Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 27
Auchincloss Draws 2-Sided Backlash After Retreating on Platner's Nazi-Linked Tattoo
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 27

Auchincloss Draws 2-Sided Backlash After Retreating on Platner's Nazi-Linked Tattoo

6 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 27
  • Jake Auchincloss came under fresh fire after saying Graham Platner’s tattoo and comments were “personally disqualifying” but stopping short of urging Maine voters to back Susan Collins or the Democratic nominee.
  • The Massachusetts Democrat tried to thread the needle on Tuesday, saying he would vote for “someone else” in the June 9 Democratic primary while insisting Democrats still must retake the Senate.
  • That stance triggered criticism from both camps: progressives and Platner allies called it incoherent or misplaced, while conservatives accused Auchincloss of folding within 24 hours of his initial condemnation.
  • Platner, 41, became the presumptive Democratic nominee after Janet Mills suspended her campaign, despite scrutiny over a tattoo he wore for nearly 20 years and deleted posts about race, police and veterans.
  • The dispute lands in a race Democrats likely need to win to reclaim the Senate, with Collins seen as one of the GOP’s most vulnerable incumbents.
Can a candidate's past online persona truly be separated from their current fitness for public office?
Why might some voters view a candidate’s controversial history not as a flaw, but as a sign of authenticity?
How does undisclosed 'dark money' influence public perception of a candidate's past during high-stakes elections?