Maine Senate candidate says he’s not a Nazi amid tattoo controversy
Graham Platner has publicly stated that he is not a Nazi after controversy over his tattoo of a skull and crossbones on his chest.
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In a surprise move, Maine Governor Janet Mills suspended her Senate campaign on April 30, ceding the Democratic nomination to oyster farmer Graham Platner, who will run against Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November.
Mills announced Thursday that he was withdrawing from the race due to financial reasons.
“I have the drive and the passion, the commitment and the experience, and most of all the fight, to continue, but unfortunately I lack one of the things political movements need today: financial resources,” Mills said in a statement.
Sen. Collins currently has $10 million in cash and $2.7 million in cash, compared to Mr. Platner, who has raised nearly $12 million since starting his candidacy. Governor Mills has raised $5 million since entering the race with only $1 million on hand.
According to a poll conducted by Emerson College in March, Mr. Platner, a political novice, leads Mr. Mills by 27 points in the Senate primary. The race is a key one for Democrats, who are on the offensive to regain control of the Senate, where Republicans hold a narrow 53-47 majority.
The campaign demonstrated the growing gap between the Democratic establishment’s preferred candidates and the party’s next generation. Mills, 78, is withdrawing from the race amid debate about generational change in politics.
Mr. Platner, a 41-year-old former Marine and military veteran, has faced criticism after old Reddit posts surfaced in which he had a tattoo of a skull and crossbones associated with Nazi symbols and made offensive comments about sexual assault and political violence.
The Democratic candidate later revealed on Instagram that he had gotten a new tattoo to cover up an old one, saying he was “appalled to learn that it closely resembles a Nazi symbol.”
Contributor: Swasti Singhai, fernando cervantes jr.
