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PORTLAND, Maine — Voters in Maine are just one day away from deciding which Democrat they want to represent them in the U.S. Senate, and residents who spoke to Fox News are mixed on whether Graham Platner’s swirling controversies disqualify him from seeking the office.
“He’s a disgrace to every veteran that has PTSD like I do, because he’s using it as an excuse to cover up his own personal failings,” Bill, a Peaks Island resident and military veteran, told Fox News, referencing Platner leaning into his PTSD struggles as a combat veteran.
“You do not abuse women because you were in combat. You do not say things about trans people. You do not wear Nazi symbols because you were in combat. That is because of who you are,” Bill said. “He’s a little bitty, well-to-do guy hiding behind his status as a veteran and not acknowledging himself as a failed human being.”
WATCH: MAINE VOTERS DIVIDED ON PLATNER AS SCANDALS SHADOW DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY
As the primary nears, Platner is facing criticism from both the left and the right over allegations of abuse from former girlfriends, sexually explicit messages allegedly sent to women during the early days of his marriage, a Nazi-linked tattoo and online comments mocking a Purple Heart veteran.
Mike, a Maine voter, said Platner’s tattoo made his decision a “no-brainer,” saying it was difficult to believe the candidate did not know the Totenkopf symbol on his chest had been used by Nazi death camp guards.
“Nothing good about him,” Mike said. “Anybody with a Nazi tattoo, and it’s not a Bugs Bunny tattoo, okay? It’s like, ‘Oh my God, I got a tattoo, I didn’t know what it was.’ If he was honest about it, and said, ‘Hey, it was a mistake. I got a Nazi tattoo, and it’s stupid. I was drunk and I was in the service,’ then maybe that’s one thing. But at that point, it’s a no-brainer for me.”
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When asked if Democrats should drop Platner, Mike said, “Of course they should,” adding that Democrats are standing by Platner because they see him as their best chance to unseat Sen. Susan Collins.
“I mean, it’s like they’re locked in now. This has nothing to do with being a Democrat or Republican. They want to get rid of Susan Collins, take over the Senate, and that’s the bottom line. He could be Adolf Hitler. It doesn’t matter who he is. It’s just the fact that they want to take over the Senate, and that’s their only option right now.”
Karen, a Rockland resident, also questioned whether Platner’s scandals should be overlooked, saying they reflect on his character.
“I think it’s crazy,” Karen said. “I think there’s a lot of things about him that people should understand. They say, ‘Oh, it’s personal,’ but then that also indicates his character.”
Other Mainers who spoke to Fox News struck a different tone, including Holly, a Belfast resident.
“Nobody’s perfect. Everyone makes mistakes,” Holly said. “He’s apologized for the mistakes he’s made, and he’s taken action about it. If you listen to what he’s about in terms of policy, he is very much saying the right things for Maine and the right thing for the country more broadly, and I think he’s a very good candidate.”
GRAHAM PLATNER BLASTS NEW ALLEGATIONS AS ‘FALSE ACCUSATIONS’: ‘MAINE, YOU HAVE MY BACK’
Claire, a Brooklin resident, said voters should focus less on Platner’s past and more on his candidacy, saying, “He’s the best candidate by far, and probing into the minutiae of his personal relationships when you don’t do that for any other candidate is ridiculous.”
One voter argued that working-class candidates should not be expected to have spotless records.
“If we want folks who are representing us from the working class, they’re not necessarily going to have a groomed and perfect political record coming into politics,” Paul, a Bar Harbor resident, said.
Kathy, a Rockland resident, said she was willing to look past Platner’s “baggage,” saying “He’s got new ideas, and he’s saying things for the people and about the people.”
Platner, widely believed to be the presumptive Democratic nominee for Senate, heads into a Tuesday night primary election where Democratic Gov. Janet Mills and former senior government official David Costello are on the ballot.
If victorious, Platner will square off against incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November.
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