'New man' Graham Platner can’t stop lying

In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here.

'New man' Graham Platner can’t stop lying

TL;DR

  • Democrats nominated Graham Platner to face Senator Susan Collins in Maine.
  • Platner faces controversy over a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, which he claims to have recently learned the significance of.
  • Evidence, including text messages from an ex-girlfriend and deleted Reddit posts, suggests Platner knew about the tattoo's Nazi connection years ago.
  • Platner's past behavior with women and use of an anonymous messaging app frequented by minors have also raised concerns.
  • Despite the controversies, Platner won the Democratic primary decisively.
  • The general election race is expected to be challenging, with potential for some Democratic voters to defect to Collins.
  • Platner is presenting himself as a "transformed man" seeking a redemption narrative.