Graham Platner, a far-left Democrat Senate hopeful in Maine, is caught in a storm over a chest tattoo that critics say mimics a notorious Nazi symbol, as Jewish Insider reports.
This brouhaha involves Platner, a 41-year-old Marine vet and oyster farmer, whose campaign against Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) has hit turbulence over a skull-and-crossbones ink job, past Reddit rants, a white supremacist photo op, and the resignation of a key staffer -- all threatening to sink his $4 million war chest and progressive dreams.
Let’s rewind to 2007, when Platner, during a deployment with fellow Marines, stumbled into a tattoo parlor in Split, Croatia, after a few too many drinks. They picked a menacing skull-and-crossbones design off the wall, a choice he now admits might not have been the wisest.
Fast forward to 2012, while bartending at a Capitol Hill dive bar called Tune Inn, a former acquaintance claims that Platner casually referred to the tattoo as a Totenkopf -- a symbol tied to a Nazi SS unit that guarded concentration camps. That’s a heavy accusation for a man running on a platform of opposing “fascists.”
Platner’s own words from back then are murky -- one moment, he reportedly knew the tattoo’s dark connotation, the next, he claimed ignorance. Now, in a statement to Jewish Insider, he insists he only recently learned of the resemblance and plans to remove it. Is this a convenient epiphany or genuine regret?
“It was not until I started hearing from reporters and DC insiders that I realized this tattoo resembled a Nazi symbol,” Platner told Jewish Insider. “I absolutely would not have gone through life having this on my chest if I knew that -- and to insinuate that I did is disgusting.”
But the ink isn’t the only stain on Platner’s record -- his campaign took a hit when former political director Genevieve McDonald quit last week over his inflammatory Reddit posts. She didn’t hold back, calling the tattoo antisemitic and arguing that Platner, a self-proclaimed military history buff, should have known better and covered it up long ago.
“Graham has an antisemitic tattoo on his chest,” McDonald wrote in a Facebook post. Her words cut deep, especially for a candidate endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and pushing a left-wing populist agenda.
Then there’s the Reddit rabbit hole -- Platner’s old posts reveal him labeling himself a “communist,” bashing law enforcement, and downplaying sexual assault in the military. He even defended a man with an SS lightning bolt tattoo at a 2020 Black Lives Matter protest, claiming it was just a Marine symbol. That’s a tough sell when you’re already under a microscope for questionable ink.
Adding fuel to the fire, Platner was photographed this summer at the Blue Hill Fair in Maine with Richard Ward, a white supremacist running for Bangor City Council. Ward, sporting a shirt with “88” -- a known neo-Nazi code -- boasted online about their supposed common ground, though Platner’s team insists he told Ward to buzz off immediately.
The Anti-Defamation League isn’t laughing, with a spokesperson noting the tattoo’s apparent link to Nazi imagery and expressing concern about a Senate candidate bearing such a mark. They’ve called for Platner to publicly reject its hateful meaning, which seems fair given the optics.
Platner’s campaign, once seen as a golden chance for Democrats to flip a Senate seat, is losing steam fast. Between the tattoo scandal, Reddit controversies, and staff defections, his message of progressive change is drowning in a sea of bad PR.
Let’s be real -- tattoos from a drunken night aren’t exactly a policy platform, but symbols matter, especially in a race this tight. Platner’s insistence that he’s a “lifelong opponent” of racism and antisemitism might ring true for some, but others will see this as a failure to own up sooner.
While it’s possible he didn’t grasp the tattoo’s implications in 2007, the conflicting stories and delayed response don’t inspire confidence. For a man who’s quick to criticize “fascists,” this is a glaring blind spot that could alienate voters who value consistency over excuses.
So, will Maine voters give Platner a pass, or will this ink blot his political future? In a state hungry for change but wary of far-left rhetoric, he’s got a steep hill to climb -- and it’s not just about scrubbing a tattoo, but proving his judgment isn’t permanently flawed.
