Oct. 22 (UPI) — Sen. Bernie Sanders affirmed his support for Graham Platner, who seeks the Democratic Party’s nomination for Maine’s U.S. Senate seat election in 2026.
Platner wants to challenge incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, for her seat, but so does Maine Gov. Janet Mills and several other candidates seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination in the race.
Sanders, I-Vt., endorsed Platner’s candidacy during a Labor Day rally in Portland, Maine, but recently revealed video footage from 2007 shows Platner has what appears to be a skull and crossbones tattoo on his right pectoral that resembles the Totenkopf death’s head image used by the Schutzstaffel before and during World War II.
Sanders identifies as a progressive independent who caucuses with Senate Democrats and affirmed his endorsement of Platner on Tuesday.
“What I’m worried about [is] 50,000 Americans may die unnecessarily,” Sanders told The Independent when asked about Platner’s Nazi-like tattoo and his controversial comments.
He did not elaborate on how tens of thousands of people would die if Collins were re-elected to the seat she has held since 1997.
When further pressed about his support for Platner, Sanders asked a reporter for The Independent, “Have you served four tours of duty?”
The Vermont senator has campaigned on Platner’s behalf in Maine and also affirmed his unwavering support for Platner in light of the controversies when asked by Politico.
“He went through a dark period,” Sanders told Politico, as reported by The Hill.
“He has apologized for the stupid remarks, the hurtful remarks that he has made,” the senator added.
“I’m confident that he’s going to run a great campaign and that he’s going to win.”
Platner in since-deleted social media posts has referred to himself as a “communist,” called all police “bastards” and said white people who live in rural areas are stupid and racist, among other controversial statements.
Platner has denied being a Nazi and said he got the death’s head tattoo while drunk and on leave in Croatia when he was serving in the U.S. Marine Corps nearly 20 years ago.
He said his controversial social media posts were done to “get a rise out of people” and said they don’t reflect his true opinions, The Hill reported.
Platner is an oyster farmer and Marine Corps veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but his opposition for the Democratic Party’s nomination faces strong competition.
Gov. Mills has secured the endorsement of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and has a proven history of winning a statewide election in Maine.
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