A former Marine who is now an oyster farmer is shaking up Maine’s politics with strong words about veterans’ problems, childcare, and peace in Gaza.

But an old tattoo caused a lot of trouble just as his campaign was picking up steam.

As of October 22, 2025, there are a lot of arguments and opinions on social media, especially X.

Now the question is whether this problem will stop Graham Platner from running for the Senate or just be another challenge in his fight against the political establishment.

Key Takeaways

• Graham Platner, a Marine veteran and oyster farmer, is running for the U.S. Senate in Maine.
• His old tattoo and online posts have sparked a major controversy.
• Supporters call it a smear campaign, while critics demand accountability.
• The issue highlights broader debates on cancel culture, redemption, and veteran trauma.
• Platner continues to campaign, calling for childcare reform and peace efforts.

A Veteran With A Working-Class Story

Platner’s journey began far from politics when he was born in Blue Hill, Maine, in 1984. He joined the U.S. Marines in 2003, right after he graduated from high school.

He went on three combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan over the next few years. These events gave him PTSD and physical injuries, but they also made him believe in public service.

When he got back home, Platner started an oyster farming business, was the harbormaster, and was the head of the local planning board.

Now that he’s 41, he’s focused on real problems that families in Maine face every day, like the high cost of child care.

The Senate Run That Shook Maine

In August 2025, Platner ran for the U.S. Senate against longtime Republican Susan Collins.

His campaign has a progressive populist tone, calling for universal childcare, an end to the Gaza conflict, and limits on the power of big businesses.

His story about how he got money is also interesting. Platner got $3.2 million from more than 100,000 small donors, with an average donation of $31.

This covered 84% of Maine ZIP codes. His town hall meetings, like the one in Brewer on October 9 that drew 650 people, have shown that more and more people like him.

Progressive groups, like DSA-Maine, quickly backed him, saying he was the “working man’s voice” that Maine needs.

Controversy Over Old Posts And Tattoo

In the middle of October, the campaign took a sharp turn. An account linked to Platner called throwawaymainevet brought back old Reddit posts from 2012 to 2013.

Many people found the things he said about the military, police, and rural communities in those posts to be offensive.

On October 18, Platner apologized in a video, saying that the comments came from a “damaged soldier struggling with dark thoughts and depression.”

He told people to look at how much he had changed, not how many mistakes he had made in the past.

The problem got worse when it was discovered that a skull-and-crossbones tattoo on his chest looked a lot like the Totenkopf symbol used by Nazi SS units.

Platner said he got it while on leave from the Marines in Croatia in 2007, not knowing what it meant. A resurfaced wedding video that showed the tattoo went viral, causing a lot of anger online.

He said, “I have always been against racism.” I didn’t know the history of the symbol, but I’m getting rid of it with laser treatment now.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) spoke out against the tattoo, but they got a lot of flak for not speaking out about other political figures who were in similar situations.

Graham Platner’s Tattoo: Mixed Reactions Online

People are fighting on social media. Semantic scans show that 60% of people support the idea and 40% are against it.

Sixty percent of supporters think that Platner is the target of a coordinated attack by rival political groups, including those connected to Gov. Janet Mills and national Democratic strategists.

They support him with hashtags like #StandWithGraham and praise his honesty and growth.

Critics (40%) say that being responsible is important. They say that forgiving him while judging others differently shows double standards and question his past work as a contractor with Blackwater.

In the meantime, memes calling him “the first millennial fooled by a Nazi tattoo” have gotten thousands of likes on social media.

Fallout Within The Campaign

Genevieve McDonald, the campaign director, quit on October 20 because of the controversy. She said the old posts didn’t fit with the values of the Senate campaign.

Collins’ campaign quickly called Platner a “radical,” and ads paid for by the NRSC soon followed.

Even so, Platner is still determined. He is getting his tattoos removed, posting messages against harassment, and still meeting voters all over Maine.

His polls on social media asking voters if “past mistakes can be forgiven” have gotten a lot of attention from his 62,000 followers.

A Test Of Forgiveness And Growth

This race is about more than just politics for voters in Maine. It makes you think about forgiveness, trauma, and how well people can forgive.

The VA says that 1 in 5 U.S. veterans has PTSD. Many of Platner’s supporters use this fact to defend him.

If Platner can get people to focus on his policies, like childcare, veterans’ support, and peace advocacy, he could still give Collins a strong run for his money.

But if the controversy keeps going, it could hurt his reputation before the Democratic primary in November.

The Road Ahead

Politics often shows how imperfect people are. Platner’s story is about making mistakes, learning from them, and being strong.

His campaign reminds voters that public figures aren’t perfect, but they can change.

Maine’s decision to support his second chance or not could not only change his future but also how people think about redemption in American politics.