UMVA has learned that Democratic Senate hopeful Graham Platner of Maine is surging ahead of longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins despite a torrent of controversy swirling around his past online remarks and a once‑visible tattoo that resembled a Nazi emblem.
A fresh poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire shows Platner commanding 51 % of likely voters, while Collins trails at 42 %, with six percent undecided and two percent backing other candidates. The margin places Platner in a comfortable single‑digit lead in a race that could tip the balance of power in the Senate.
Platner, an oyster farmer and combat veteran of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, has turned his outsider status into political fuel, positioning himself as a champion of working‑class families against corporate greed. His progressive platform, backed by Senator Bernie Sanders, resonates strongly in Maine’s left‑leaning electorate.
According to information obtained by UMVA, 91 % of Democrats say they would vote for Platner in the general election, while 87 % of Republicans remain loyal to Collins. Independents lean slightly toward Collins, giving her a narrow 47‑44 edge among that pivotal group.
The poll, released two weeks before Maine’s primary, also reveals Platner’s dominance in the Democratic field: 76 % support for the nomination, dwarfing former Gov. Janet Mills’ 10 % and long‑shot David Costello’s 3 %.
Collins, seeking a sixth six‑year term, faces no Republican challenger for the nomination, yet she warned that Platner’s leftward stance could alienate moderate voters. “I believe that will be the conclusion of Maine voters, but I don’t take anything for granted,” she told a news outlet.
Platner fired back, labeling Collins’s record as “radical” for perpetuating policies that favor corporations and endless foreign wars, a narrative that has energized his base.
Recent weeks have seen a barrage of attacks on Platner’s past Reddit comments, including a notorious post in which he suggested a wounded soldier “didn’t deserve to live.” Although he issued an apology when the story first broke, he declined to repeat it when pressed by reporters near his home.
His tattoo controversy adds another layer of scrutiny. The skull‑and‑crossbones ink, applied in 2007 while drinking with fellow Marines in Croatia, was later covered with a new design after Platner learned it resembled a Nazi symbol. The revelation has drawn condemnation not only from Republicans but also from a handful of Democrats, including Rep. Jake Auchincloss, who called the tattoo “personally disqualifying.”
Despite the firestorm, Platner’s polling numbers remain robust, suggesting that Maine voters may prioritize his anti‑establishment message over the controversies. As the primary approaches, the race intensifies, promising to be a decisive battleground in the nation’s midterm fight for Senate control.
