Tim Walz spent months declaring Elon Musk a Nazi sympathizer over a gesture at a rally. Now he’s heading to Maine to campaign for a Democratic Senate candidate who wore an SS skull and crossbones tattoo on his chest for nearly 20 years.
The Double Standard Exposed
Former Minnesota Governor Tim Walz appeared on MSNBC recently, dismissing any debate over Musk’s hand gesture as exhausting spin. “Of course he did,” Walz declared about the alleged Nazi salute, setting a clear moral line. Days later, he announced plans to campaign for Graham Platner, a Democratic Senate hopeful who wore the Totenkopf—the SS death’s head symbol directly linked to Nazi iconography by the Anti-Defamation League. Platner only covered the tattoo when reporters started asking questions about it.
A former Platner staffer told Jewish Insider that the Marine veteran and oyster farmer not only wore the symbol but referred to it by its German name. Platner claims he got the tattoo drunk in Croatia in 2007 and had no idea what it meant. His former political director quit publicly, stating Platner “knows damn well” what the tattoo represents. Old social media posts surfaced showing Platner dismissing military sexual assault, questioning Black patrons’ tipping habits, and using homophobic slurs.
the Dude has a NAZI tattoo on his chest
Democratic Establishment Scrambles
Despite the controversy, Senator Bernie Sanders endorsed Platner and rallied with him in Maine, calling him a stronger candidate than Governor Janet Mills. Sanders shrugged off the tattoo scandal, saying Platner “went through a dark period” and had apologized. Mills jumped into the race with Chuck Schumer’s backing as the electable alternative but suspended her campaign yesterday, citing lack of funds without endorsing Platner. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee fell in line anyway, pledging to work with “the presumptive Democratic nominee.”
What This Means for Maine
Republican incumbent Susan Collins is already weaponizing the tattoo issue, comparing Schumer’s attack ads to “trying to cover up an outrageous tattoo—you can paint over it, but we all know what’s underneath.” Maine’s independents comprise 36 percent of the electorate, more than either party. All damaging material on Platner has come from Democrats so far. Republicans say they haven’t started opposition research yet. Walz’s decision to campaign for Platner after setting such a hard moral line on Nazi imagery creates a stark contrast that voters will likely remember.