The Nazi tattoo should have been enough. Denying that it was a Nazi tattoo should have been enough. Refusing to remove the Nazi tattoo should have been enough.
But no. Democrats lined up (mostly) behind Graham Platner. Then the credible assault allegations started rolling in...and finally, he was not so gently forced out.
In a long video posted to X, he said, "This is incredibly difficult, because I know that some will think it's an admission of guilt. And it most certainly is not. We're not doing this because of the allegations; we're doing this because of the structures being taken away from us by those in power."
Mmkay.
The deadline for Platner to drop out is July 13, next Monday. Democrats then have two weeks to name a candidate to take his place. Maine Democrats have called a convention to select his replacement. Democrats are hoping to finally unseat the perpetually "concerned" five-term Republican Senator Susan Collins.
Outside of the Nazi tattoo and credible sexual assault allegations, Platner has also faced intense criticism for a litany of other issues, including Reddit posts where he mocked Black people's tipping habits and commentary about sexual assault. He also has a large tattoo on his chest that resembles the Nazi Totenkopf symbol used by SS units during the Holocaust. He refused to remove the tattoo and remained unapologetic about it, even after learning of its iconography and meaning. There was also reporting from the New York Times where he allegedly exchanged "sexually explicit text messages" with women after he got married. Not criminal, but icky.
Let's hope Maine Democrats (and party leaders) do a better job of rapidly vetting the replacement candidate before formally announcing them. This is a MUST-WIN seat if Democrats want to flip the Senate.
Ed note: Hey, but at least this guy believes him:
Trump on AF1 on Graham Platner: "It's really a question of whether or not you believe the woman. A lot of people say big falsehoods."
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) July 8, 2026
Editor's note: This article was edited to correctly outline the procedure and deadlines for Maine to select a replacement for Platner. We regret the error.
