Multiple outlets report that Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner faces renewed scrutiny over a tattoo critics describe as resembling a Nazi symbol, including the Totenkopf. Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) publicly breaks with his party’s nominee in the Maine Senate race, saying the tattoo is “personally disqualifying.” Auchincloss also doubles down after earlier remarks, reiterating that he would vote for someone else rather than Platner. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) similarly criticizes Platner’s handling of the controversy, saying there is “no way” Platner did not know the tattoo’s Nazi origins and urging Democrats to address it directly.
Some coverage also notes that Democrats’ support for Platner continues despite the criticism, and at least one outlet frames the controversy as coinciding with changes in polling. Another outlet describes additional political involvement around the topic, including remarks from Hunter Biden defending Platner on a podcast, while other reporting focuses on public discussion of the controversy. Across sources, the core issue remains the alleged Nazi-linked tattoo and how Platner acknowledges or explains its origins.
