Posted on 05/26/2026 1:08:01 PM PDT by Signalman
A Democratic congressman is publicly refusing to back his party’s leading U.S. Senate candidate in Maine, warning voters to reject Graham Platner over a tattoo critics say resembles a Nazi-era symbol.
Rep. Jake Auchincloss, D-Mass., told CNN on Monday he considers Platner’s tattoo and his explanations about it disqualifying.
“I’ve been clear about Graham Platner. I find that tattoo and his commentary about it to be personally disqualifying,” Auchincloss, who is Jewish, told CNN’s Boris Sanchez.
“I hope Maine voters agree with me,” he added. “I think it would be a mistake for the Democratic Party to think that Graham Platner’s brand of the Democratic Party is what wins us durable majorities throughout this country.”
Platner has said he covered up the chest tattoo after facing backlash that it resembled a Totenkopf, a symbol adopted by Adolf Hitler’s troops in Nazi Germany. He argued last October that he did not know about the historical link until it was raised by “reporters and D.C. insiders.”
“I absolutely would not have gone through life having this on my chest if I knew that — and to insinuate that I did is disgusting. I am already planning to get this removed,” Platner said at the time.
Platner has also drawn scrutiny over years-old posts tied to a deleted Reddit account he has acknowledged owning. Critics have highlighted posts in which he called himself a “communist” and referred to police officers as “bastards.”
Platner told “Pod Save America” last fall the posts were designed to “get a rise out of people” and did not reflect his true beliefs at the time.
The U.S. Army veteran-turned-oyster farmer is widely expected to win Maine’s Democratic primary on June 9, setting up a general election matchup with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, in a race that could matter for Senate control.
Auchincloss indicated he is not willing to fall in line simply because Democrats want to flip the seat.
When asked whether he could support Graham Platner to defeat Collins, Auchincloss said “values and principles always come before party.”
“We saw Republicans forget that lesson with Donald Trump in 2016 and how much damage it’s done to the country,” he said. “I will never forget that lesson.”
Auchincloss’ remarks triggered immediate blowback from some Democrats. Saikat Chakrabarti, a Democratic candidate for California’s 11th Congressional District and former chief of staff to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., accused the Massachusetts lawmaker of effectively helping Collins.
“Jake Auchincloss is essentially endorsing Susan Collins in Maine,” Chakrabarti wrote in a social media post Monday. “Absolutely no excuse for a Democrat in the House to back a Republican for Senate in a crucial swing seat.
“Auchincloss should be primaried,” Chakrabarti added. Auchincloss said he remains a “proud Democrat,” and pointed to his support for Democrats’ Senate candidate in Texas, state Rep. James Talarico, as an example of the kind of nominee he believes can grow the party’s coalition.
“He’s a fellow majority Democrat, which is a group of elected officials at the vanguard of reinventing this party,” Auchincloss said.
Talarico won the state’s Democratic primary on March 3 over Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, and is awaiting the winner of the Republican runoff between Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is backed by President Trump.
Auchincloss told CNN he believes Democrats can win in Texas and said, “We’re going to see Talarico win, whether it’s Paxton or Cornyn.”
Folks really need a better understanding of how political critters think, especially the commies.
The truth is that dems are perfectly happy w/republican foil Collins. They know this guy is going to lose.
When he does, they will use it as a “reason” for not running super-loons in races they really want to win in order to console the super-loon base and the donations keep rolling in (hopefully).
Plus you don’t want a senator that drops trou and cranks one out every time he smells a porta-potty.
Democrats are too stupid and loyal to not vote for a communist loser.
Zohran Mamdani won in NYC.
Graham Platner is going to be the next Senator from Maine.
I think it'll work out in our favor because he won't be able to shut up and we need to win the White House in 2028.
Saying that the soldier (who got a Purple Heart for going out into heavy fire to distract so his guys could get to safety) didn’t deserve to live tells me all I need to know about him.
He belongs nowhere near the levers of power.
Considering that DC is a cesspool he’d be cranking one out the whole time. But then maybe he would fit right in.
Gag.
Thank you - that does satisfy my curiosity except for one thing - who recognized it as a Nazi symbol? I’ve been around a long time and never saw anything like it pertaining to the Nazis...
Great show on WWII last night with Tom Hanks narrating. I think it may also be on again today or several segments of it to come. Another curiosity of mine was settled and that was I always wondered WHERE the money came from for Germany to have so many planes, munitions, equipment etc., to invade and start so many wars with various countries and go after Great Britain. Russia gave it to them. Even after Germany invaded Russia, Stalin continued to send oil etc., to Germany. Boy - what gratitude...
I couldn’t stay awake for more last night but they were covering the difficulty Germany had with the invasion and the snow while Russia could handle it w/o a problem. Oh! It was a problem all right but the Russians knew how to survive in it..If you can find it, I recommend it. I was born before WWII and of course, grew up with all the news from that time.
I see that the tattoo is supposed to be a Skull and Crossbones...HOW does that tattoo resemble this illustration?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skull_and_crossbones
I’d done for the night - storm and ballgame on in Boston..
Everything will be clear by morning - LOL!
This X post may be the orginal source.
The Maine State Press @MaineStatePress is unknown source.
https://x.com/MaineStatePress/status/1980571326747140493
Other than this post, none of the articles for October 2025 note the source.
Several articles note the source photo was him shirtless at his brother’s 2015 wedding. He was also actually pantless in the photo most sources only show the top half of.
“who recognized it as a Nazi symbol? I’ve been around a long time and never saw anything like it pertaining to the Nazis...”
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That’s what I’m wondering. There’s probably few people who would associate that with the Nazis. It just looks like something a biker or heavy metal fan would display because it looks threatening.
Unfortunately, that is Maine today... Big cities controls the small towns, like in most blue states...
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