(Adnkronos) – Primaries today in four American states, including Maine, where all eyes are on Graham Platner, the controversial oyster farmer who has every chance of becoming the Democratic candidate who will try to unseat Susan Collins, the moderate, anti-Trump Republican, who could face difficulties in November. The only other candidate remaining in the running, David Costello, after Governor Janet Mills withdrew in April, is described as “largely unknown” to voters, according to the latest polls. Meanwhile, 76% of respondents said they intend to vote for Platner, a progressive with a message focused entirely on fighting income inequality.
Thanks to an anti-establishment look and character, oriented towards left-wing populism, the Marine veteran has gained national notoriety, also due to some controversies. Starting with a tattoo he displays on his chest in social media photos, which alarmed many due to its resemblance to Nazi symbols. Platner, who explained he got the tattoo years ago in Croatia with his comrades, stated he “never realized it could resemble Nazi symbols,” claiming “a life dedicated to opposing fascism, racism, and Nazism,” which he defined, along with antisemitism, as “a plague on our society and our politics.” Platner later had the offending tattoo covered with another design.
More difficult to overcome are the controversies created by revelations from the New York Times and Wall Street Journal regarding sexually explicit messages he allegedly sent to several women. A behavior described as “intimidating and alarming” by the ex-girlfriend of one of his comrades. Platner admitted to having gone through “a dark period where I struggled with undiagnosed post-traumatic syndrome, which I self-medicated with alcohol, certainly not behaving like a perfect boyfriend.”
