Tipsheet

He'll Have to Leave the State? Supposedly, the Dirt on Graham Platner Is *THAT* Bad

Matt Vespa
Matt Vespa  |  May 04, 2026 6:55 AM

Maine Gov. Janet Mills has dropped out, which means the oyster man with Nazi tattoos, Graham Platner, is now set to challenge Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins in November. The Platner camp was already preparing for the general election, as their poll numbers were solid. However, Platner’s Nazi tattoos are just one of many issues with his candidacy. The worst part is how Democrats are so indifferent about it—literally accepting a narrative that says ‘he’s a Nazi, but not that bad of a Nazi’ when referring to this guy. 

The National Republican Senatorial Committee’s Sarah Gallagher shared a relevant clip from HBO’s Succession where the character Tom Wambsgans, played by Matthew Macfadyen, is vetting a news anchor who might have neo-Nazi sympathies. Yes, this is pretty much how the Democrats vetted their candidates for the Maine showdown.

Over at 2Way, Mark Halperin teases that the opposition research on Platner is so devastating, he’d have to leave the state. Our own Larry O’Connor was also featured in this segment (via RCP):


The NRSC says they're going to go so negative on Platner," Halperin said. "I saw one of the spokespeople say he'll have to leave the state. He won't just lose the race, he'll have to leave Maine."

Halperin predicted the timing will be strategic: "I assume the RNC will drop some oppo on the eve of the first debate, like that afternoon."

"And reporters, Susan Collins, and whoever is moderating will say: 'Mr. Platner, you wrote, said, or did this thing.' Will Platner just say, I was young and irresponsible?"

Co-host Kevin Walling suggested Platner say: "I just returned from war, I was 22, 23, and these don't reflect my values now."

"That's an insult to the men and women who wear the uniform to say, Well, I was in combat. What about all the Marines that came back from combat who didn't do or say all of the things that this guy did?" co-host Larry O'Connor added.

Platner was caught with a Nazi tattoo, then apologized, got it removed, retracted the apology, and later said his military service is to blame for the ink or something.