Purple Senate battleground state of Maine
The campaign of Democrat Graham Platner, the oyster farmer and Marine veteran challenging Republican U.S. Senator Susan Collins in Maine, suffered more disturbing accusations over the past couple of weeks. One former Platner girlfriend alleged that during their 2013–2015 relationship, Platner engaged in physically aggressive behavior, including twisting her arm and preventing her from leaving the room during arguments. Another former girlfriend described Platner’s behavior in their relationship as “reckless,” while three women interviewed by The New York Times characterized him as physically intimidating or emotionally abusive.
Separately, reports published in the past month described sexually explicit messages Platner allegedly exchanged with multiple women while married. Platner acknowledged sending such messages, stating that he and his wife addressed the issue privately.
These are the latest in a series of troubling stories about Platner, which include a pattern of derogatory statements and/or actions that are offensive to multiple groups, as well as positions outside of the Democratic Party mainstream. For example:
–Platner got a Nazi tattoo while in the military.
–Platner posted on Reddit asking why Black people “don’t tip.”
–Platner dismissed military sexual assaults, suggesting victims should “take some responsibility.”
–He called police officers “bastards” and described rural white Americans as racist and stupid.
–Platner also called himself a “communist”.
–Platner appeared to offer tactical praise of a 2014 Hamas terrorist attack on Israeli soldiers.
–Platner worked for right-wing private military contractor Constellis (originally Blackwater) during Donald Trump‘s first administration.
–Platner opposes the idea of an assault weapons ban.
The controversy over Platner really began with the Nazi tattoo on his chest. The skull-and-crossbones design, which he got in 2007 while on leave in Croatia as a Marine, closely resembles the Totenkopf — a symbol worn by Adolph Hitler‘s SS paramilitary units, which were responsible for the systematic murder of millions of people during the Holocaust. Maine Governor Janet Mills, before dropping out of the Democratic Senate primary race, called Platner’s tattoo “abhorrent.”
Platner says he got the tattoo during a night of drinking, chose it off a wall of options with fellow Marines, and had no idea of its Nazi associations until his campaign came under scrutiny. A CNN KFile investigation, however, found evidence that Platner was aware of and had defended the use of Nazi symbolism within military culture well before his Senate run. CNN also spoke with a former acquaintance who said Platner had previously referred to the tattoo using the Nazi term, and a second person confirmed they’d heard the same. Platner’s campaign declined to comment on the CNN investigation. He has since had the tattoo covered up.
Platner has also apologized for his offensive posts, attributing them to a period when he was struggling with PTSD and depression after leaving the military in 2012. He says he is a changed man. And he denies the specific allegations by the various women regarding his abusive behavior.
However, all of these revelations have led to four senior Platner campaign staffers resigning from his campaign, including his political director, campaign manager, treasurer, and finance director. Platner’s political director notably refused a $15,000 severance offer that came with a non-disclosure agreement.
Platner took the lead in the Maine Democratic Senate primary after Gov. Mills suspended her campaign on April 30. But a number of Democrats worry whether Platner is too damaged to win the general election, or even whether he should be the Democratic nominee given these admitted or alleged behaviors that go against core Democratic Party values. Will the Republicans destroy him over these revelations? Are there other shoes to drop?
Former primary rival Jordan Wood said that Platner should drop out because “Democrats need to be able to condemn Trump’s actions with moral clarity”, and Platner “no longer can.” And Republicans have made clear they intend to make Platner’s history the centerpiece of their general election campaign. Sen. Collins called Platner’s internet history “terrible” and “offensive” even before the latest allegations. The National Republican Senatorial Committee has been even more blunt, stating:
When someone shows you who they are, believe them: Graham Platner has a Nazi tattoo and cheers on Hamas as they murder Israeli soldiers.
A pro-Collins Super PAC has already launched a $2 million advertising campaign targeting Platner. The Maine Republican Party, meanwhile, seems content to let the Democratic chaos play out on its own, while pledging to keep “commenting on the failures of Graham Platner.”
Platner’s own former political director, who walked away from the $15,000 NDA, said publicly that he sees “no path for him in the general election,” citing rhetoric by Platner that “disparages rural and swing voters, law enforcement, women, and others.” That is a core problem: Sen. Collins is vulnerable, and Maine is winnable for the Democrats. But winning requires a candidate who can draw a clear contrast with a Republican Party that has mainstreamed intolerance and extremism. That is harder to do when the Democratic nominee is explaining Nazi tattoos, deleted Reddit posts, and disturbing allegations about his behavior towards women.
Photo by Kevin Gill, used under Creative Commons license. https://shorturl.at/uq9Xq
