Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is refusing to back down from his adamant support for Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner, despite reports that the candidate's chest tattoo appears to be linked to Nazi symbols.
Platner has rejected that the tattoo is somehow related to Nazism, although its skull and crossbones resemble the German SS Scull emblem. Sanders, who is aligning himself with Democrats, has become Platner's highest-profile supporter just days after the oyster farmer announced his campaign to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins. (CONNECTED: The Bernie-endorsed Democrat oyster farmer once had “Antifa Super Soldier” written on his armor: REPORT)
“There's a young man who served his country in Afghanistan and Iraq, and he went through a really difficult experience, seeing his friends get killed or something like that, and despite it all, he had the courage to run,” Sanders told reporters Tuesday. “Personally, I think he is a great candidate and will support him, and I look forward to him becoming the next senator from Maine.”
The lawmaker was visibly angry and criticized the “corrupt campaign finance system.” according to in Punchbowl News.
“We don’t have enough candidates in this country who will take over and fight for the working class,” Sanders said.
Sanders did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation's request for comment.
A video showing Platner's tattoo emerged following dug up posts on Reddit in which the Democrat encouraged people to use violence as a tool for social change. In his posts, he said that those “hoping to fight fascism without a good semi-automatic rifle” should “read history.”
Platner also made offensive comments on Reddit, such as: “Why don't black people tip?” according to Bangor Daily News and said victims of sexual assault should “take some responsibility and not push themselves to the point where they end up having sex with someone they don't want to?” according to in the Washington Post.
Platner has apologized for the comments and claims the posts were made at a time when he was “deeply struggling.”
— Graham Platner for Senate (@grahamformaine) October 17, 2025
“As I told CNN, I was fucking around on the Internet at a time when I felt lost and very disillusioned with our government for sending me overseas to watch my friends die,” Platner told CNN. statement in Politico. “I've made stupid jokes and started fights. But of course I'm not a socialist. I'm a small business owner, a Marine veteran and a retiree who advertises crap.”
Sanders enthusiastically supported Platner the same month, an oyster farmer launched his campaign.
Platner is running against 77-year-old term-limited Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills in the Senate primary to take on Collins. Mills is official launched her proposal in the Senate on October 14.
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