Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME) is ending her bid for United States Senate, leaving populist Graham Platner to take on Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in the extremely competitive general election that could determine which party controls the upper chamber.
Although Platner faced multiple scandals early in his campaign, including scrutiny of a now-covered Nazi symbol tattoo and past posts on social media, Mills struggled to gain traction in the polls. Mills had the backing of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), whereas Platner is backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
Mills said she did not have enough money to continue campaigning.
“When I decided to run for the United States Senate last year, it was because I believed Maine people were getting a bad deal from Washington and because the President of the United States was threatening our democracy and pushing our nation to the brink of disaster. I continue to believe that today,” Mills said in a statement on Thursday morning.
“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. That is why today I have made the incredibly difficult decision to suspend my campaign for the United States Senate,” she added.
Mills gained national notoriety over her dispute with President Donald Trump over transgender-identifying athletes&#8217; ability to play in women&#8217;s sports, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-spars-with-maines-dem-governor-over-men-in-womens-sports-at-white-house" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported.
“We’ll see you in court,” Mills said in a viral interaction with Trump when he asked her if she would comply with his Executive Order on the issue in 2025, which stated that it should &#8220;be the policy of the United States to oppose male competitive participation in women’s sports more broadly, as a matter of safety, fairness, dignity, and truth.&#8221;
“Good, I’ll see you in court,” Trump replied. “I look forward to that, that should be a real easy one. And enjoy your life after governor, because I don’t think you’ll be in elected politics.
As for Platner, he faced backlash for past <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-senate-hopeful-called-himself-a-communist-made-racist-comments-in-reddit-posts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reddit posts</a>, including one&#8217;s where he called himself a &#8220;communist&#8221; and said &#8220;cops are bastards.&#8221;
<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.
Platner, a veteran, apologized for his past remarks, but the posts became the subject of campaign ads from Mills, which did not seem to resonate with voters. Most recent polling in the primary election showed Platner ahead of Mills by double-digits, according to <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/latest-polls/senate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RealClearPolling</a>.
However, the Maine governor&#8217;s exit from the race is welcomed news to Republicans.
&#8220;Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats just coronated a phony who is too extreme for Maine. Susan Collins has always put in the work for her constituents and delivered. Washington Democrats always fall short in Maine and will again, because they just nominated a dishonest radical,&#8221; National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Tim Scott (R-SC) said in a statement on Thursday morning.

18 Dead After Mass Shooter Goes On A Rampage In Maine

Dems Stuck With Nazi Tattoo Guy After Surprise Shake-Up In Senate Primary

2026 election

graham platner

janet mills

Maine

Politics

U.S. Senate

Maine Democrat Graham Platner, who is running for the U.S. Senate in Maine, faced backlash for his Nazi-symbol tattoo and several nasty social media posts — and during a recent interview, he attributed both on the &#8220;culture&#8221; that he was exposed to while serving in the United States military.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nazi-tattoo-guy-has-chuck-schumers-handpicked-candidate-on-the-ropes">Platner</a>, who served both in the Marine Corps and the U.S. Army, got the tattoo <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/graham-platner-has-known-about-his-tattoos-nazi-connotations-since-2012">covered up</a> after the initial public outcry, appeared on &#8220;The Takeout with Major Garrett&#8221; — and he argued that the &#8220;hyper-masculine&#8221; culture in the infantry had &#8220;colored&#8221; his perspective in the past.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
In response to controversy surrounding a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol and comments he made previously on Reddit, Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner says &#8220;much of it was because of the culture I had come out of.&#8221;
&#8220;When I left the military, I came out of a… <a href="https://t.co/C069CLxuDb">pic.twitter.com/C069CLxuDb</a>
— CBS News (@CBSNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/2042731438223601840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Graham, there have been a lot of things said about you. Things that you have written on Reddit, a tattoo you had and a controversy around that, and I want to ask you this, because I don&#8217;t think it&#8217;s been put to you this way before: Is there anything you&#8217;ve done or said that you regret that did not come from the stresses you internalized from Post-Traumatic Stress itself? That is to say, is PTSD the explanation for everything, or did you also just make some additional human errors that you want to explain or contextualize?&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;ll be up front,&#8221; Platner said, adding that he&#8217;d never blamed his past behavior solely on the fact that he&#8217;d been diagnosed with PTSD.
&#8220;When I left the military, I came out of a hyper-masculine, hyper-violent place. I did four tours in the infantry. We have a crude sense of humor in the infantry. We certainly have a, I would say, narrow view of a lot of topics, and that colored my opinions and my beliefs,&#8221; Platner continued.
He went on to claim that it wasn&#8217;t until he got out of the military and spent time with different people that his thoughts and opinions began to change over time.
Platner went on to say that he didn&#8217;t believe his past opinions were related to his combat service necessarily, but said that &#8220;much of it was because of the culture I had come out of, and over the years in between, I&#8217;ve met a lot more people, had a lot more experiences, learned a lot more about the world, and my opinions have changed with it.&#8221;
Platner is currently polling well ahead of Governor Janet Mills (D-ME). Whoever wins the primary will face incumbent Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) in November&#8217;s general election.

Maine Democrat Graham Platner Is Winning Voters All ‘Pissed At The Same Thing’

Nazi Tattoo Dem Blames U.S. Army ‘Culture’ For Ink, Nasty Social Media Posts

2026 Midterms

Media

Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner is increasingly confident that he will defeat Gov. Janet Mills in the June primary.
Platner has a 22% average lead in primary surveys, according to <a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/senate/democratic-primary/2026/maine---3-electoral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RealClearPolling,</a> despite the early days of his campaign being marred by scandal over a now-covered Nazi symbol tattoo and several resurfaced Reddit posts from the early 2010s in which he made demeaning comments about women and proclaimed that he “became a communist.”
Platner’s campaign manager Ben Chin told <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/04/06/maine-senate-primary-democrats-mills-platner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Axios</a> that the campaign is “shifting gears and going full steam ahead into the general,” but noted they “aren’t taking our foot [off] the gas in the primary.”
Mills is backed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who sees her as a critical piece to winning back control of the chamber, whereas Platner has garnered the endorsements of Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).
&#8220;We&#8217;re feeling emboldened,” Chin told the outlet.
Mills has gone on the attack against Platner in recent commercials, highlighting his scandals and running with the tagline, “Graham Platner: The closer you look, the worse it gets.”
One advertisement in particular features older, white women reacting to the populist Democrat’s comments on Reddit with disgust, but Platner’s campaign appears to have bounced back following his apology over the posts in the fall.
“These comments are shameful,” <a href="https://x.com/JanetMillsforME/status/2036401559936852198?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mills</a> continued to hammer the point home via X on March 24. “While my opponent was saying this not long ago, I was fighting as Attorney General and Governor to deliver progress for Maine people.”
A Republican strategist familiar with the race told The Daily Wire that the race remains a “target-rich environment” that could ultimately benefit Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), who will face off against whoever wins the primary.
“It’s not really breaking through for her,” the strategist said regarding the Mills attack ads, adding that it’s “definitely not looking good&#8221; for the governor&#8217;s campaign.
In terms of the overall Republican approach, given Platner’s staying power, the strategist noted that it’s “equal opportunity until the day she drops out” and the Republicans will continue to “keep hammering on both.”
Collins defeated Democrat Sara Gideon in 2020 with just under 51% compared with Gideon’s roughly 42%. The <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/senate-race-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cook Political Report</a> rates the general election race as a “toss-up,” along with the contests in North Carolina, Georgia, and Michigan.
Republicans hold a narrow 53-47 majority in the chamber, and a flip could result in radically different policies headed to President Donald Trump&#8217;s desk in the second half of his term.
The Daily Wire reached out to the Mills, Platner, and Collins campaigns for comment.

Graham Platner

Nazi Tattoo Guy Has Chuck Schumer’s Handpicked Candidate On The Ropes

Chuck Schumer

Democrats

Senate

Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner referred to Jesus as a “zombie” and the Virgin Mary as a “skank” in a resurfaced Reddit post from 2012.
Platner has already faced scrutiny for past comments made on the social media platform over a decade ago, which he has apologized for, as it’s become the subject of campaign advertisements from his primary opposition, Gov. Janet Mills.
“I’ve spent 8 years in the infantry, Marine Corps, and Army, and I’ve been about as crudely atheist as one can be the entire time (zombie jesus jokes and Mary sucking at covering up being a skank, as examples),” Platner wrote at the time, according to a screenshot posted on X by conservative political strategist <a href="https://x.com/greg_price11/status/2039449980558041134?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Greg Price</a> on Wednesday.
Republicans criticized Platner&#8217;s comments, which resurfaced just days before Easter Sunday.
“When someone shows you who they are, believe them, and just in time for Easter the guy with a Nazi tattoo is showing us his truly disgusting and repulsive takes on Christianity,” Samantha Cantrell, spokeswoman for the National Republican Campaign Committee, said in a statement.
“This SHOULD be disqualifying but Maine&#8217;s leftist base has given Platner a pass on literally everything,” the <a href="https://x.com/mainegop/status/2039455900251901991?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Maine Republican Party</a> posted to X. “Now this. But the left will love him more.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/attack-ad-targets-democrat-over-vulgar-past-comments-about-women?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Attack+Ad+Targets+Democrat+Over+Vulgar+Past+Comments+About+Women" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported that Mills took aim at Platner’s past comments regarding rape in a March commercial, specifically when he wrote in 2013 that women should “act like an adult for f*** sake” and “not get so f***ed up they wind up having sex with someone they don’t mean to.”
“That’s a horrible thing to say,” one woman said in the ad.
Platner responded to Mills&#8217; attack ad by acknowledging the inappropriate nature of his comments.
“Back in October, when my past internet comments resurfaced, I read through them. I was horrified and did not recognize the man on the other side of the posts,” <a href="https://x.com/grahamformaine/status/2033923085728981129?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Platner</a> wrote on X at the time. “I shared my thoughts and apologies here directly with Mainers. And I’ve been talking with Mainers every day since, at town halls across the state.”
Whoever wins the primary will take on Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in the competitive general election contest, which could ultimately play a role in determining which party controls the Senate.
Despite the controversies surrounding Platner, including over a now-covered Nazi symbol tattoo, Platner is still maintaining a strong standing in the race, racking up endorsements from Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
A recent <a href="https://emersoncollegepolling.com/maine-2026-poll-platner-leads-gov-mills-democrats-lead-sen-collins-in-maine/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Emerson College</a> poll of likely primary voters shows Platner leading Mills 55-28% in the primary. Mills is backed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
The Daily Wire reached out to the Platner, Mills, and Collins campaigns for comment.

Democrat Darling Under Fire For Posts Calling Jesus A ‘Zombie,’ Virgin Mary A ‘Skank’

Congress

The Justice Department launched a probe Thursday into multiple women’s prisons across California and Maine, where transgender-identifying men have been accused of rape and making other sexual advances toward female inmates. 
The investigation from the Justice Department will look at whether the states violated the constitutional rights of the imprisoned women with their policies of allowing men to be placed in women&#8217;s prisons. One of the prisons under scrutiny is the Central California Women’s Facility in Madera County, where a man who served time at the facility was charged with raping a female inmate. 
“Keeping men out of women’s prisons is not only common sense – it’s a matter of safety and constitutional rights,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi. “The Trump Administration will not stand by if governors are facilitating the abuse of biological women under the guise of inclusion.”
At the Maine Correctional Center in Windham, a 27-year-old man named Andrew Balcer, <a href="https://apps1.web.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/correctionssearch/detail.pl?mdoc_number1=156589">serving</a> 40 years for murdering his parents, is currently housed at the women’s unit. State <a href="https://apps1.web.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/correctionssearch/detail.pl?mdoc_number1=156589">records</a> list him as “female” and standing 6’1’’ tall and 310 pounds. The man has been accused of forcibly kissing incarcerated women and offering to impregnate them, <a href="https://www.sunjournal.com/2026/03/04/women-say-they-are-being-harassed-by-transgender-inmate-at-maine-prison/">according</a> to the Sun Journal. 
<div id="attachment_1067567" style="width: 431px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1067567" class="wp-image-1067567 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-27-at-9.52.34-AM-421x576.png" alt="" width="421" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-27-at-9.52.34-AM-421x576.png 421w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-27-at-9.52.34-AM-219x300.png 219w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-27-at-9.52.34-AM.png 578w" sizes=" (max-width: 421px) 100vw, 421px" />Maine Government.</div>
In a case out of Madera County, California, a 53-year-old man named Tremaine Carroll was charged with rape after he was placed at the Central California Women’s Facility. A fellow inmate was found to be pregnant, and two other women also accused him of rape.
&#8220;After his first cellmate became pregnant and was moved to Los Angeles, two other cellmates of his had complained that he had raped them, so we have filed rape charges against this inmate,&#8221; <a href="https://abc7chicago.com/post/pronoun-use-center-rape-case-involving-former-chowchilla-central-california-womens-facility-prisoner-tremaine-carroll/15696730/">said</a> District Attorney Sally Moreno in December 2024.
The case is still working its way through the court system, but court officials have mandated that female pronouns be used for Carroll. Court records indicate that Tremaine has had a number of different lawyers and is in the process of getting a new lawyer appointed by the county from an outside legal firm.  
Thanks to a law sponsored by far-Left state Senator Scott Wiener and <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200SB132">signed</a> by Governor Gavin Newsom, at least 45 males who identify as transgender have been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-dems-vote-to-keep-male-sex-offenders-in-female-prisons">transferred</a> into female prisons since the law was implemented in September 2020. Last year, state Democrats rejected a proposal to keep male sex criminals out of female prisons. 
“California’s Transgender Respect, Agency, and Dignity Act has provided none of these qualities to the female inmates of state prisons who have been forced to share space with biological men who are violent felons,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli of the Central District of California. “Our Constitution protects women from having their civil rights violated by harmful state legislation wrapped in the language of ‘equity’ and ‘progress.’”
The California Institution for Women in San Bernardino County is also being scrutinized.  
&#8220;Despite the Department of Justice&#8217;s claims, this is yet another politically motivated, predetermined investigation designed to target states that stand up to the Trump Administration and its abuses,&#8221; <a href="https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/justice-department-investigates-prison-housing-policies-maine-california/97-f2623a63-f421-4c62-a899-17b138fb2d8b">said</a> Democratic Maine Governor Janet Mills. 
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said her office will ensure that women are protected from male inmates. 
“Under my leadership, the Civil Rights Division will not allow women incarcerated in jails or prisons to be subject to unconstitutional risks of harm from male inmates,” she said. “These investigations will uncover whether the dangerous national trend of housing men in women’s prisons has resulted in violations of women’s constitutional rights.”

MixCollage-27-Mar-2026-10-32-AM-6603

DOJ Demands Answers After Women Housed With Hulking Transgender Murderer

DOJ Takes Action As Female Prisoners Housed With Transgender Murderer

California

Department of Justice

Harmeet Dhillon

Pam Bondi

Transgender

Trump Administration

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) endorsed populist veteran Graham Platner in Maine&#8217;s Democratic Senate primary on Thursday, further intensifying an already contentious race against Gov. Janet Mills.
Platner has also been backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), while Mills is supported by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). The winner will face incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in the November general election, which is expected to be competitive and costly.
“Graham Platner is the real deal,” Warren <a href="https://x.com/grahamformaine/status/2034603306404765726">said</a> in a video announcement. “He’s a fighter, and he’s ready to take that fight to Washington.”
Warren argued that Platner could help Democrats reclaim the Senate majority, currently held by Republicans, 53-47.
“Graham Platner has the grit to go against the grain and to fight for what is right,&#8221; she added, saying Platner exhibits the “fighting spirit that the Democratic Party needs now more than ever.”
Platner’s campaign faced numerous scandals last fall, including old Reddit posts from 2013 in which he described himself as a “communist” and made demeaning comments about women. He has since apologized for the remarks. He also faced scrutiny over a tattoo that critics said resembled a Nazi symbol, which he later covered.
The Mills campaign made the past Reddit comments a key focus of a new <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/attack-ad-targets-democrat-over-vulgar-past-comments-about-women?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Attack+Ad+Targets+Democrat+Over+Vulgar+Past+Comments+About+Women">ad</a> released earlier this week, specifically highlighting posts saying women should “act like an adult for f*** sake” and “not get so f***ed up they wind up having sex with someone they don’t mean to.”
“Just no way I could vote for you,” a woman says in the ad.
In response, Platner re-shared a previous apology video from October and said in a post on X that he “was horrified&#8221; by the comments and &#8220;did not recognize the man on the other side of the posts.”
Samantha Cantrell, a National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesperson, said that “Chuck Schumer&#8217;s handpicked candidate is so unpopular in Maine that Elizabeth Warren just endorsed a guy with a Nazi tattoo.”
Despite the past controversies, most polling averages show Platner leading Gov. Mills ahead of the June 9 primary, according to RealClearPolling. The Cook Political Report has the general election race ranked as a “toss-up.”
Collins, who has represented Maine since 1997, won re-election in 2020 with roughly 51% of the vote, defeating Democrat Sara Gideon, who received about 42%.

2024 Democratic National Convention: Day 4

Elizabeth Warren Makes Endorsement In Maine’s Bruising Democratic Senate Primary

Elizabeth Warren

Susan Collins

Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills is targeting her populist primary opponent for the U.S. Senate with a new ad highlighting past comments he made on Reddit about women and sexual assault.
The ad, released Tuesday, features multiple women reacting to 2013 posts by Graham Platner in which he said women should “act like an adult for f*** sake” and “not get so f***ed up they wind up having sex with someone they don&#8217;t mean to” if they are fearful of being raped.
“That’s a horrible thing to say,” one woman, identified as Jill from South Portland, says in the ad.
“Just no way I could vote for you,” Peggy from Vassalboro, adds.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/grahamformaine?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@grahamformaine</a> blamed women for sexual assault, saying they should &#8220;take some responsibility for themselves&#8221; and &#8220;act like an adult.&#8221;
Here&#8217;s what Maine women had to say about his words. <a href="https://t.co/sztt7khZ4S">pic.twitter.com/sztt7khZ4S</a>
— Janet Mills (@JanetMillsforME) <a href="https://twitter.com/JanetMillsforME/status/2033861065289732184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
Platner’s campaign dismissed the ad, with his campaign manager saying in a statement that it is “a desperate attempt for relevance from the governor, who is trailing an oyster farmer in every recent poll,&#8221; according to the <a href="https://x.com/aseitzwald/status/2033909477179543759?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Midcoast Villager</a>.
&#8220;Mainers know that Graham should not be defined by the worst thing he said on the internet over a decade ago,&#8221; the campaign manager added.
The comments previously drew backlash when they resurfaced last year. Platner responded at the time with an apology, which he reshared on Tuesday.
&#8220;Back in October, when my past internet comments resurfaced, I read through them. I was horrified and did not recognize the man on the other side of the posts,&#8221; Platner posted on X.
I shared my thoughts and apologies here directly with Mainers. And I’ve been talking with Mainers every day since, at town halls across the state.&#8221;
Platner, who is backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), has remained competitive in the primary despite the controversy. Mills has the support of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
Earlier on Tuesday, Platner released his own ad taking aim at Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), whom the Democratic nominee will face in the general election in November. The spot features a Maine voter, also named Susan Collins, who supports Platner.
Republicans say the Democrat infighting could benefit Sen. Collins.
“The girls are fighting! It doesn’t matter how the Chuck Schumer vs. Bernie Sanders proxy war ends, because both of these candidates will lose to Susan Collins,” National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesperson Samantha Cantrell told The Daily Wire.
The race is one of four Senate contests currently rated as a “toss-up” by the Cook Political Report, along with North Carolina, Georgia, and Michigan. Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the chamber.

Graham Platner Maine

Attack Ad Targets Democrat Over Vulgar Past Comments About Women

A controversial Maine Democrat already dogged by questions over a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol is again under fire after promoting an openly antisemitic conspiracy theorist — the latest episode in a pattern critics say underscores how radical and politically toxic he is.
Graham Platner, a 41-year-old Senate candidate seeking the Democratic nomination to take on incumbent Susan Collins (R-ME), faced backlash this week after amplifying a social media post about a looming war with Iran from Stew Peters, a neo-Nazi influencer known for Holocaust denial and antisemitic rhetoric. Platner <a href="https://www.bangordailynews.com/2026/02/26/politics/elections/graham-platner-stew-peters-post/">later deleted</a> the post, with his campaign claiming it was shared “in error” and removed immediately after discovering it elevated a “despicable account.”
But the incident was not isolated.
In late January, Platner <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/platner-sat-lengthy-interview-antisemitic-075439570.html">appeared</a> for an hour-long interview on Valhalla VFT, a YouTube show hosted by Nate Cornacchia, a retired Green Beret who has promoted conspiracy theories alleging Israeli involvement in high-profile assassinations and suggesting the global war on terror was conducted at the “behest of Israel.” During the interview, Platner described himself as “a longtime fan” of the show and said it was “an absolute pleasure” to appear.
Cornacchia has pushed claims tying Israel to the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and agreed with assertions that President John F. Kennedy was “probably” killed in a covert joint operation between the CIA and Mossad. Platner’s campaign did not respond to Jewish Insider&#8217;s questions about Cornacchia’s remarks.
The controversy compounds scrutiny Platner has faced since last year over a tattoo on his chest that closely resembled a Totenkopf, the skull-and-crossbones emblem adopted by an infamous Nazi SS unit. Platner <a href="https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2025-10-22/democratic-senate-hopeful-graham-platner-gets-tattoo-of-nazi-symbol-covered-up">said</a> he received the tattoo while serving in the Marine Corps during a drunken night in Croatia and claimed he was unaware of its historical meaning at the time. The <a href="https://apnews.com/article/maine-platner-senate-trump-mills-tattoo-collins-fa8328a3c8aa5d5e0f34adb379e977b8">Associated Press</a> later confirmed that he had the tattoo covered once the comparison became public, saying he did not want a symbol associated with hate on his body.
“For what it’s worth,” Maine Governor Janet Mills, who’s running against Platner in the Democratic primary for the Senate seat, quipped on <a href="https://x.com/JanetMillsforME/status/2027421147956969915">X</a> amid the controversy, “I don’t have any tattoos.”
In past posts, Platner has described U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East as being overly shaped by “foreign influence,” and has argued that Washington’s alliance structure requires “fundamental rethinking.” Critics say such rhetoric mirrors themes common in online spaces where antisemitic conspiracy theories flourish.
National Republicans have begun to take notice. A spokesperson for the National Republican Senatorial Committee blasted Platner this week, saying Democrats are “flirting with extremism” in a race they view as central to their hopes of regaining Senate control. Allies of Collins have also circulated screenshots of Platner’s deleted posts, arguing they raise serious questions about his judgment.
The Democratic primary race in Maine is expected to be one of the most closely watched Senate contests of the cycle. Democrats view the seat held by moderate Republican Collins as a key pickup opportunity. But Platner’s growing list of controversies, from boosting a neo-Nazi influencer to praising a YouTube host who traffics in antisemitic conspiracies, to the lingering fallout over his tattoo, threatens to complicate that strategy.

Dem Senate Darling Stumbles Into Third Nazi-Related Scandal Of Primary Campaign

Anti-Semitism

Democratic Party

Elections

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) made her re-election bid official Tuesday, unboxing a pair of New Balance running shoes and announcing, “This is perfect for 2026, because I’m running.”
The announcement launches what is expected to be a fiercely competitive general election in Maine following speculation that Collins would retire instead, according to <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/07/16/congress/white-house-collins-maine-00459055" target="_blank" rel="noopener">POLITICO</a>.
The race has already grown contentious, especially in the Democratic primary between Gov. Janet Mills and populist Graham Platner. Platner has drawn scrutiny over past controversies, including a now-removed tattoo featuring a Nazi symbol and old <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-senate-hopeful-called-himself-a-communist-made-racist-comments-in-reddit-posts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reddit</a> posts in which he described himself as a &#8220;communist.&#8221;
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“Susan Collins pledged to only serve two terms in the Senate,” Platner said in an <a href="https://x.com/grahamformaine/status/2021225664829886812">X</a> post responding to Collins’ launch. “That’s just one of a hundred reasons she doesn’t deserve a sixth term.”
Governor Mills said Sen. Collins “has had almost three decades to prove that she’s the right leader for Maine in this critical moment — and she&#8217;s failed. Seniority without a backbone is just tenure, and another term won’t fix that. It&#8217;s time for her to go.”
The <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/senate-race-ratings">Cook Political Report</a> currently rates the race as a toss-up. Collins faced a similarly high-stakes contest in 2020, when she defeated Democrat Sara Gideon with nearly 51% of the vote compared to Gideon&#8217;s roughly 42%.
The Republican lawmaker has secured the backing of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which typically supports incumbents and contenders it views as best to win general elections.
“From protecting Social Security to supporting small businesses, no one works harder and is more dependable at delivering prosperity and opportunity,&#8221; NRSC Chairman Tim Scott said. &#8220;I’m confident Susan will defeat whoever emerges from the messy Democrat primary, because Mainers know they can always count on her.”
Collins has had a complicated relationship with President Donald Trump, who has publicly criticized her and other Republicans over past War Powers Resolution votes and at one point said they &#8220;should never be elected to office again.&#8221;
Despite past tensions, Collins, the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, stood alongside Trump at the Oval Office signing ceremony last week, along with other lawmakers, as the partial government shutdown ended. She is the lone Republican in New England&#8217;s congressional delegation.

‘I’m Running’: Susan Collins Launches Re-Election Bid As GOP Fights To Hold Crucial Senate Seat

Republicans

Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins said Thursday that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed to her that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had ended “enhanced” operations in her state. 
Collins, who has been critical of the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration, previously urged ICE to “pause” operations in both Minnesota and Maine. 
“While the Department of Homeland Security does not confirm law enforcement operations, I can report that Secretary Noem has informed me that ICE has ended its enhanced activities in the State of Maine,” Collins wrote on X. “There are currently no ongoing or planned large-scale ICE operations here. I have been urging Secretary Noem and others in the Administration to get ICE to reconsider its approach to immigration enforcement in the state.”
Collins added that she appreciated Noem’s “willingness to listen to and consider my recommendations and her personal attention to the situation in Maine. ICE and Customs and Border Patrol will continue their normal operations that have been ongoing here for many years.”
“I will continue to work with the Secretary on efforts to end illegal immigration, drug smuggling, and other transnational criminal activity,” Collins said. 
The Department of Homeland Security  told The Daily Wire that it would &#8220;continue to enforce the law across the country, as we do every day.&#8221;
On Tuesday, Collins<a href="https://x.com/SenatorCollins/status/2016300115116409332"> said</a> that she had spoken with both the White House and Noem about limiting the scope and target of immigration operations in Maine and Minnesota in the wake of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents. 
Collins’ call for ICE to pause operations in Maine was echoed by Democrat Governor Janet Mills, who recently demanded that President Donald Trump withdraw ICE agents from Maine. Mills also demanded that ICE&#8217;s funding be cut and that Noem be brought before Congress to testify.
Last week, ICE <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/01/21/ice-launches-operation-catch-day-targeting-worst-worst-criminal-illegal-aliens">launched</a> operation “Catch of the Day” in Maine to target illegal immigrants convicted of crimes. Those arrested as part of the operation included illegal immigrants arrested for aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and endangering the welfare of a child, according to DHS. In total, around 200 illegal immigrants were arrested as part of the operation. 
“Governor Mills and her fellow sanctuary politicians in Maine have made it abundantly clear that they would rather stand with criminal illegal aliens than protect law-abiding American citizens,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “We have launched Operation Catch of the Day to target the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens in the state.”

Senate Advances Plan To End Shutdown After Some Democrats Agree

GOP Senator Says ‘Enhanced’ ICE Operations Have Ended In Maine

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Kristi Noem

Seven people are dead, and one is injured after a private jet crashed in Maine on Sunday night.
The crash took place at around 7:45 p.m. at Bangor International Airport after the craft attempted to take off during harsh winter conditions. The identities of the victims have not yet been released, and federal authorities are expected to arrive on Monday to investigate. 
The Associated Press first <a href="https://apnews.com/article/bangor-maine-plane-crash-0e56e09867a95201354449aa863daf65">reported</a> the deaths and noted that the injured person was a crew member. 
“At approximately 7:45 p.m. there was an incident involving a single aircraft that was departing from [Bangor International Airport],” the airport <a href="https://flybangor.com/incident-at-bangor-international-airport-avoid-the-area-2/">announced</a> Sunday. “First responders are still on scene and are expected to be actively working the site for several more hours before any additional information is available.”
Fire and rescue crews from the 101st Maine Air National Guard, firefighters from Bangor and nearby cities, and the Bangor Police Department all responded to the scene. 
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) identified the crashed plane as a Bombardier CL 600. The plane ended up upside down and on fire, the Bangor Daily News reported. 
The condition of the victims was not known for over 12 hours after the crash. Local officials said it was the responsibility of federal officials to release that information. The NTSB, however, said that local authorities handled updates on passenger conditions. 
When asked why it had been ruled safe for departure despite the snow and ice, the spokesman said that other planes were arriving and departing at the same time. 
“The snow removal operations were in progress and again, there were planes landing and departing… around that time of day,” the spokesman said. 
An airport spokesman said that federal investigators were expected to arrive on Monday. In a different statement, the NTSB said it expected to be on the scene soon. 
“A team of NTSB investigators is currently assembling and is expected to arrive on scene shortly. Once on site, the investigator will begin the process of documenting the scene and examining the aircraft. The aircraft will then be recovered to a secure facility for further evaluation,” the NTSB said. 
A preliminary report on the crash will be released within 30 days.

Passenger Airplane on airfield winter

Seven Dead After Private Jet Crashes During Winter Storm

Airplane crash

Snow

Federal immigration agents have deployed to Maine as part of a new initiative dubbed &#8220;Operation Catch of the Day,&#8221; according to Fox News.
The raids <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/ice-launches-new-operation-maine-amid-trumps-broader-illegal-immigrant-crackdown-around-us" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> started with more than 50 arrests on Tuesday.
&#8220;We have approximately 1,400 targets here in Maine,&#8221; ICE Deputy Assistant Director Patricia Hyde told the outlet.
Hyde said the illegal immigrant targets had rap sheets for &#8220;rape of a child&#8221; and &#8220;drug trafficking,&#8221; as well as &#8220;sexual assaults, simple assaults,&#8221; and &#8220;driving while under the influence.&#8221;
&#8220;You name it,&#8221; she said. &#8220;They&#8217;re on the target list.&#8221;
At the start of the operation, ICE nabbed a Sudanese man with more than a dozen criminal convictions, according to Fox News. He also had a deportation order.
Two Ecuadorian illegal immigrants were also caught after they were charged with drunk driving. One of them was released into the country after crossing the border unlawfully during the Biden administration.
The sanctuary city mayor of Portland, Maine, Mark Dion, came out against news of the deployment last week.
&#8220;There is no evidence of unchecked criminal activity in our community requiring a disproportionate presence of federal agents. In that view, Portland rejects the need for the deployment of ICE agents into our neighborhoods,&#8221; Dion said.
&#8220;As a reminder, Portland Police does not cooperate with ICE, and they do not participate in enforcing federal immigration law,&#8221; he added.
Maine Democratic Governor Janet Mills also condemned the deployment before it commenced, calling out ICE for its tactics. She also mobilized local law enforcement to respond if needed, but it&#8217;s unclear what orders they were given.
&#8220;Maine knows what good law enforcement looks like because our law enforcement are held to high professional standards,&#8221; Mills said.
&#8220;And, I&#8217;ll tell you this, they don&#8217;t wear a mask to shield their identities and they don&#8217;t arrest people in order to fill a quota,&#8221; she added.
Most recently, the Trump administration has flooded Minnesota with federal immigration agents, arresting more than 3,000 illegal immigrants in the last six weeks, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said this week. Federal immigration agents have also conducted similar operations in cities like New Orleans, Charlotte, Memphis, and Chicago.

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ICE Launches Raids Against Illegal Immigrants In Maine

ICE Launches New Raids Targeting Illegal Immigration In Maine

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Sanctuary Cities

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