# Are there any reasons to reject Graham Platner in Maine (campaign suspended July 8, 2026) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 4, 2026, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179 "2026-03-04T03:50:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 47
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2026, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/923 "2026-06-07T18:47:30Z")
Maybe a hint of hyperbole. But she’s tolerated or even voted in favor of people and policies that were much, much more Nazi-esque than Platner, bad as he appears to be. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2026, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/924 "2026-06-07T18:47:38Z")
[post removed because the site wasn’t loading, and led to false conclusions] ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2026, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/925 "2026-06-07T18:47:42Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Any questions? Just one: Can I bookmark this post and just quote it when the question is inevitably raised again in the future? ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2026, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/926 "2026-06-07T18:53:20Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Fact: Your citation goes to an empty page, as expected, Fact: you are wrong about that. Check your Browser settings. It loads properly for some of us but not others. Fact: this is a screenshot of where the link goes when it loads properly. [![](https://i.ibb.co/ZpCs9FK1/Screenshot-20260607-114846-Samsung-Browser.jpg) ](https://i.ibb.co/ZpCs9FK1/Screenshot-20260607-114846-Samsung-Browser.jpg) > [@](#): > > since Unddit does not archive posts that people delete themselves (as this would get into privacy violations). Fact: this is false. There is no privacy violation involved with displaying something someone publically posted to the internet, even if they later deleted it, which is why Unditt has no issues with displaying content deleted by users themselves. Eta: I guess you figured this out on your own while I was typing. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2026, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/927 "2026-06-07T18:58:37Z")
That’s a good idea. Chronos laid that out very clearly. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2026, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/928 "2026-06-07T19:02:42Z")
**Fact:** The post in question is this: > When I was in Ramadi in ‘06 as a Marine grunt, the SEAL platoon we worked closely with for the deployment all had the Punisher skull spray painted on their armor carriers. > > There’s no question it’s far more prevalent on all the dumbass Grunt Style and Nine Line shirts these days, but the teams definitely adopted it for a while. **Fact:** While the first post is about the Totenkopf, the very next post is about whether wearing a skull in general makes one the baddies (referencing the famous skit), and the post after that starts talking about the Punisher skull **Fact:** Platner makes no reference to his own tattoo or what he believed about it. **Conclusion:** Platner was talking about the Punisher skull and skulls on military in general. As such, this is insufficient to establish that he knew about his tattoo’s meaning. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2026, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/929 "2026-06-07T19:07:00Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Maybe a hint of hyperbole. But she’s tolerated or even voted in favor of people and policies that were much, much more Nazi-esque than Platner, bad as he appears to be. Only because Platner hasn’t voted for any policies, having no prior political experience. > [@BigT](#): > > **Conclusion:** Platner was talking about the Punisher skull and skulls on military in general. As such, this is insufficient to establish that he knew about his tattoo’s meaning. Then why did he delete it? ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2026, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/930 "2026-06-07T19:07:35Z")
FACT: Reddit sorts comments differently than a message board like this one does. Replies are displayed nestled underneath the comments they are made in reply to. When a reply chain goes on long enough, it is no longer displayed on the main page whether you are sorting by Top, New, or Hot; instead you can only see it by reading the prior comment and then hitting “View More Replies”. So while Platner was discussing a digression, he could not have seen the post he replied to was out having clicked view more replies at the bottom of a chain of posts that was indeed discussing the Totenkopf. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2026, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/931 "2026-06-07T19:11:35Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > **Fact:** Platner makes no reference to his own tattoo or what he believed about it. FACT: Platner is clearly aware enough that he shouldn’t brought attention to his Totenkopf that he made sure it was hidden in his Kik thirst trap profile pic he used to trawl for (only of legal age he pinkie promises) girls on Kik while his wife was undergoing IVF treatment. [![](https://s.yimg.com/lo/mysterio/api/158F96636CC679DD6E95FB0869F8133D799D43FA893D6BC8821556801E8CE214/subgraphmysterio/resizefill_w976_h651;quality_80;format_webp/https:%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen%2Faol_ny_post_us_news_articles_123%2Fdcc3f1fd7499845642fad56c6c428a71) ](https://s.yimg.com/lo/mysterio/api/158F96636CC679DD6E95FB0869F8133D799D43FA893D6BC8821556801E8CE214/subgraphmysterio/resizefill_w976_h651;quality_80;format_webp/https:%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen%2Faol_ny_post_us_news_articles_123%2Fdcc3f1fd7499845642fad56c6c428a71) CONCLUSION: Platner would know not to brag about his Totenkopf of Reddit, either. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2026, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/932 "2026-06-07T19:27:43Z")
Since we’re doing this again… Find the Totenkopf that Platner is supposed to see and recognize as his tattoo, [![](https://i.imgur.com/BlAIeo7.jpeg) ](https://i.imgur.com/BlAIeo7.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2026, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/933 "2026-06-07T19:29:24Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > Find the Totenkopf that Platner is supposed to see and recognize as his tattoo What do you imagine the claim being made is? Since your post is completely and utterly unresponsive to that point, you must have misunderstood it. Hint: literally no one is saying that he saw this picture and learned what a Totenkopf was for the first time in his life. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2026, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/934 "2026-06-07T19:33:06Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > So I’m agreeing with you: when I originally said “he told people” upthread, there was more than “one anonymous person” referred to. Find that cite please. Wikipedia shows just the one anonymous person. > [@DigitalC](#): > > The establishment has all endorsed him. The Dems, yes, but not the current MAGA establishment, who is swiftboating Platner. > [@Babale](#): > > The point he makes is that if you are not the kind of guy who shoves his girlfriend into a closed room when she pisses him off, Didnt happen. MAGA lies. Six other women disagree, why believe the one Republican? Why not believe the three who said he was a good man? ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2026, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/935 "2026-06-07T19:33:49Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Didnt happen. MAGA lies. 🙄 > [@DrDeth](#): > > Six other women disagree, why believe the one Republican? Why not believe the three who said he was a good man? You are facetiously repeating the arguments that defenders of abusers always trot out in order to satirize their behavior, right? You’re not _actually_ behaving this way, right? …Right? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2026, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/936 "2026-06-07T19:39:57Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > > [@BigT](#): > > > > **Conclusion:** Platner was talking about the Punisher skull and skulls on military in general. As such, this is insufficient to establish that he knew about his tattoo’s meaning. > > Then why did he delete it? He deleted a whole lot of posts. When the cite you gave wasn’t working for me originally, I actually looked for another archive, and found this site, which claims he deleted 2014 posts. > **[Read our full archive of Graham Platner’s deleted Reddit comments](https://themainemonitor.org/platner-reddit-comments/)** > > Spanning more than a decade, it provides a rare glimpse into the thinking of a candidate at a time when he betrayed no political ambitions. Skimming though, I can easily see why some were deleted, like his use of the r-slur. But others seem more vibes based. I suspect there was just a move to delete anything that could possibly be construed to make him look bad. In fact, actually reading the accompanying article, it appears he deleted his entire Reddit account. * * * I’m actually not pro-Platner anymore (inasmuch as I ever was, for a candidate who I can’t vote for who I wish had a similar alternative without the baggage). Hell, I actually think it likely he stretched the truth about his understanding of the tattoo. “As soon as I learned” is unlikely—he probably dawdled on keeping it for various irrational reasons. Modifying or removing a tattoo kinda sucks. If you can just hide it, most people will do that for a while. It likely took the push of what would happen when running for public office to get him to realize he needed to fix it. I just bristled at the unwarranted level of certainty and condescension, especially from such a weak bit of evidence. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2026, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/937 "2026-06-07T19:43:58Z")
IMHO anyone who suggests that there is any risk that Platner is a Nazi sympathizer and will support fascist policies which contradict his broad public record and stated policy goals is … unserious. I can’t really care about a stupid tattoo someone got in relative youth, when they learned that it actually had offensive meaning to some, when they became embarrassed by that vs when that was a positive, and when they were embarrassed enough to do something about it. I don’t think it informs about what sort of Senator they will be or what way they will vote on what. And that is **OPINION. 🙂** ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2026, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/938 "2026-06-07T19:49:33Z")
And IMHO anyone who suggests that there’s any chance that he isn’t a Nazi sympathizer is grasping at straws. Non-Nazi sympathizers don’t wear Nazi tattoos for at least six years after they know what they are. The only reason anyone ever does that is if they’re a Nazi sympathizer. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2026, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/939 "2026-06-07T20:09:42Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Only because Platner hasn’t voted for any policies, having no prior political experience. Exactly. He’s a blank slate, at least as far as how he will vote in the Senate. He says he’ll vote as a progressive Democrat. Maybe he will. Maybe he won’t. There’s no way to know for sure unless he’s elected, and IMO the non zero chance he’s being at least partially truthful is worth the vote over the certainty of continuing pro-Trump votes from Collins. In the primary I’d vote for someone else. But in the general, it’s a no brainer, even with all the shit about Platner. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2026, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/940 "2026-06-07T20:15:56Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > it’s a no brainer, even with all the shit about Platner. Even the shit about Medicare for all? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2026, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/941 "2026-06-07T20:26:14Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Six other women disagree No women have disagreed. Six women say he didn’t do that to them. That’s a totally different claim, and one that does not suggest this woman is lying. I find this line of reasoning offensive. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2026, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179/942 "2026-06-07T20:31:00Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I find this line of reasoning offensive. I agree. It’s very offensive and shows a gross misunderstanding of the dynamics of assault and abuse. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179.md?page=46) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-reasons-to-reject-graham-platner-in-maine-campaign-suspended-july-8-2026/1028179.md?page=48)