U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), dismissed concerns over the once Totenkopf-tattoo adorned Graham Platner, the Democratic candidate he recently endorsed in Maine’s U.S. Senate primary.
In an episode of The Bulwark Podcast the Arizona senator addressed the Platner tattoo toss-up and proceeded to back the oyster farmer over current Gov. Janet Mills (D-Maine). “This guy is an authentic man. You know, he’s not uh antisemitic.” said Senator Gallegos.
Graham’s chest artwork became priority defense for Gallego while touching upon the tattoo issue, with suggestions that the endorsement leans toward anti-Israel sentiment. However, Gallego was quick to reject the speculation, calling the tattoo a controversial operation deployed by Mills supporters and insisting his endorsement is strictly about winning in November.
Gallego, also a Marine veteran, stated he is “picking people that I (he) know can actually win the general election” and argues that Platner could fuel cross-party alliance, recruiting new voters in a “change election”. The senator also contrasted the two candidates (Platner – Mills), attributing elderly age and establishment roots to Mills’ shortcomings in polling, while praising Platner’s oyster-farming abilities and combat veteran status to his recent success.
Graham Platner obtained the chest tattoo around 2007 while on deployment as a young devil-dog on leave in Croatia. The design – a skull and crossbones – which Graham has insinuated is a common design amongst young Marines, has been a sticking point in his campaign, as it is widely-recognized as a symbol adopted by Nazi SS troops and classified as a hate symbol by watchdogs.
In October 2025, Graham announced that he had covered the tattoo and maintains that he was unaware of its Nazi symbology and prevalence at the time, attributing the decision to alcohol-use. These statements follow a barrage of deleted social media posts and walk back statements, including being called out by local left-wing voters in a separate digital media panel earlier this month. There is additional scrutiny amongst communities brewing as well, while Graham appears to have a second visible tattoo reading “1919”, which some believe is linked to other controversial entities.
Mr. Platner has not commented publicly on his other display of personal artistic expression, yet.
The recent podcast endorsement marks a departure from national Democratic leadership, which backs the Mills administration that has left Maine clawing at the ice for leadership. Senator Gallego went on to discuss other tattoo related topics, ultimately concluding that Graham Platner is the best fit, voicing that the controversy should not disqualify him from public services. He re-iterated that the race is larger than one seat, stating Democrats “need to consistently win” the Senate to influence policy.
The primary seeds the oyster enthusiast and former Marine’s metro-sexual lumberjack appeal against Mills’ bureaucratic firepower, however, Gallego’s remarks highlight ongoing tension within the party. It appears ideological purity and electoral pragmatism is deeply at stake on the left side of the field, while candidate vetting and past personal conduct continues to impede true Democratic momentum. Platner’s campaign continues to emphasize his Marine service and local stature, hoping the tattoo is in fact just a thing of the past. Still, it seems these are the two best candidates the Democratic Party can put forth.
The full episode is accessible on YouTube at the link below:
