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A controversial Maine Democrat already dogged by questions over a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol is again under fire after promoting an openly antisemitic conspiracy theorist \u2014 the latest episode in a pattern critics say underscores how radical and politically toxic he is.<\/span><\/p>\n Graham Platner, a 41-year-old Senate candidate seeking the Democratic nomination to take on incumbent Susan Collins (R-ME), faced backlash this week after amplifying a social media post about a looming war with Iran from Stew Peters, a neo-Nazi influencer known for Holocaust denial and antisemitic rhetoric. Platner <\/span>later deleted<\/span><\/a> the post, with his campaign claiming it was shared \u201cin error\u201d and removed immediately after discovering it elevated a \u201cdespicable account.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n But the incident was not isolated.<\/span><\/p>\n In late January, Platner <\/span>appeared<\/span><\/a> for an hour-long interview on Valhalla VFT, a YouTube show hosted by Nate Cornacchia, a retired Green Beret who has promoted conspiracy theories alleging Israeli involvement in high-profile assassinations and suggesting the global war on terror was conducted at the \u201cbehest of Israel.\u201d During the interview, Platner described himself as \u201ca longtime fan\u201d of the show and said it was \u201can absolute pleasure\u201d to appear.<\/span><\/p>\n Cornacchia has pushed claims tying Israel to the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and agreed with assertions that President John F. Kennedy was \u201cprobably\u201d killed in a covert joint operation between the CIA and Mossad. Platner\u2019s campaign did not respond to Jewish Insider\u2019s questions about Cornacchia\u2019s remarks.<\/span><\/p>\n The controversy compounds scrutiny Platner has faced since last year over a tattoo on his chest that closely resembled a Totenkopf, the skull-and-crossbones emblem adopted by an infamous Nazi SS unit. Platner <\/span>said<\/span><\/a> he received the tattoo while serving in the Marine Corps during a drunken night in Croatia and claimed he was unaware of its historical meaning at the time. The <\/span>Associated Press<\/span><\/a> later confirmed that he had the tattoo covered once the comparison became public, saying he did not want a symbol associated with hate on his body.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cFor what it\u2019s worth,\u201d Maine Governor Janet Mills, who\u2019s running against Platner in the Democratic primary for the Senate seat, quipped on <\/span>X<\/span><\/a> amid the controversy, \u201cI don\u2019t have any tattoos.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n In past posts, Platner has described U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East as being overly shaped by \u201cforeign influence,\u201d and has argued that Washington\u2019s alliance structure requires \u201cfundamental rethinking.\u201d Critics say such rhetoric mirrors themes common in online spaces where antisemitic conspiracy theories flourish.<\/span><\/p>\n National Republicans have begun to take notice. A spokesperson for the National Republican Senatorial Committee blasted Platner this week, saying Democrats are \u201cflirting with extremism\u201d in a race they view as central to their hopes of regaining Senate control. Allies of Collins have also circulated screenshots of Platner\u2019s deleted posts, arguing they raise serious questions about his judgment.<\/span><\/p>\n The Democratic primary race in Maine is expected to be one of the most closely watched Senate contests of the cycle. Democrats view the seat held by moderate Republican Collins as a key pickup opportunity. But Platner\u2019s growing list of controversies, from boosting a neo-Nazi influencer to praising a YouTube host who traffics in antisemitic conspiracies, to the lingering fallout over his tattoo, threatens to complicate that strategy.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n