{"id":2606373,"date":"2026-05-24T06:22:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-24T10:22:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/platner-demonstrates-trump-like-teflon-response-to-scandals\/"},"modified":"2026-05-24T06:24:06","modified_gmt":"2026-05-24T10:24:06","slug":"platner-demonstrates-trump-like-teflon-response-to-scandals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/platner-demonstrates-trump-like-teflon-response-to-scandals\/","title":{"rendered":"Platner demonstrates Trump-like Teflon response to scandals"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fplatner-demonstrates-trump-like-teflon-response-to-scandals%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2606373&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Graham Platner, the presumptive Democratic nominee challenging sen. Susan Collins in Maine, is described as a strong pickup opportunity for Democrats despite being dogged by scandals. The article notes that Platner is polling ahead of Collins by more than 7 points in recent averages, and highlights a poll showing stronger support for women for platner, while Collins performs better among men.<\/p>\n<p>it recounts multiple controversy areas that have fueled negative headlines in the weeks leading up to the election, including statements from Platner about Chris Kyle and the Iraq war, and also revelations about posts from a deleted Reddit account containing violent, explicit, and offensive remarks.it also references Platner\u2019s previous political activity, including pushing Gov.Janet Mills out of the Democratic primary.<\/p>\n<p>Political scientists interviewed argue Platner\u2019s appeal may stem from voter frustration with the Democratic establishment, changing standards around what scandals \u201cdisqualify,\u201d and generational and cultural shifts among younger voters.They also suggest some voters may be drawn to Platner\u2019s perceived authenticity and combative style (\u201cit factor\u201d), though pollsterDavid Paleologos cautions that voters could eventually react negatively by viewing the scandals as fitting a broader pattern of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-calls-on-congress-to-suspend-federal-gas-tax-for-3-months\/\" title=\"Biden calls on Congress to suspend federal gas tax for 3 months\">political toxicity<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>On the other side, Republican strategists argue that polling may not capture Maine accurately, citing Collins\u2019 past performance and suggesting that once the GOP ramps up advertising, sentiment could shift. Collins\u2019 campaign echoes that view, saying prior polls have consistently misread the state. the article frames the race as perhaps less about Platner\u2019s scandals alone and more about whether voters treat it as a referendum on Collins, GOP priorities, and-possibly-Donald Trump.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of Democrats\u2019 best pick-up opportunities in the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/senate\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"8765\">Senate<\/a> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2026-election\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"11675\">this November<\/a> is an unexpected one. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/graham-platner\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"22643\">Graham Platner<\/a>, the presumptive Democratic nominee in the race against Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/susan-collins\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1302\">Susan Collins<\/a> (R-ME), has been scandal-prone, complete with a Nazi symbol tattoo, but is polling ahead of the five-term incumbent from <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/maine\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"193\">Maine<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last week alone Platner, 41, faced a slew of bad headlines.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4580476\/mike-collins-staffer-fired-unauthorized-x-post\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Mike Collins fires staffer over \u2018despicable and unauthorized\u2019 X post<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4580296\/dccc-digital-ads-vulnerable-pennsylvania-republicans\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>DCCC launches digital ads targeting Pennsylvania\u2019s four vulnerable House Republicans<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4579420\/debbie-wasserman-schultz-run-new-district-sheila-cherfilus-mccormick\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Wasserman Schultz makes bid for new district after Cherfilus-McCormick resignation<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, it came to light that Platner claimed during a 2024 appearance on the <em>Green Beret Chronicle\u00a0Show<\/em> podcast that <em>American Sniper <\/em>Chris Kyle\u00a0was \u201cless discriminating\u201d during the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/iraq-war\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1072\">Iraq war<\/a> and allegedly increased his kill count by aiming at civilians.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also last week, five new posts from his since-deleted <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/reddit\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"4215\">Reddit<\/a> account were uncovered, including one from 2019 in which the Marine veteran, whose username was \u201cP-Hustle,\u201d mocked a Purple Heart recipient as a \u201cdumb motherf*****\u201d who \u201cdidn\u2019t deserve to live\u201d after the soldier was shot four times during a 2012 skirmish with the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/taliban\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"605\">Taliban<\/a> in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/afghanistan\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"337\">Afghanistan<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The other four contained explicit content. In one post from 2017, Platner recalls masturbating in a portable toilet while deployed during the Afghanistan war. Another one from 2018 saw Platner praise a portable-toilet graffiti drawing of a penis. Still, another post from 2020 saw Platner recall having phone sex on a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >cell phone network compromised<\/a> by the Taliban.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a separate 2019 post, Platner also complained about a loophole closing that provided military contractors with the opportunity to save money on their taxes by remaining abroad, \u201cbanging hookers in Thailand\u201d instead of getting \u201cb****ed\u201d at by their partners in the U.S.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Regardless, less than six months before the election, Platner has a polling advantage over Collins, averaging a more than 7-point edge according to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/polls\/senate\/general\/2026\/maine\/collins-vs-platner\"><em>RealClearPolitics<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In fact, in one poll published by <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/21701012.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net\/hubfs\/21701012\/20260520%2069th%20PAR%20Omnibus%20Poll%20May%202026.pdf\">Pan Atlantic<\/a> last week, Platner had more support among women than Collins, 53% to 34%, though Collins had more of the male vote, 47% to 44%.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">University of Maine Department of Political Science Chair Mark Brewer contended that Platner, who last month pushed incumbent Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME) out of their primary, was performing so well for two reasons.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDemocrats in Maine and also nationally are just so fed up with the current leadership of their own party that they\u2019re looking for something different, and that something different that they want is someone who they see as a brawler who\u2019s willing to mix things up and not do things the way they\u2019re normally done,\u201d Brewer told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cThe other part of it is that I would say over the last decade or so the rules of what\u2019s deemed acceptable, or disqualifying, or permissible have changed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPart of that might be generational change, younger voters are more willing to overlook things,\u201d the professor said. \u201cI think also part of it has to do with President Trump.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Brewer, Platner also has \u201csomething that not all candidates for public office have\u201d: the \u201cit\u201d factor.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou can tell that from the crowds he draws, the reactions he gets from those crowds, the huge number of people who are signing up to volunteer with this campaign,\u201d he said. \u201cI talked to a number of my students about Platner and I\u2019ll ask them, \u2018These comments about women, don\u2019t these things bother you?\u2019 They\u2019ll say, \u2018Well, he was younger, and PTSD, and people can change and make mistakes, and we\u2019re gonna overlook it.\u2019 \u2018Well, what about a Nazi tattoo?\u2019 \u2018Well, you know, he didn\u2019t know it was that, and when he found out, he got it covered up.&#8217;\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pollster David Paleologos added that voters may perceive Platner\u2019s scandals \u201cas the rusty, old, toxic D.C. political system trying to beat down a young, authentic oyster farmer and ex-Marine, and the strategy could backfire.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere is always a risk to degrading a young candidate with momentum who is powering his way toward his party\u2019s nomination,\u201d the director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cKind of like shooting spitballs at a battleship.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, Northeastern University political science professor\u00a0Costas\u00a0Panagopoulos conceded that it is \u201cconceivable\u201d that voters are dismissing Platner\u2019s scandals and concentrating \u201cinstead on other considerations.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But \u201cat the end of the day,\u201d \u201cthis race is likely to be a referendum on Collins\u2019 performance and GOP policies and priorities,\u201d Panagopoulos told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A Republican strategist defended Collins, arguing that \u201cpolls have never really captured Maine well\u201d and the senator won by 9 points in 2020, despite the doomsayers about that race against Democrat Sara Gideon.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI don\u2019t know if it\u2019s ranked choice or a reluctance to be entirely candid with an anonymous pollster, but our polls have never really reflected the on the ground situation in Maine very well at all,\u201d the operative told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cWe are not concerned about polls, we\u2019re concerned about the feeling on the ground, and we feel pretty good.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That argument was reiterated by Collins\u2019 campaign, whose spokesman Shawn Roderick repeated \u201cevery <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hochul-declares-herself-the-underdog-in-ny-gov-race-despite-leading-by-every-conceivable-metric\/\" title=\"Hochul Declares Herself The \u2018Underdog\u2019 In NY Gov Race, Despite Leading By Every Conceivable Metric\">single public poll<\/a> last election showed Sen. Collins losing her reelection, and every single poll was wrong.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThese polls haven\u2019t been particularly useful in predicting outcomes in our campaigns,\u201d Roderick told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A third Republican strategist told the <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>that the GOP has not spent a dramatic amount of money on Collins, but that once the senator has ads on the airwaves, there will be a \u201ctide change.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4575263\/lawfare-compensation-fund-threatens-to-reopen-jan-6-debate-for-republicans\/\"><strong>LAWFARE COMPENSATION FUND THREATENS TO REOPEN JAN. 6 DEBATE FOR REPUBLICANS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Brewer, the University of Maine professor, agreed that although Platner\u2019s lead is \u201creal,\u201d \u201cthere\u2019s a long time before November,\u201d and many Democrats and \u201cunenrolled\u201d voters, or independents in Maine, are \u201cyet to be convinced to pull the ballot box switch\u201d for him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHe\u2019s not just running just against Collins, he\u2019s running against the larger establishment as a whole,\u201d he said. \u201cI also think there\u2019s going to be a certain amount of referendum on Donald Trump.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An unexpected Senate pick-up: Graham Platner faces scandals, yet polls ahead of Susan Collins<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2652,"featured_media":2606374,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP25309659852225_5636af.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[70344,73071,5894,80198,80197],"class_list":["post-2606373","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-donald-trump-2","tag-media-analysis-2","tag-politics","tag-public-relations-2","tag-scandal-management"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP25309659852225_5636af.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2606373","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2652"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2606373"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2606373\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2606377,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2606373\/revisions\/2606377"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2606374"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2606373"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2606373"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2606373"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}