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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.”
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Seems like there are a couple of Congressmen in Massachusetts with some common sense.
Once they realize Platner won’t defeat Collins, they will go “Sistah Souljah” on him.
Hey Mainers, Platner’s nuts. If you want to see how crazy he really is, just elect him and you’ll soon find out.
Why does this fellow remind me of this?
Now here, my friends, is one blindly stupid Democrat. People voted for Trump because their values and principles did NOT align with the GOP establishment, and they believed those values and principles always come before the party.
And they still do. (cf. "Tillis," "Cassidy," "Cornyn," "Thune")
HUH? Platner sounds like the Dems poster boy. NaughtZee tat, racis comments deleted, misogynist posts deleted, wants to masturbate in a porta potty, likes communism, disrespects other vets, hates PDJT..... 😍👍
“he did not know about the historical link until it was raised by “reporters and D.C. insiders.”
Like my old friend from Ireland who decided he wanted a tattoo and didn’t know what to get. So he got a rainbow to represent his heritage. Now everyone asks him if he is gay!
He had no idea it was a gay sign.
It would alienate the core of the Dem base to turn on Platner, so they may not want to turn against him, even if he loses.
When did communism become an acceptable Democrat Party platform. Pat Buchannon’s 1992 GOP convention speech calling Democrats in business suits looking conservative “ cross dressers” was prescient. He told the truth but was accused of hate. Democrats were ideologically Marxist and soft on crime, but they conspired with the media to cover up the truth. GOP now is faced with an aging population that barely remembers, and younger, immigrant children voters who are brainwashed in government schools to love communism as a form of rebellion they claim is critical thinking…..like AOC claiming with the crime rate so low, the prison population should be tiny, with Democrats emptying out prisons so felons now can vote, behind false communist propaganda that mass incarceration of black males was about preventing minorities from voting for socialist “ change”.
Ever notice how our Communist Party doesn’t run candidates anymore for President? They are perfectly happy with the Democrat nominees.
Graham Platner has more than a few rough edges and enough baggage to load down a freight train.
The Democrat (Socialist) party is not sending their best and brightest, by any means. Platner may have been a Marine, and yes, I know, once a Marine, always a Marine. But a flawed one, nevertheless. Not quite domesticated, he could set small children to crying from across the street. And that is his GOOD quality.
I know, once a Marine, always a Marine.
So were Charles Whitman and Lee Harvey Oswald.
I’m curious HOW anyone even knew he has a tattoo - when/where/why did he ever appear with his shirt off? What appears in pictures of Nazi symbols doesn’t appear to be anything easily recognized...one would expect it to be at least the swastika from the commotion raised.
“”Ever notice how our Communist Party doesn’t run candidates anymore for President? They are perfectly happy with the Democrat nominees.””
So true and somewhat off this topic, I just caught an interview Will Cain did with a guy a bit ago from MI running for the US Senate even tho’ FOX had it wrong and called it MI Senate...Abdul El Fayed - democrat, a DOCTOR - Rhodes Scholar blah blah....
Holy cow - if that’s the best MI can do, they should call off all elections; the state that gave the US Senate the mouthy Talib. He TALKED the entire time OVER Will Cain..He should have cut him off...didn’t answer one single question - just talking points, the usual ones....
Moulton has no common sense.He switches positions weekly.
Platner is a done deal.
So the democrats ADMIT they would support a Nazi if it got them the Senate.
I’m curious HOW anyone even knew he has a tattoo - when/where/why did he ever appear with his shirt off?
Prior to running for office, Graham Platner was known as a wild man. Partying all night in Portland Maine. He tried to cleanse the pictures and his posts from the internet, but that is impossible. There were several pictures of him partying with his shirt off.
He also deliberatly took off his shirt at an event after covering the tatoo to show it covered.
He then took off his shirt for a TV interview.
We're long overdue to rid this country of the decades-long lie that Democrats (Democrat Socialists) are not Nazis (National Socialists).
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