#8220;What do think in the context of authenticity versus the audacity frame of Platner as a — as, you know, an example?&#8221; Newsom asked, referencing Platner&#8217;s tattoo and vulgar comments he&#8217;d made on social media.
Biden began by attributing Platner&#8217;s previous behavior to his military service and his struggles with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, alluding to his own troubled history as a drug addict and suggesting that he of all people would recognize someone who was trying to right his own course.
&#8220;He&#8217;s not saying something new today that he wasn&#8217;t saying four months ago,&#8221; Biden said. &#8220;Or five months ago, which is this: he was a veteran, a combat veteran, and when he came back he had some real issues with PTSD, and that trauma, and whatever way that he was working it out, I think he has been really open about &#8230; he wasn&#8217;t a good person.&#8221;
Biden then compared Platner&#8217;s struggles to his own, saying that he knew how much &#8220;stamina&#8221; and &#8220;courage&#8221; it took to turn things around.
He went on to declare that he was &#8220;99% certain that Graham Platner is no Nazi,&#8221; and argued that people should stay out of the Maine Democrat&#8217;s relationship with his wife.
&#8220;I always say to people, like, show me your phone,&#8221; Biden continued, and Newsom laughed. &#8220;Give me access to your iCloud. Let&#8217;s go through it and pull everything that we can that is inappropriate, that is off-color, that is — you know, that selfie that you took when you were drunk off your ass and you sent it to your blah, blah, blah. Like, show me your phone!&#8221;
Biden argued that, by that standard, no one would ever be qualified to hold public office — and appeared to suggest that for that reason, people should ignore the furor around Platner.
In his final defense, Biden said he did not believe Platner was abusive, and he was worth supporting because no matter what his personal issues might be, he supported things like government-provided free healthcare and sticking it to billionaires.

Jury Deliberates In Hunter Biden Gun Trial

Hunter Biden Defends Graham Platner With A ‘Show Me Your Phone’ Challenge

Hunter Biden Defends Graham Platner With A 'Show Me Your Phone' Challenge

Hunter Biden

Media

Politics

Given a golden opportunity, CNN pundit Scott Jennings couldn&#8217;t resist mocking Maine Democratic senatorial candidate Graham Platner — and honestly, who could blame him?
During a segment about the White House UFC fight night, CNN anchor Abby Phillip dropped an eyebrow-raising detail: the Trump administration&#8217;s extravagant South Lawn spectacle would require a staggering 494 porta-potties for the 120,000-person crowd gathering at the Ellipse.
Jennings didn&#8217;t miss a beat.
&#8220;Somewhere Graham Platner is booking an airline ticket,&#8221; the Republican commentator deadpanned, sending the segment into chaos.
It was the kind of surgical one-liner that only lands when everyone already knows the backstory — and with Platner, there&#8217;s plenty of backstory to go around.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://x.com/ScottJenningsKY?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ScottJenningsKY</a> from the top rope after CNN reports that there are 494 port-a-potties needed for the UFC event at the White House:
“494 porta-potties. That&#39;s a lot of porta-potties. Somewhere Graham Platner is booking an airline ticket.”
OH MY GOSH. WHAT A LEGEND. <a href="https://t.co/Ex1ioEqWWC">pic.twitter.com/Ex1ioEqWWC</a>
&mdash; Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) <a href="https://x.com/SteveGuest/status/2065271995353231432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Platner, the presumptive Democratic nominee challenging GOP Sen. Susan Collins in Maine&#8217;s U.S. Senate race, has spent months desperately trying to outrun a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-senate-hopeful-called-himself-a-communist-made-racist-comments-in-reddit-posts">mountain of filth</a> he left behind on Reddit under the handle &#8220;P-Hustle.&#8221; He deleted the account before launching his campaign, but the internet never forgets.
The portable toilet obsession is front and center. In a <a href="https://townhall.com/tipsheet/jeff-charles/2026/05/19/graham-platners-port-o-potty-confession-n2676321#google_vignette">2017 post</a> on Reddit&#8217;s r/Military forum, Platner confessed: &#8220;I still have to jerk off every time I sit in a porta-sh*tter … that blue water smell conditioned me.&#8221; In another 2021 post on r/USMC, he waxed poetic about crude penis graffiti he&#8217;d encountered in military latrines while deployed, describing the artwork in disturbingly vivid terms — calling it &#8220;beautiful,&#8221; &#8220;engorged and veiny,&#8221; and praising its movement &#8220;towards its penetrative glory.&#8221;
The porta-potty confessions are just the highlight reel of a Reddit archive that reads like opposition research gold.
He has also sported a Nazi-linked tattoo, which he covered up and claimed he never knew about the significance.
Platner&#8217;s defense? He was suffering from PTSD after tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and was, in his own words, &#8220;an asshole on the internet.&#8221; He has apologized and insists the posts don&#8217;t reflect who he is today.
Maine voters, apparently unbothered, effectively handed him the nomination anyway after Gov. Janet Mills dropped out of the Democratic primary on April 30.
Collins, one of the Senate&#8217;s savviest survivors, must be absolutely thrilled.
And somewhere, 494 porta-potties await their most famous admirer.

MixCollage-12-Jun-2026-11-59-AM-3424

Scott Jennings Torches Platner Over Porta-Potty Perversion

Scott Jennings

President Donald Trump officially endorsed incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) on Wednesday, praising her as &#8220;sane&#8221; and reasonable — especially when compared to her Democratic opponent, Graham Platner.
Trump made the comments to reporters in the Oval Office as he discussed the next steps he planned to take in Iran, referring to Platner as a &#8220;thug&#8221; and a &#8220;pig&#8221; and urging Mainers to stick with their &#8220;respected&#8221; incumbent senator instead.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
JUST IN: President Trump officially endorses Senator Susan Collins in the Maine Senate race, blasting Democratic candidate Graham Platner.
&#8220;She&#8217;s a sane woman and she&#8217;s a respected person.&#8221;
“But this guy is a thug… He&#8217;s a phony. I made a lot of money picking out phonies. He&#8217;s… <a href="https://t.co/EKGlm4P4zY">pic.twitter.com/EKGlm4P4zY</a>
— Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href="https://x.com/FoxNews/status/2064740027540681035?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The question put to the president was a simple one: &#8220;Are you all in on supporting Susan Collins? Does she have your full support and endorsement in her reelection?&#8221;
&#8220;She does, because she&#8217;s a sane woman,&#8221; Trump interrupted, adding a caveat: &#8220;She&#8217;s not my best friend, at all &#8230; but we get along, but she&#8217;s a sane person and she&#8217;s a person that never missed a vote in many years — like 10,000 votes.&#8221;
&#8220;She had 10,000 votes, she never missed a vote. Unfortunately, because sometimes she voted against me,&#8221; Trump added, prompting laughter around the room. &#8220;Look, she&#8217;s a sane woman and she&#8217;s a respected person, maybe a little different ideology than me.&#8221;
Trump pivoted then to attack Platner, saying, &#8220;But this guy is a thug. He&#8217;s a fake — a fake thug, he&#8217;s a phony. I made a lot of money picking out phonies. He&#8217;s a real phony. He&#8217;s bad. He&#8217;s a bad person.&#8221;
Trump also referred to the Maine Democrat several times as a &#8220;pig,&#8221; but quickly <a href="https://x.com/RNCResearch/status/2064744229692203178">reconsidered</a> his choice out of consideration for the pigs: &#8220;I don&#8217;t want to stick him with that one, though, I think pigs would be very upset about it.&#8221;
The president and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-susan-collins-voting-yes-kavanaugh-paul-bois">Collins</a> have often been at odds over votes, but she has also voted with Trump on several key occasions — including the vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018.

Republican Lawmakers Work To Pass Trump’s “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” On Capitol Hill

Trump Endorses ‘Sane Woman’ Susan Collins After ‘Thug’ Graham Platner Lands Dem Nomination

Trump Endorses 'Sane Woman' Susan Collins After 'Thug' Graham Platner Lands Dem Nomination

Donald Trump

Elections

Executive

Susan Collins

Fresh off his victory in Maine’s Democratic Senate primary, Graham Platner is facing renewed scrutiny over allegations involving former girlfriend Lyndsey Fifield, as new disputes emerge over his characterization of their relationship and the events detailed in a recent New York Times investigation.
Platner secured the Democratic nomination Tuesday and will face off in November against incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in one of the most closely watched Senate races of the 2026 midterms. But his victory comes amid a growing list of controversies that have dogged his campaign, including a now-covered tattoo linked to Nazi iconography, reports of extramarital sexting early in his marriage, and allegations from former partners describing troubling behavior.
In an interview with <a href="https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2026-06-05/in-an-interview-with-maine-public-graham-platner-denies-being-physically-threatening">Maine Public</a> following the publication of the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/04/us/politics/platner-maine-senate-girlfriends-relationships.html">Times investigation</a>, Platner dismissed allegations from Fifield that he had engaged in physically threatening behavior during their relationship. &#8220;No, that&#8217;s just not true,&#8221; Platner said when asked about claims that he had acted aggressively toward her.
The Times reported that Fifield alleged Platner once yanked her from a cab following an argument and, on another occasion, twisted her arm behind her back, pushed her into a room, and held the door shut to prevent her from leaving. Platner&#8217;s campaign denied allegations of physical abuse but did not dispute claims that he made comments about violence, including remarks about raping potential home intruders.
Platner also appeared to downplay the nature of his relationship with Fifield, telling Maine Public that &#8220;we never dated&#8221; and describing the relationship as merely &#8220;casual.&#8221;
That characterization has drawn criticism from Fifield, who says the relationship was far more substantial than Platner now suggests. In a text message revealed to the <a href="https://www.thefp.com/p/graham-platners-ex-girlfriend-wants">Free Press</a>, Platner wrote to Fifield that he loved her “in a way I can’t even describe. I’ve been falling over myself for you for as long as you’d have me.”
Fifield was also the original source behind allegations that Platner&#8217;s controversial tattoo carried Nazi associations, claims first reported last year by <a href="https://jewishinsider.com/2025/10/graham-platner-ss-tattoo-maine-senate/">Jewish Insider</a>.
Platner again rejected those allegations during the interview, arguing that he was unaware of any extremist symbolism connected to the tattoo until recently. &#8220;The moment I found out it had these connotations, it was covered up within three days,&#8221; Platner said.
Meanwhile, Fifield has publicly criticized the New York Times&#8217; handling of its investigation, accusing the newspaper of omitting corroborating evidence and contextual information she provided during months of interviews.
In a lengthy post to <a href="https://x.com/lyndseyfifield/status/2062808679829704815">X</a>, Fifield said she cooperated extensively with Times reporters, provided screenshots and additional sources, and agreed not to speak with other media outlets while the investigation was underway. After publication, however, she questioned why details about her own political background and personal life received significant attention while, she argues, evidence supporting her allegations was minimized or excluded.
&#8220;The journalists I trusted who convinced me to share a story I never wanted to tell methodically delayed and twisted this into a gift to the Platner campaign,&#8221; Fifield wrote.
She also disputed the newspaper&#8217;s assertion that certain claims could not be corroborated, arguing that multiple friends had confirmed she spoke about Platner&#8217;s alleged behavior years before he became a political candidate.
The fallout from the Times report has highlighted a broader divide among Democratic voters. Rather than damaging Platner&#8217;s campaign, the controversy appeared to energize many supporters. According to reporting following the story&#8217;s publication, the campaign recorded one of its strongest fundraising days after the allegations became public.
Platner has repeatedly argued that the scrutiny surrounding his personal life is intended to distract voters from his campaign&#8217;s economic message. During his Maine Public interview, he accused political opponents and the media of attempting to shift attention away from issues such as healthcare, taxes, and income inequality.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t think it&#8217;s going to do anything serious,&#8221; Platner said of the allegations. &#8220;The whole point of these stories is to make sure we&#8217;re not talking about healthcare, it&#8217;s to make sure we&#8217;re not talking about raising taxes on the rich.&#8221;
Whether the controversy fades or continues to grow may ultimately depend on what additional evidence emerges and whether further reporting sheds light on the competing claims surrounding Platner&#8217;s past relationships. For now, the Democratic nominee enters the general election facing continued questions about allegations he insists are false and that former partners insist deserve greater scrutiny.

Graham Platner

Graham Platner Caught In Another Lie

Senate

Maine Democrats elected Graham Platner as their Senate nominee on Tuesday, despite a wave of explosive revelations about his Nazi tattoo and alleged aggressive behavior towards women. 
<a href="https://votes.decisiondeskhq.com/races/2026-06-09/maine-us-senate-democratic-primary">With 76% of the vote reported,</a> Platner leads the field with about 72% of the vote. <a href="https://x.com/DecisionDeskHQ/status/2064515138573472097?s=20">Decision Desk HQ</a> called the race at 9:07 p.m. ET. He will face off against incumbent Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) in November. 
It&#8217;s not yet clear what Platner&#8217;s final margin will be after all votes have been tallied, which could offer early clues on his electability this fall.
&#8220;If Janet Mills&#8217; basically defunct campaign gets 20 to 30%, Graham is in trouble come November,” NOTUS White House Correspondent Jasmine Wright <a href="https://x.com/InsidePolitics/status/2064397729329999945?s=20">warned earlier on CNN.</a> 
Platner’s decisive victory, however, deals a major blow to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who recruited and backed Maine Democratic Governor Janet Mills. 
During the bitter primary, a series of damaging revelations dropped against the Senate hopeful, painting a picture of a troubled veteran with a history of infidelity and disturbing social media activity. 
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/see-it-graham-platner-has-active-profile-on-predators-paradise-messaging-app">The Daily Wire previously uncovered</a> that the Senate hopeful maintained an active account on a social media platform known to attract child predators. Several media outlets reported that Platner, a married man, had exchanged sexually explicit messages with several women. 
In May, Platner refused to apologize after resurfaced online posts appeared to show him mocking a Purple Heart recipient who was almost killed in a firefight with the Taliban.
Platner was confronted near his home in Sullivan, Maine, and asked whether he regretted a since-deleted Reddit post in which he said wounded Army veteran Ted Daniels “didn’t deserve to live,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/platner-refuses-to-apologize-after-mocking-purple-heart-recipient">The Daily Wire previously reported.</a> In response, Platner attempted to defend his own military record, referring to the accusations as “slanderous and offensive.”
“I did four tours in the infantry; any attempt to say that I disrespect veterans is slanderous and offensive,” he said.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-senate-hopeful-called-himself-a-communist-made-racist-comments-in-reddit-posts?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Dem+Senate+Hopeful+Called+Himself+A+Communist%2C+Made+Racist+Comments+In+Reddit+Posts">Resurfaced Reddit posts</a> also showed the Senate hopeful describing himself as a “communist” and denigrating cops and white people.
“I got older and became a communist,” Platner, a veteran and oyster farmer, wrote on a Reddit forum dubbed “antiwork” in 2021, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/16/politics/kfile-graham-platner-maine-senate-candidate-deleted-reddit-posts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a>. He also said he was a “vegetable growing, psychedelics taking social these days” in a United States Marine Corps subreddit that same year, saying that he “still got the guns though, I don’t trust the facsists [sic] these days,” citing his past military experience in the post.
“Living in white rural America, I’m afraid to tell you they actually are,” the Democrat said about white Americans.
“Bastards. Cops are bastards. All of them, in fact,” Platner said in another post.
In addition, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/10/17/graham-platner-sexual-assault-comments-senate-midterms/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Washington Post</a> reported multiple posts he made to Reddit in 2013 regarding sexual assault, including in the military.
“Rape is a real thing. If you’re so worried about it to buy Kevlar underwear, you’d think you might not get blacked out f***ed up around people you aren’t comfortable with,” he wrote.
“In today’s current climate, when every whisper of a misplaced hand brings down a feature-length film, anyone who actually thinks the military is purposefully covering up rape to save the career of some god damn [captain], is clearly both an idiot and junior enough in rank or life experience to think it matters,” Platner wrote.
He also called <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-senate-hopeful-called-himself-a-communist-made-racist-comments-in-reddit-posts?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Dem+Senate+Hopeful+Called+Himself+A+Communist%2C+Made+Racist+Comments+In+Reddit+Posts">black people cheap.</a>
“I work as a bartender, and it always amazes me how solid this stereotype is,” Platner wrote. “Every now and again a black patron will leave a 15-20% tip, but usually it [is] between 0-5%. There’s got to be a reason behind it. What is it?”
Last Thursday, the latest shoe dropped, with <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/04/us/politics/platner-maine-senate-girlfriends-relationships.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share">The New York Times</a> citing ex-girlfriends who claimed Platner engaged in a pattern of “intimidating and disturbing” behavior in their relationships and lied about not knowing the meaning of his Nazi tattoo. 
Three of Platner’s ex-girlfriends described volatile and “toxic” relationships with the Senate hopeful, claiming he demeaned women, became physically threatening, and was repeatedly unfaithful. On one occasion, an ex-girlfriend accused Platner of twisting her arm, shoving her into a bedroom, and holding the door shut until she became “calm.” 
The Platner campaign denied allegations of misconduct and rushed to MS NOW to do damage control. 
“There are some allegations in this piece that I just want to be kind of unequivocal about, are simply not true,” <a href="https://x.com/Acyn/status/2062688362633498661?s=20">Platner said on the television network.</a> “Anything alleging physicality, anything alleging that I knew what my tattoo was, these are the statements of someone who’s politically motivated.”
On election eve, Platner&#8217;s former political director <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ex-platner-staffer-calls-bs-on-dems-excuse-for-nazi-tattoo-troubling-behavior?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Ex-Platner+Staffer+Calls+BS+On+Dem%E2%80%99s+Excuse+For+Nazi+Tattoo%2C+Troubling+Behavior">blew the whistle</a> on her former boss, alleging the Senate hopeful knew the meaning behind his Nazi tattoo and “exhibits a pattern of dishonest behavior.”
<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/06/08/graham-platner-maine-us-senate-primary-bid-sends-dubious-message/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In an op-ed for The Washington Post</a>, former Maine state representative Genevieve McDonald wrote that her enthusiasm for the Platner campaign collapsed after she learned of his misconduct.
“I quit the campaign in October, disturbed by what I learned about the candidate and concerned about his potential impact on the Democratic Party’s prospects in my home state,” she wrote.
In September, Platner told McDonald he had a “problematic” tattoo that could raise questions, but chalked it up to it being a “military thing.”
“I believed him,” she wrote in the WAPO. “Then, I began receiving calls from Washington warning me he was not who he seemed: “Have you read his oppo file?” I had not. I trusted that his out-of-state consulting team had thoroughly vetted him.
Her account appears to corroborate reporting from The New York Times. The accusations cut against Platner’s previous claim that he did not understand the significance of the symbol, which was used by Nazi Germany’s SS.
Most Democrats have bent over backward to excuse or downplay Platner’s conduct, though that did not stop Mills from mounting a last-ditch effort.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Hayes: Did that happen?
Platner: No, it did not. There are some allegations in this piece that I just want to be kind of unequivocal about are simply not true. Anything alleging, physicality, anything alleging that I knew what my tattoo was. These are the statements of someone… <a href="https://t.co/bghFgN5z75">pic.twitter.com/bghFgN5z75</a>
— Acyn (@Acyn) <a href="https://x.com/Acyn/status/2062688362633498661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
“People have the impression that I withdrew or dropped out, but I simply suspended active campaigning. I am still on the ballot,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/i-am-still-on-the-ballot-janet-mills-reappears-as-platner-stumbles">she told a local outlet.</a>
That effort did not appear to pay off, with results showing a blowout victory for Platner. The <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/senate/race/488601">Cook Political Report</a> ranks the contentious Senate race as a toss-up.
The Democratic establishment viewed Mills as the strongest candidate to defeat Collins. Meanwhile, Platner gained momentum with a leftist-populist message and secured high-profile endorsements from Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/graham-platner-was-really-lefts-2nd-choice-for-maine-senate-option-1-had-a-big-skeleton?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Graham+Platner+Was+Really+Left%E2%80%99s+2nd+Choice+For+Maine+Senate+%E2%80%94+Option+1+Had+A+Big+%E2%80%98Skeleton%E2%80%99">The Daily Wire previously reported</a> that leftists turned to the embattled Platner after their initial choice was found to have a major “skeleton” in his closet. Last July, two Bernie Sanders-aligned political operatives hunted for a Democrat to challenge Collins, ultimately landing on and recruiting Platner.  
Platner, who brands himself as a blue-collar oyster farmer, launched his campaign on <a href="https://x.com/grahamformaine/status/1957780836062826868?s=20">August 19 in a viral video</a> that quickly attracted national attention from leftist activists and Democratic donors. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
My name is Graham Platner and I’m running for US Senate to defeat Susan Collins and topple the oligarchy that’s destroying our country.
I’m a veteran, oysterman, and working class Mainer who’s seen this state become unlivable for working people. And that makes me deeply angry. <a href="https://t.co/QZfAm528N1">pic.twitter.com/QZfAm528N1</a>
— Graham Platner for Senate (@grahamformaine) <a href="https://x.com/grahamformaine/status/1957780836062826868?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
Trying to stop his momentum, Mills went on the attack against Platner in commercials, highlighting his scandals and running with the tagline, <a href="https://x.com/AdImpact_Pol/status/2033915569401958580?s=20">“Graham Platner: The closer you look, the worse it gets.”</a>
One advertisement in particular featured older women expressing disgust. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
<a href="https://x.com/hashtag/MEPol?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MEPol</a>: “Graham Platner, the closer you look, the worse it gets.”
Janet Mills is up with a new <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/MEGov?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MEGov</a> ad attacking Platner. This is the first broadcast TV attack ad in the Democratic primary. <a href="https://t.co/885wLOxGmn">pic.twitter.com/885wLOxGmn</a>
— AdImpact Politics (@AdImpact_Pol) <a href="https://x.com/AdImpact_Pol/status/2033915569401958580?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
Ultimately, her strategy failed to gain traction with an increasingly restless base eager to buck their party’s establishment. On April 30, Mills suspended her campaign. 
“While I have the drive and passion, commitment and experience, and above all else – the fight– to continue on, I very simply do not have the one thing that political campaigns unfortunately require today: the financial resources,” <a href="https://x.com/JanetMillsforME/status/2049832653189152925?s=20">Mills said in a statement. </a>

Dems Pick Nazi-Tatted Graham Platner Even After ‘Predator’s Paradise’ Photos Surface

Democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) was interrupted by far-Left anti-Israel protesters while defending an anti-Israel Senate candidate on Monday.
During an event for the National Press Club, a protester shouted about Israel while Sanders was defending Senate hopeful Graham Platner, who has a Nazi-linked tattoo and has been accused of abusing former girlfriends.
&#8220;Israel doesn&#8217;t need defensive systems! They&#8217;re a genocidal apartheid state!&#8221; a male protester shouted at Sanders. &#8220;And let me remind you, 59 years ago, Israel attacked the USS Liberty and killed 34 Americans!&#8221; The man was escorted out of the venue.
<div style="max-width: 728px; margin: 0 auto;">  <iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/sgAiV01UqnCRRcLMcPOTtoHIdejbFZSOb?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=dfe2d892-c00e-4f34-a970-8e3ddc32aa2d&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=Bernie's%20defense%20of%20Nazi%20tattoo%20guy%20still%20isn't%20enough%20for%20a&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2Fe71122da-9c1e-4705-91b6-471906a07e6f.jpg&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
&nbsp;
At another point during the interview, a woman wearing a hijab stood up and shouted, &#8220;Israel needs to be stopped!&#8221;
&#8220;How dare you continue to support Israel when they keep killing Palestinians,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;There&#8217;s a genocide! Shame on you, Bernie, for not speaking up!&#8221; The woman was also escorted from the room.
Platner, who is running for the U.S. Senate in Maine, has previously claimed that he didn&#8217;t understand the significance of his tattoo, which was a symbol used by Nazi Germany’s SS. However, recent accounts reported in the New York Times seem to contradict that narrative.
&#8220;I&#8217;m gonna do everything I can to make sure that Graham Platner is the next senator from the state of Maine,&#8221; Sanders said at the event before the disruption.
After one protester was escorted out, Sanders turned his attention to Republicans to explain his support for Platner. &#8220;Republican super PACs have already lined up some $99 million just on TV ads to defeat him. Why is that? Do you think they&#8217;re worried about his views or what his relationships to women has been? I don&#8217;t think so. What they&#8217;re worried about is that he&#8217;s going to be a strong voice against oligarchy.&#8221;
The senator also connected Platner&#8217;s past controversies to having PTSD. &#8220;He&#8217;s [now] gotten his life together,&#8221; Sanders said. &#8220;I don&#8217;t know what is true or not true. &#8230; There are people in the United States Senate right now who are not saints.&#8221;
Sanders similarly dismissed Platner&#8217;s troubling background earlier this month, saying, “Is he a saint? I guess not. I don’t know too many saints here.”
Platner is expected to cruise to victory in Tuesday&#8217;s Democratic primary for Maine&#8217;s U.S. Senate seat after Democratic Governor Janet Mills suspended her campaign at the end of April. Mills remains on the ballot, however, having never formally withdrawn, and has reminded voters that her name will still appear in the primary. The winner of the Democratic primary will challenge Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in the November general election.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ex-platner-staffer-calls-bs-on-dems-excuse-for-nazi-tattoo-troubling-behavior">Ex-Platner Staffer Calls BS On Dem’s Excuse For Nazi Tattoo, Troubling Behavior</a>

GettyImages-2278039744

Eating Their Own: Bernie’s Defense Of Nazi Tattoo Guy Still Isn’t Enough For Anti-Israel Radicals

Eating Their Own: Bernie's Defense Of Nazi Tattoo Guy Still Isn't Enough For Anti-Israel Radicals

anti-Israel

Bernie Sanders

Today is the day.
The day Democrats are asking Maine voters to look past a campaign dogged by a Nazi-linked tattoo, comments mocking a Purple Heart veteran, and explicit messages sent to other women during a marriage.
Maine voters are heading to the polls in a Democratic Senate primary that was supposed to set up the party&#8217;s best shot at unseating longtime incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME). Instead, it has become a referendum on the character of Graham Platner, the progressive Marine veteran and oyster farmer who is now the likely nominee after Gov. Janet Mills suspended her campaign in April.
“While I have the drive and passion, commitment and experience, and above all else – the fight – to continue on, I very simply do not have the one thing that political campaigns unfortunately require today: the financial resources,” <a href="https://x.com/JanetMillsforME/status/2049832653189152925?s=20">Mills said in a statement</a>. 
Tuesday’s primary could deal a major blow to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who recruited and backed Gov. Janet Mills. The Democratic establishment viewed Mills as the strongest candidate to defeat Collins. Meanwhile, Platner gained momentum with a progressive-populist message and secured high-profile endorsements from Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
The results will test just how many Democrats are willing to support a candidate whose personal controversies have become increasingly difficult to ignore.
And the final stretch has been brutal.
Democrats spent years building a political movement around the idea that allegations should be taken seriously and investigated aggressively. 
Now, Democrats are asking voters to overlook a growing list of Platner-related scandals in the name of taking back power.  
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/see-it-graham-platner-has-active-profile-on-predators-paradise-messaging-app">The Daily Wire previously uncovered</a> that the Senate hopeful maintained an active account on a social media platform known to attract child predators. Several media outlets reported that Platner, a married man, had also exchanged sexually explicit messages with several women. 
Most recently, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/04/us/politics/platner-maine-senate-girlfriends-relationships.html">reported</a> that multiple women who dated Platner described his behavior as &#8220;unsettling.&#8221; One former girlfriend, Lyndsey Fifield, accused him of physical aggression — allegations he denied during a national television interview.
“There are some allegations in this piece that I just want to be kind of unequivocal about, are simply not true,” <a href="https://x.com/Acyn/status/2062688362633498661?s=20">Platner said on the television network</a>. “Anything alleging physicality, anything alleging that I knew what my tattoo was, these are the statements of someone who’s politically motivated.”
Then came the twist.
After The Times story was published, Fifield publicly accused the newspaper of watering down her account and omitting key details she said would have strengthened her allegations. In a lengthy <a href="https://x.com/lyndseyfifield/status/2062808679829704815">social media post</a>, she argued the final article amounted to a political &#8220;gift&#8221; to Platner&#8217;s campaign.
No major elected Democratic figure has called for Platner to leave the race. Rep. Ro Khanna has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/07/graham-platner-maine-senate-candidate-ro-khanna">condemned</a> Platner&#8217;s conduct as &#8220;misogynistic, shameful, and wrong,&#8221; but has continued to support his candidacy. 
For some non-elected Democrats, Platner’s behavior is a bridge too far. 
“Graham Platner is a chronic liar who is mentally disturbed, sympathetic to Nazis, and dangerous to women,” <a href="https://x.com/Ally_Sammarco/status/2062711389131551018?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2062711389131551018%7Ctwgr%5E3f1ace313d4d400f46d631b64f75c9b11ce15d85%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailywire.com%2Fnews%2Fex-girlfriends-say-platner-lied-about-nazi-tattoo-detail-disturbing-behavior">Ally Sammarco, a Democratic political consultant, said</a>. “I’m disgusted to see members of my party make excuses for his behavior because it’s politically beneficial. He should be nowhere near our party and the U.S. Senate.
Meanwhile, Platner&#8217;s supporters on the ground have largely stuck by him, including <a href="https://x.com/TheCarolineMc/status/2063803200902168769?s=20">one woman</a> who said an Israeli tattoo, not a Nazi tattoo, is the real dealbreaker. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
At a Graham Platner rally in Portland.
“Would an Israeli flag tattoo be a deal breaker?”
“Honestly yeah, because I don’t support genocide.” <a href="https://t.co/93SQVwHOXH">https://t.co/93SQVwHOXH</a> <a href="https://t.co/CKrpQwkmxO">pic.twitter.com/CKrpQwkmxO</a>
— Caroline McCaughey (@TheCarolineMc) <a href="https://x.com/TheCarolineMc/status/2063803200902168769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
“Somebody said that they talked to somebody who had seen one of those or worn one of those, and it was silver, and it didn&#8217;t even prove to him that it was the same thing. I think people are making as much of it as they can; they don&#8217;t have a lot of substance around anything else,” the woman said, attempting to defend the tattoo.
&#8220;They are trolling for dirt,&#8221; she added.
“Would an Israeli flag tattoo be a deal breaker?” reporter Caroline McCaughey pressed the voter. 
“Honestly, yeah, because I don’t support genocide,” she said. 
Other Maine voters have a different take on the oyster farmer.
&#8220;He&#8217;s a disgrace to every veteran that has PTSD, like I do,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/RNCResearch/status/2064029852898828581?s=20">one voter told Fox News.</a> &#8220;Because he&#8217;s using it as an excuse to cover up his own personal failings.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Maine veteran destroys scandal plagued Graham Platner for using his service to distract from his horrifying past.
&#8220;He&#8217;s a disgrace to every veteran that has PTSD, like I do.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/eV79LWoMr2">pic.twitter.com/eV79LWoMr2</a>
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://x.com/RNCResearch/status/2064029852898828581?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
Republicans have already signaled that every scandal surrounding Platner will become fresh ammunition for the November general election. 
With no active or formal opposition, Platner is expected to cruise to victory in Tuesday’s primary. The remaining question is how many Democrats will choose to withhold their support from a candidate whose controversies could jeopardize one of the party’s best opportunities to flip a Senate seat.

Did Maine Democrats Look Past A Nazi-Tatted Candidate? Votes Are Coming In

Maine’s Mamdani has had better days. Faced with <a href="https://www.pressherald.com/2026/06/04/platner-bragged-of-nazi-tattoo-to-ex-physically-threatened-another-new-york-times-report-says/">new allegations</a> about his personal life, U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner — the far-left Democrat with the <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hated-women-explosive-abuse-new-nazi-tattoo-allegations-exes-rock-platners-campaign">infamous Nazi tattoo</a> — is fighting for political survival in a <a href="https://www.themainewire.com/2026/06/pro-collins-pac-internal-poll-shows-her-tied-with-platner-as-more-controversies-continue-to-plague-the-democrat/">neck-and-neck race</a> against incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME).
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/04/us/politics/platner-maine-senate-girlfriends-relationships.html">According to The New York Times</a>, several women who dated Platner describe the candidate as “disturbing” and “intimidating.” One ex-girlfriend <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/04/us/politics/platner-maine-senate-girlfriends-relationships.html">claimed</a> he “could be rough with her.” The accusations are enough to prompt even senior Democrats to express reservations, despite Maine offering a pathway to Senate control. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) — a Platner supporter — <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06/04/platner-democrats-furious-new-york-times-report-00951496">spoke out</a>, “The behavior described in the New York Times story was wrong and toxic.” Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) <a href="https://abcnews.com/Politics/sen-warner-platner-allegations-disturbing-decision-voters-maine/story?id=133660274">called</a> the allegations “disturbing” if true.
These are not Republican talking points. <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06/04/platner-democrats-furious-new-york-times-report-00951496">To quote a senior Democratic Senate aide</a>, “Everyone is apoplectic.”
Now, I am not one to judge a man based on allegations alone. Platner can take it up with God. We are all flawed, and political candidates often deeply so. Nor am I one to hold politicians to some lofty standard of moral decency and ethical conduct. Elected officials are public servants, but they don’t need to be role models. Inspiration can be found elsewhere.
But Mainers are missing the point. What matters most in this situation — in any election — is Platner’s worldview, which is his most disqualifying attribute even after the New York Times bombshell. For a candidate like Platner to resonate so much in Maine, a state near and dear to my heart, is at once disturbing and disheartening. Maine voters are <a href="https://www.wsj.com/video/series/on-the-news/maine-voters-back-senate-candidate-graham-platner-despite-allegations/41738C56-FF2E-4E18-A9A9-3C9802BCA5EC">doubling down on Platner politics</a> that make <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/janet-mills-shows-no-sign-reigniting-maine-senate-bid-graham-platners-rcna348706">Janet Mills</a> look like an establishment Republican.
Platner is a <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/16/politics/kfile-graham-platner-maine-senate-candidate-deleted-reddit-posts">self-proclaimed</a> “communist” who <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06/07/graham-platner-maine-primary-senate-susan-collins-00953171">believes that billionaires shouldn’t exist</a>. He has <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/top-off-the-wall-reddit-posts-haunting-graham-platners-maine-senate-bid">supported using deadly violence</a> against political opponents, dismisses “all” police officers as “bastards,” and believes that rural white Americans “actually are” racist and stupid. This comes from an oyster farmer in Sullivan, Maine — a population of barely 1,000 — who <a href="https://www.grahamforsenate.com/about">readily promotes his small-town story</a> as a working-class, anti-establishment badge of honor.
What the Maine Mamdani <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/05/us-news/meet-the-champagne-socialist-duo-who-groomed-rich-kid-graham-platner-into-working-class-candidate/">fails to promote</a> is his attendance at an $80,000-a-year boarding school, his lawyer father, or his <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/20/arts/design/warren-platner-designer-is-dead-at-86.html">world-renowned architect grandfather</a> associated with a nearly <a href="https://www.priceypads.com/warren-platner-masterpiece-9750000/">$10 million real estate</a>. As former Maine Democratic Party chairman Tony Buxton put it, “If he’s an oysterman, I’m a florist, OK? Because I raise roses and give them to my wife.”
Nevertheless, Platner <a href="https://www.grahamforsenate.com/platform">rails against</a> America’s “billionaire economy” in a state with <a href="https://www.patriotledger.com/story/business/2025/04/02/how-many-billionaires-live-in-nh-maine-heres-the-2025-forbes-list/82778310007/">one billionaire</a> (Dexter Shoe Company heiress Susan Alfond), and he supports Medicare for All as a silver bullet. Our nation may need healthcare reform, but Platner’s vision of universal healthcare would cost Maine <a href="https://mainemorningstar.com/2025/05/15/amid-rising-costs-lawmaker-wants-to-restart-conversation-about-universal-health-care/">nearly $20 billion</a> — <a href="https://legislature.maine.gov/ofpr/total-state-budget-information/9304">more than the state’s entire budget</a>. A federal Medicare for All plan would amount to an <a href="https://www.crfb.org/papers/choices-financing-medicare-all">estimated $30 trillion to $40 trillion</a> over a decade. On an annual basis, this means that a single government healthcare program would account for about half of the annual federal budget (<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-12/us-budget-gap-hits-record-1-1-trillion-for-fiscal-year-so-far">roughly $7 trillion per year</a>).
If Platner confiscated the assets of all U.S. billionaires in far-left fairytale-land, Medicare for All could be funded — <a href="https://americansfortaxfairness.org/billionaires-1-5-trillion-richer-trumps-first-year/">for a year or two</a>. (This is impractical on multiple levels, given that much of billionaire wealth is derived from unrealized capital gains.)
<iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://player.mux.com/aaTsLIAdGd7Zs5q01UTHWoNBeNWcaO01Vk?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&#038;metadata-video-id=e12f2120-402f-4ce3-a047-ab60e353b224&#038;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&#038;metadata-video-title=Everyone%27s%20talking%20about%20Platner%27s%20scandals.%20&#038;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2F82562b69-c70b-4242-b542-4951be33806b.jpg&#038;autoplay=false&#038;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&#038;primary-color=%23ffffff&#038;secondary-color=%23000000#?secret=95ow8Hz5Ad" data-secret="95ow8Hz5Ad" width="500" height="750"></iframe>
Back in reality, how do we pay for it? That part doesn’t make the final cut of a Platner campaign ad. On the conservative side, it would require a combination of a 32% payroll tax, a 25% income surtax, a 42% value-added tax, a $7,500-per-capita mandatory public premium, doubling all income tax rates, reducing non-health spending by 80%, or increasing debt to 105% of GDP.
<a href="https://www.crfb.org/papers/choices-financing-medicare-all">As the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget notes</a>, taxes on high earners and corporations alone could not finance Medicare for All. Taxes would have to go up on middle-class Mainers. How that makes the state more affordable remains unclear.
And that is just one Platner pipe dream, without even mentioning the proposed federal investments for environmental action, social justice, and other programs that would cost trillions of dollars in magic money.
On its 250th anniversary, America has many problems, but communism is never the solution. The popularity of Platner or New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani doesn’t make them pragmatic or principled.
For too many reasons to count, Mainers deserve much better than Graham Platner. But only they can disqualify him for good.
***
Luka Ladan is the President and CEO at <a href="https://zenicapr.com/">Zenica Public Relations</a>, based in Miami, Florida.

Senator Bernie Sanders Holds Fighting Oligarchy Event With Senate Candidate Graham Platner

The Most Disqualifying Thing About Graham Platner Isn’t What You Think

Communism

DW Opinion

Medicare for All

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In a stunning display of ideological gymnastics, a supporter of embattled Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner dismissed his controversial Nazi Totenkopf chest tattoo as a mere political smear — while asserting that a hypothetical tattoo of an Israeli flag would be an unforgivable &#8220;dealbreaker&#8221; because she does not &#8220;support genocide.&#8221;
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The comments, made during a recent interview, underscore the lengths to which some leftist voters will go to defend the candidate, despite a mounting wall of allegations regarding his past behavior, personal life, and public transparency.
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When asked about a bombshell New York Times <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ex-girlfriends-say-platner-lied-about-nazi-tattoo-detail-disturbing-behavior">report</a> detailing allegations of physical and emotional abuse from Platner’s ex-girlfriend, Lyndsey Fifield, the supporter immediately defended the candidate’s character. “You know, he answered it really well,” she claimed. “He’s a flawed candidate, but he’s what we want because he’s honest about it &#8230; he’s totally sincere.”
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However, Platner&#8217;s narrative of total honesty has been aggressively disputed by conservative commentators and critics alike, who argue his public persona is built on systemic deception. Platner has repeatedly claimed that he got the &#8220;Totenkopf&#8221; skull — a prominent symbol worn by Nazi SS concentration camp guards — while drunk as a Marine in 2007, and remained entirely ignorant of its white supremacist meaning until his political opponents raised the issue.
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But Fifield, a former Republican campaign operative who dated Platner from 2013 to 2015, directly contradicted this timeline. She told the Times that Platner was acutely aware of the symbol’s dark history a decade ago, routinely referring to it by its German name — calling it &#8220;my Totenkopf&#8221; — and regularly joking about its Nazi origins during their relationship.
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When the interviewer confronted the supporter with the reality of the Nazi imagery, she dismissed the entire controversy out of hand. “Somebody said that they talked to somebody who had seen one of those &#8230; and it didn’t even occur to him that it was the same thing,” she alleged, adding, “They are trolling for dirt.”
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Yet, while she readily excused a literal Nazi death camp symbol, she expressed immediate moral condemnation when asked how she would react if Platner sported a tattoo of an Israeli flag.
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&#8220;Honestly, yeah,&#8221; she replied when asked if an Israeli flag would be a dealbreaker. &#8220;Israeli? Yeah, because I don&#8217;t support genocide and he doesn&#8217;t either. And that would show that he was being inconsistent.&#8221;
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Graham Platner supporter says she’s okay with the Nazi tattoo, but if he had an Israeli flag tattoo that would be a deal breaker for her because then he would support genocide. <a href="https://t.co/D9enhAO1Ue">pic.twitter.com/D9enhAO1Ue</a>
&mdash; Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) <a href="https://x.com/ClayTravis/status/2063965870997598292?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The defense comes as Platner faces separate, severe accusations of domestic misconduct and systemic dishonesty. Fifield detailed a volatile relationship marked by intense physical intimidation, alleging that Platner repeatedly grabbed her hard enough to leave marks, forcibly pulled her out of a vehicle by her wrist, and once twisted her arm behind her back to lock her inside a closet during an argument. According to the report, Fifield also claimed Platner made disturbing comments about rape, including a repeated hypothetical scenario where he claimed he would rape a home invader “to show them that I’m dominant.” Platner has adamantly denied all allegations of physical violence.
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Conservative media outlets have further challenged Platner’s political identity, pointing out that his populist &#8220;working-class oysterman&#8221; narrative glosses over significant financial support, including a $200,000 home loan from his father.
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Despite the string of contradictions regarding the candidate&#8217;s personal and financial history, she concluded that Platner remains &#8220;very consistent &#8230; straight across the board.&#8221;
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Graham Platner Supporter Reveals The Left’s New Moral Compass

Platner Supporter Dismisses His Nazi Tattoo, But Claims Israeli Flag Ink Would Be ‘Dealbreaker’

Nazis

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