Democrat Auchincloss brands Platner tattoo ‘personally disqualifying’

Democratic Rep. Jake Auchincloss says Graham Platner’s tattoo and his commentary are “personally disqualifying,” drawing outrage from fellow Democrats who accuse him of effectively backing Sen. Susan Collins. Auchincloss denies that and argues Democrats should

When Democratic Rep. Jake Auchincloss said Graham Platner’s tattoo is “personally disqualifying,” it wasn’t a debate about strategy—it was a line drawn over symbols, meaning, and what voters should accept.

Auchincloss, who represents a Massachusetts district in Congress, fired back after accusations that he endorsed Republican Sen. Susan Collins over Platner in Maine’s Senate race. The political fight is unfolding as Democrats see Maine as one of their best chances to flip a Senate seat in the 2026 midterm elections. The state backed former Vice President Kamala Harris by about 7 points in 2024.

Collins, a centrist who has won reelection in tough environments before, is nevertheless facing what Democrats are framing as her hardest test yet. They argue President Donald Trump’s declining approval rating could bog down Republicans nationwide.

On Monday. Auchincloss took aim at the tattoo issue in an interview. saying he found both the tattoo itself and Platner’s commentary around it disqualifying. “I find that tattoo and [Platner’s] commentary about it to be personally disqualifying,” he said. “I hope Maine voters agree with me. I think it would be a mistake for the Democratic Party to think Graham Platner’s brand of the Democratic Party is what wins us durable majorities throughout this country.”.

The backlash came quickly from other Democrats on X. Pollster Adam Carlson wrote that Auchincloss was pushing to expand Republicans’ 6-3 Supreme Court majority “to 7-2. ” pointing to the court’s actions that include taking away a woman’s right to choose. dismantling the Voting Rights Act. disenfranchising Black voters. and giving the president absolute immunity from criminal prosecution.

Carlson’s central accusation was that Auchincloss was, in practice, helping the wrong side.

On Tuesday, Auchincloss responded to those critiques in another post on X, saying Collins is a “rubber stamp for the worst admin in history” and that claims of an endorsement would ignore his record of “supporting Democrats to take back both chambers.”

“As I said months ago, I find Platner’s Nazi tattoo and his commentary about it personally disqualifying. If it were me I’d vote for someone else in the Maine Democratic primary,” he wrote. “Regardless of what happens in Maine. Democrats need to take back the Senate and I’ll keep working hard to make it happen.”.

That dispute is now running alongside questions about Platner’s standing as a top contender in the Democratic field. Platner is viewed as the likely Democratic nominee after Democratic Governor Janet Mills ended her campaign last month. David Costello. a former Maryland Department of the Environment official. is running. while Democrat Andrea LaFlamme has launched a write-in campaign—but neither has put up strong showings in recent polls.

Platner’s campaign controversy dates to uncovered Reddit posts and, later, the revelation that he has a tattoo resembling the Totenkopf, or “death’s head,” a symbol adopted by the Nazi SS. Platner has apologized and said he was unaware of its meaning at the time.

The immediate clash between Democrats in public view now turns on whether the tattoo is disqualifying enough to cost Platner support—or whether pushing it too hard risks aiding Collins in a race Democrats are eager to flip in 2026.

Maine Senate race Jake Auchincloss Graham Platner Susan Collins Democratic primary Totenkopf tattoo Nazi SS symbol 2026 midterms Janet Mills