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This Democrat Refused to Say Whether She Supports a Candidate With a Nazi Tattoo for Senate

Dmitri Bolt
Dmitri Bolt  |  May 04, 2026 1:15 PM

Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI) refused to answer directly whether she supports Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner, who has been at the center of controversy, including his extremist rhetoric involving support for communism and Hamas, as well as a tattoo with Nazi symbolism.

Pressed point-blank on his candidacy, Rep. Dingell acknowledged that while his past comments are reprehensible, she argued that it ultimately doesn’t matter because “people want change in this country.” In other words, she suggested that voter frustration can outweigh concerns about a candidate’s past record.

"The 77-year-old governor, Janet Mills, ending her campaign this week before the June 9th primary. Her one-time rival, Graham Platner, has received endorsements from a number of Democrats," a CNN reporter said. "He has also had to apologize for a tattoo that resembles a Nazi symbol and for comments he made criticizing rape victims."

"In Reddit posts uncovered by CNN's K-File, he called himself a communist and called cops, quote, bastards. He's disavowed those posts. He said they came from a time when he felt disillusioned and angry. But I'm curious if you think that he is an appropriate person to represent the Democratic Party," she asked.

"So, first of all, I'm going to say I was very upset as a woman who has dealt with domestic violence, grew up in a home and other sexual violence, very upset by what his previous comments were," Rep. Dingell said. 

"I am not in the ground on Maine," she said. "I think that people need to, people are angry, people are upset. People want change in this country. And if you don't see people standing up to the president, then you see some of the results of what happened in Maine."

"And so but I think people are so angry right now that they want to see people stand up, be heard, not afraid to speak out," Rep. Dingell added. "I also want to hold people accountable for things that they have said in one area I can never, ever forget is violence against women."

"So are you OK with him being the representative of the Democratic Party in Maine?" the reporter pressed. 

"We're going to have to see what happens in Maine," she replied.

This comes as Democrats have increasingly embraced Platner as a candidate, with several prominent progressives offering endorsements, including Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.Platner has sought to portray himself as a blue-collar American despite his more comfortable upbringing, a contrast that has drawn scrutiny as he positions himself as part of the party’s effort to reconnect with working-class voters after recent electoral struggles.

Recent polling also shows Platner leading incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME).