A years-old Reddit comment attributed to Maine Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner—mocking Jesus and the Virgin Mary—circulated online this week, prompting sharp criticism from Republican groups that also pointed to earlier controversies involving Platner’s past online posts and a tattoo he has said he covered after learning it resembled a Nazi-era symbol.
Maine Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner is facing renewed scrutiny after a 2012 Reddit post attributed to him circulated on social media this week.
In the post, Platner described himself as “crudely atheist” during his military service and included a crude reference to “zombie jesus jokes” and the Virgin Mary. The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) said the resurfaced post was shared as a screenshot on X by conservative strategist Greg Price. (nrsc.org)
Republican groups used the post to attack Platner’s candidacy. In its statement, the NRSC criticized the remarks and tied them to a separate controversy over a skull-and-crossbones tattoo on Platner’s chest that he has said he covered after learning it was widely recognized as resembling a Nazi-linked symbol. (nrsc.org)
Platner has previously faced backlash over other old online comments. In October 2025, The Associated Press reported that his campaign was roiled by an “onslaught” of resurfaced internet posts following Gov. Janet Mills’ entry into the Democratic Senate primary. (apnews.com)
Mills’ campaign has also sought to spotlight some of those past remarks. On March 17, 2026, her campaign released a television ad featuring Platner’s past comments about sexual assault, including an excerpt in which a woman in the ad calls the remarks “a horrible thing to say.” (janetmills.com)
The latest round of criticism comes as polling has shown Platner with a sizable lead over Mills in the Democratic primary. An Emerson College Polling survey released March 26, 2026, found Platner at 55% and Mills at 28% among likely Democratic primary voters, with 13% undecided. (emersoncollegepolling.com)
Endorsements in the race have underscored a broader divide among national Democrats. The Associated Press has reported that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has backed Mills, while Platner has drawn support from several senators, including Bernie Sanders. (apnews.com)
The Democratic primary winner is expected to face Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November 2026 in a race that national observers have described as one of the contests that could influence control of the U.S. Senate. (apnews.com)
