Another Poll Shows Platner's Double-Digit Lead Over Establishment Pick Mills in Maine Senate Race

A second poll that was conducted in the midst of the recent onslaught of media reports about US Senate candidate Graham Platner's deleted Reddit posts and tattoo confirmed that voters in Maine have been undeterred by the attacks on the Democrat's character.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) polled 647 likely Democratic voters from October 22-23, amid considerable national attention focusing on a tattoo that Platner got while he was in the Marines—one that some said resembled a Nazi symbol and that Platner got covered up after learning of the resemblance.

The survey found that 46% of respondents supported Platner despite the controversies, while 25% were backing Maine Gov. Janet Mills.

Mills announced her campaign earlier this month; US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) had called on her to join the Democratic primary race.

Next year's primary winner will face longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who has persistently claimed to hold moderate views, particularly on abortion rights, but has voted for numerous anti-choice federal judges including Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

Seventy-one percent of voters said they viewed Platner favorably, and 73% said he stands up for their values.

Since launching his campaign in August, Platner has been outspoken in his criticism of the United States' "oligarchy," Democratic leaders who have capitulated to President Donald Trump, and US support for Israel's assault on Gaza. His platform includes support for Medicare for All, a billionaire minimum tax, and federal LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination legislation.

This week, in addition to promoting policy proposals to help working families afford childcare, groceries, and other essentials, Platner has spoken about how many of his views have evolved since he wrote comments in online forums about sexual assault, people who live in rural areas, and other topics.

At a town hall in Ogunquit on Wednesday night, Platner said he did not want to "minimize what has come out,” but emphasized that he "used to hold different opinions."

"I also grew," he said. "I met new people. I learned of other people’s experiences."

In the NRSC poll, 45% of respondents said Platner's statements about his past remarks made them more likely to support him.

The findings, said journalist Ryan Grim of Drop Site News, suggested that the scandal is "helping Platner rather than hurting him—not because people love Nazi tats but because people want a culture that brings back grace, forgiveness, and growth."

Drop Site News interviewed attendees at the town hall, and found similar sentiments.

"I’ve lived long enough to know people make mistakes, and I’ve never been someone to throw a person by the wayside because they misstep," said Christian Millian, 39, of Wells. "Otherwise, I’d be on the wayside."

At another event in Waterville recently, Sharon McCarthy, 50, told Drop Site News that "anyone our age and younger is going to have a past on the internet."

“I liked that he addressed the Reddit comment issue straight out," she said. "A lot of us said things we aren’t proud of in our younger years and have learned and grown since then. Since he addressed it straight out, didn’t deny or deflect, and said he had changed, I’m willing to give him that grace.”

At the town hall Wednesday, Platner also spoke about the need for voters to connect with one another over politics instead of seeing it as the realm of "congressman and senators."

"For us to get young people to believe again, we have to show young people that... politics is about building power with your neighbors," he said. "Politics is about protecting your community... We are not going to just convince people by telling them that they need to read a different news source."