Maine Democrats elected Graham Platner as their Senate nominee on Tuesday, according to Decision Desk HQ, despite a wave of damaging revelations about his Nazi tattoo and alleged aggressive behavior toward women that surfaced during the primary campaign.
With 76% of the vote reported, Platner leads the field with approximately 72% of the vote. He will face incumbent Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) in November's general election. The final margin had not yet been determined at publication time.
During the contentious primary, multiple media outlets reported that Platner maintained an active account on a social media platform known to attract child predators. The Daily Wire and other publications also reported that Platner, a married man, exchanged sexually explicit messages with several women.
The controversies continued through election week. On Monday, three of Platner's ex-girlfriends told The New York Times that he engaged in a pattern of intimidating and disturbing behavior in their relationships, claiming he demeaned women, became physically threatening on occasions, and was repeatedly unfaithful. One ex-girlfriend accused him of twisting her arm, shoving her into a bedroom, and holding the door shut until she became calm.
On Tuesday evening, The Washington Post published an op-ed from former Maine state representative Genevieve McDonald stating that Platner's former political director had blown the whistle on her former boss, alleging he knew the meaning behind his Nazi tattoo and exhibits a pattern of dishonest behavior.
What the Right Is Saying
Republicans immediately sought to make Platner's nomination a national story. The National Republican Senatorial Committee issued statements highlighting the various revelations and calling on national Democrats to disavow their nominee, which they did not do.
GOP-aligned media outlets amplified reporting on the social media posts, including ones in which Platner described himself as a communist in Reddit forums and made comments about sexual assault in military contexts. In one post from 2013 that The Washington Post reported he wrote: Rape is a real thing. If you're so worried about it to buy Kevlar underwear, you'd think you might not get blacked out f***ed up around people you aren't comfortable with.
Critics on the right noted that Collins has won multiple elections in Maine and would now have significant ammunition for her general election campaign. Conservative commentators argued that Democrats had chosen a nominee who could alienate swing voters and suburban women in particular.
The Collins campaign released a statement saying Maine families deserve better than to see their party nominate someone with such disturbing views and associations, without directly addressing the allegations against Platner by name.
What the Left Is Saying
Democratic leaders in Maine and nationally defended the nomination, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer having recruited and backed Maine Democratic Governor Janet Mills as an alternative candidate. Platner's decisive victory represents a blow to that effort.
The campaign pushed back on multiple fronts. On MS NOW, Platner addressed the allegations directly. There are some allegations in this piece that I just want to be kind of unequivocal about, are simply not true, he said. Anything alleging physicality, anything alleging that I knew what my tattoo was, these are the statements of someone who's politically motivated.
The campaign also pointed to his military service and background as an oyster farmer. I did four tours in the infantry; any attempt to say that I disrespect veterans is slanderous and offensive, Platner told The Daily Wire when confronted about posts mocking a Purple Heart recipient.
Progressive commentators noted that the primary had not yet concluded fully at publication time. If Janet Mills' basically defunct campaign gets 20 to 30%, Graham is in trouble come November, NOTUS White House Correspondent Jasmine Wright said on CNN earlier Tuesday.
The party has nominated candidates facing difficult general elections before and won, Democratic operatives argued privately, pointing to the need to defeat Collins in a state that backed President Biden in 2020 and Trump in 2024.
What the Numbers Show
With 76% of precincts reporting at publication time, Platner held approximately 72% of the Democratic primary vote. This compared to roughly 20-25% for his nearest competitor, Governor Janet Mills, who had Schumer's backing but was running far behind.
Trump won Maine in 2024 with approximately 45% of the vote, while Biden won it in 2020 with approximately 53%. The state awards three electoral votes for president and two Senate seats. Collins has served in the Senate since 1997, winning her last election in 2020 with about 51% of the vote against a well-funded Democratic opponent.
The Cook Political Report rates Maine's Senate seat as Likely Republican for the general election, though that assessment was made before Tuesday's primary results and may be updated given the nominee's controversy level.
The Bottom Line
Maine Democrats have nominated Graham Platner despite a series of damaging revelations about his past social media activity and allegations from ex-girlfriends about threatening behavior. He will now face Susan Collins in what Republicans are framing as a race where Democratic baggage has been handed to them for free.
What happens next depends on several factors: whether additional revelations emerge, how the general election electorate responds to these issues, and whether Platner can mount an effective campaign while defending against multiple allegations he denies. The final vote margin from Tuesday's primary may offer early clues about his electability this fall when all votes are tallied.
Both parties are expected to invest heavily in Maine given Collins' long tenure and the Senate majority hanging on several competitive races nationwide.