Graham Platner, a former Marine and current oyster farmer, declared his candidacy for the U.S. Senate in Maine on August 19.
Running as a Democrat, the 41-year-old aimed to challenge what he referred to as the "oligarchy," encompassing both the Democrat establishment and Republican incumbent, Sen. Susan Collins.
Initially, Platner's campaign seemed to be on a roll. The left-leaning candidate managed to raise millions of dollars in a matter of weeks, secure endorsements from sitting lawmakers such as Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M), and resonate with local voters, as evidenced by early polls showing him leading over Democrat Gov. Janet Mills.
However, as reported by The Blaze, Platner's campaign has hit a significant roadblock: his radical past.
"Platner is not a victim of opposition research. ... Accountability does not exist in playing the victim of your own behavior," said a source close to the campaign.
Platner's campaign has been rocked by revelations concerning his social media posts and a recently hidden tattoo of a skull image, eerily similar to the one used by Adolf Hitler's SS elite Nazi guard. These revelations have led to the departure of at least four key campaign staffers.
The most recent departures include the campaign's national finance director, Ronald Holmes, and its treasurer, Victoria Perrone. Holmes, a seasoned Democrat operative, resigned last Friday, citing a divergence between his professional standards and the campaign's direction.
Holmes stated on LinkedIn, "I joined this campaign because I believed in building something different a campaign of fresh energy, integrity, and reform-minded thinking in a political system that often resists exactly those things. Somewhere along the way, I began to feel that my professional standards as a campaign professional no longer fully aligned with those of the campaign."
A campaign spokesperson told Politico, "Ron helped the campaign reach out to big-dollar donors, and we appreciated his efforts. But the reality is our campaigns fundraising success has come largely from small-dollar donors." The spokesperson added that nearly 90% of the campaign's funds have come from small-dollar donations and online donors.
Timothy Facciola of the Judge Street Journal on Substack reported that Perrone, the president and founder of the consulting firm Spruce Street Compliance, resigned as treasurer last Tuesday. Ben Martello, a political strategist and former adviser to Rep. Niki Tsongas (D-Mass.), appears to have assumed the role.
Perrone, who has been closely involved with Zohran Mamdani's New York City mayoral campaign, was reportedly hired last month to help Platner's campaign navigate its various scandals. Perrone was the individual who urged members of Platner's campaign team to sign non-disclosure agreements after his Reddit posts were exposed.
These posts included identifying as a communist, branding rural white Americans as racists, suggesting service members worried about being raped should buy "Kevlar underwear," and labeling all police officers as "bastards."
Former state Rep. Genevieve McDonald (D) resigned as political director of Platner's campaign last month over these posts, stating, "These statements were not known to me when I agreed to join the campaign, and they are not words or values I can stand behind in a candidate for the United States Senate."
Shortly after McDonald's resignation, a video revealing Platner's apparent "totenkopf" tattoo on his chest went viral. This symbol is associated with the SS-Totenkopfverbande, the branch that guarded the Nazi concentration camps.
In the wake of the controversy surrounding the apparent Nazi tattoo, Kevin Brown, a longtime friend of Platner and his campaign manager since October 21, also resigned. Brown cited new family demands as the reason for his departure.
In a statement obtained by WGME-TV, Brown said, "Graham is a dear friend. I started this campaign Tuesday but found out Friday we have a baby on the way." He added, "Graham deserves someone who is 100% in on his race, and we want to lean into this new experience as a family, so it was best we step back sooner than later so Graham can get the manager he deserves."
During a town hall last week, Platner suggested that the Democratic Party was responsible for his recent misfortunes, stating, "I'm running as a Democrat still, despite the fact my party is destroying my life."
Genevieve McDonald responded to Platner's claims, stating, "Platner is not a victim of opposition research. This is what happens when you run for federal office. People scrutinize everything you've ever done. Every word and every action. Accountability does not exist in playing the victim of your own behavior."
McDonald further added, "We should not be having a debate about Nazi symbolism tattooed on the potentially top-ticket Democrat in Maine. The fact we are even willing to entertain it shows desperation within the party, not dedication, and how far we have fallen from rational thought."
This situation underscores the challenges faced by Platner's campaign and raises questions about the future of his Senate run.
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