There are moments in politics when a candidate becomes so toxic that even his own party can't look away from the wreckage. Maine Democrat Senate candidate Graham Platner is having one of those moments, except the wreckage keeps getting worse. Week after week, a new layer of ugliness gets peeled back, and each time, the Democrat Party faces the same uncomfortable question: How much is too much?
Over the weekend, Platner refused to apologize for calling a Purple Heart recipient who was shot by the Taliban four times "a dumb motherf***er who didn't deserve to live."
Even some Democrats couldn't stomach it.
Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) went on CNN Monday and said what most of his colleagues won't. "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. 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."
Democrat Rep. Jake Auchincloss says Graham Platner is "disqualifying."
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) May 26, 2026
"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." pic.twitter.com/Cdhpnf22uD
Sen. John Fetterman has also been critical of Platner, but sadly, a small handful of honest takes from a select few doesn't erase the fact that Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are still backing this guy. The far-left base wants him, and that’s all there is to it.
So what exactly are they endorsing?
Obviously, there’s the Nazi tattoo issue. He had the Totenkopf tattoo for nearly 20 years before covering it up for the sake of his campaign. He claims he didn't know what it meant, but people who know Platner say he specifically acknowledged the tattoo was a Totenkopf. He'd also reportedly blamed military culture for him getting it, which only makes sense if he knew exactly what it was.
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But, even if you pretend the Nazi tattoo didn’t exist, it’s hard to see how Platner can survive all of the other baggage he carries from his past online posts and statements. Platner has said women should "act like an adult" to avoid rape. He posted that "black people don't tip." He called all cops "pigs" and "bastards." He calls himself a communist and advocates for closer cooperation with China. He mocked women who report rape in the military. He praised Hamas terrorists for murdering Israeli soldiers. He smeared the late Navy SEAL, Chris Kyle. He slandered Republicans as "fascists." He said he doesn't love America anymore. He called Jesus a "zombie" and the Virgin Mary a "skank." He complained about not being able to "bang" Thai hookers. And, in what may be the most aggressively bizarre detail in a very long list, he apparently has a fetish with porta-potties.
That’s just what we know now. More stuff is coming.
From where I sit, every Democrat who refuses to condemn Platner isn't merely staying neutral; they're making a choice. Silence condones Platner — a de facto endorsement of a candidate with Nazi sympathies, contempt for the military, disdain for women, racism, and homophobia, and who generally seems to be an awful human being.
That Auchincloss and Fetterman have spoken out is fine, but where does the rest of the party stand?
Maine voters will indeed make the ultimate decision, but journalists and others should apply pressure to sitting Democrats to reveal where they stand on this guy. Do Democrats see Graham Platner as representing the future of their party?
