Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner faces scandal backlash

A New York Times report has accused Democratic Senate hopeful Graham Platner of unsettling behavior toward women, including alleged physical abuse and a Nazi‑symbol tattoo. Platner says the tattoo was obtained with fellow Marines on a 2007 Croatia trip and that he did not understand its meaning.

Fox News host Brian Kilmeade called Platner “one of the worst people in Maine,” while Bill Maher discussed the controversy on his HBO show, suggesting the tattoo is often viewed as a conservative symbol. Despite the scandals, a UMASS Lowell poll shows Platner holding a slight lead over incumbent Republican Susan Collins.

The allegations have drawn national media attention and intensified scrutiny of Platner’s candidacy ahead of the Senate race.