Platner Tattoo Scrutiny Hits Maine Senate Race

Graham Platner, a Maine Democratic Senate hopeful, acknowledged a chest tattoo resembling the Nazi Totenkopf and said on Pod Save America that he is “not a secret Nazi,” claiming he got the ink with fellow Marines while very inebriated in Croatia in 2007. He said the design was meant as a generic military skull motif, that it never came up during military physicals or security-clearance checks, and that he plans to remove the tattoo. The disclosure intensified scrutiny after resurfaced, since-deleted Reddit posts in which Platner made inflammatory comments, prompting the resignation of his campaign political director, Genevieve McDonald, and drawing criticism from Republican groups and Jewish organizations. Several associates have contradicted Platner’s account, with at least one saying he previously referred to the tattoo as “my Totenkopf.” The controversy has complicated an increasingly crowded Democratic primary — which now includes Gov. Janet Mills — and poses a significant reputational risk as Platner seeks the Democratic nomination and prepares to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins in 2026.