Sanders stands by scandal-plagued Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner

Scandal after scandal is not enough to dissuade Maine Senate Democratic candidate Graham Platner’s most vocal supporter in the upper chamber. 

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is not backing away from Platner despite the seemingly ever-growing baggage attached to the insurgent Democratic candidate. 

The once long-shot candidate has had several fiascos break out in recent weeks following the revelation last fall that he had a tattoo of iconography linked to Nazis. Sanders argued that it was Platner’s firm stance against billionaires that was dredging up the skeletons in his closet. 

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“What we’re looking at right now is a situation where billionaires have already pledged to spend $90 million in a tiny state like Maine,” Sanders said. “Trust me, that is a lot of money. They don’t want him in.”

“And the reason that they do not want him in the Senate is he has had the guts to stand up to the big money interests, to fight for healthcare as a human right, to demand the billionaires start paying their fair share of taxes,” he continued. 

Platner’s public relations woes began when video surfaced of him sporting a totenkopf, or death’s head tattoo, on his chest — a symbol of the Nazi war machine from World War II.

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The dam has broken in recent weeks, with old Reddit posts resurfacing in which Platner waxes on veterans, sexual assault and other topics. He’s also embroiled in a sexting scandal and was most recently found to have a profile on the controversial Kik platform.

But for Sanders, and other backers of Platner’s in the Senate, the goal is beating Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.

“I think what we, as a nation, need to do is to focus on the important issues facing working families, 60% of whom are living paycheck to paycheck,” Sanders said. “And I think that Graham and his wife, Amy, will work on their marriage, and I wish them the best.” 

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Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, holds a blanket as she walks off the Senate floor after the chamber stayed in session throughout the night at the U.S. Capitol Building on July 1, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Platner was recently elevated to be the likely nominee in Maine after Gov. Janet Mills, who was the first pick for Democratic leadership in Washington, D.C., opted to drop out over financial issues with her campaign.

Now he’s likely headed to a fierce battle against longtime incumbent Collins in November. When asked about the latest issues plaguing Platner, Collins said there wasn’t much else to say. 

“I don’t have anything to add,” Collins said. “Every day there’s a new revelation about Graham Platner that reflects on his character.”

Still, Democrats who are backing the scandal-plagued Platner aren’t quick to drop him as their favored choice in Maine.

Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., who endorsed Platner early on, said that the candidate has lived a “very, you know, real experience. He’s talked about it.” 

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“He’s talked to his wife about it. There was, you know, the voters of Maine are gonna decide what they’re gonna do, but, you know, we know that at this point, this man can still win the race, and as long as he continues, I think we’ll all be there,” Gallego said. 

Platner is set to meet with Democrats in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. Sanders said he would be there.

But the choice to continue backing him, despite the several scandals piling up, has Republicans both scratching their heads and salivating at the chance to take on a candidate bogged down by baggage. 

“I mean, this guy’s a nut job,” Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., said.
”So, that’s their call. But, you know, I won’t hold my breath for the Democrats to sort of course correct on this. They’re just — it’s just about absolute power for them. 
So they want to support a dude with Nazi tattoos who has all this other stuff going on. I mean, that’s on them.”