Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner, who recently covered up a tattoo of a Nazi symbol on his chest, promoted a notoriously anti-Semitic white supremacist who denies the Holocaust, Stew Peters.
Platner boosted a post by Peters, who has an extensive track record of anti-Semitism and Holocaust denialism, about a potential attack on Iran. Peters, who has nearly 900,000 followers on X, asserted that "war with Iran" is the only issue that brings Democrats and Republicans together.
Platner, who is running to unseat Sen. Susan Collins (R.), echoed those remarks, accusing both parties of "sending other people’s children to die in stupid wars in the Middle East."
Platner deleted his post after social media users pointed out Peters’s history of anti-Semitic rhetoric.
Peters has claimed that "the Jews" are behind many domestic and geopolitical catastrophes, including the assassination of former president John F. Kennedy.
"Everywhere you look, every stone you turn … you find a jew," Peters said in one podcast, the Washington Free Beacon reported.
"President John F. Kennedy was assassinated," Peters added. "He was murdered by Jews and by their Shabbos goys in the United States government and in the CIA who they walk around on leashes like a bunch of dogs. There's just too many breadcrumbs, and they all lead to the very same place. They all lead to the very same people: the Jews."
Platner’s promotion of Peters comes as the Democratic candidate has faced scrutiny over other controversial remarks he made on social media, and a tattoo of a Nazi skull he received during his stint in the Army.
Platner got a Totenkopf, a tattoo popular with Nazis during World War II, while serving in the Marines in 2007. Platner claimed last year that he was unaware of its historical significance until a reporter asked him about it. However, several Platner associates have said that Platner openly talked about "my Totenkopf," and seemed to know that it was a Nazi relic.
Platner hired a tattoo artist to cover up the Nazi ink days later.
Platner has also alienated many of the voters he hopes to represent in Maine.
In 2018, he responded to a Reddit comment that "White people aren't as racist or stupid as Trump thinks," stating that "Living in white rural America, I'm afraid to tell you they actually are."
Platner has denied his support for white supremacism and Nazi fascism by noting his past support for communism. Platner referred to himself as "a Communist" in posts on Reddit.
Platner’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
