Mills takes lead over Platner as Maine Democrat’s controversy swirls: Poll
Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) has taken the polling lead over Democratic primary challenger Graham Platner in the Pine Tree State's 2026 Senate race, according to a survey released Saturday.
The SoCal Strategies Maine Poll found Mills garnering 41 percent support from likely voters surveyed, while Platner received 36 percent. A fifth of respondents were undecided.
The results come after days of controversy surrounding Platner over controversial, resurfaced social media posts and the revelation that he had a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol.
Prior to the news, survey results from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center showed Platner leading Mills by 34 percentage points.
But when respondents to the SoCal Strategies poll were informed about Platner’s tattoo resembling a Nazi "totenkopf," Mills's lead widened significantly: 59 percent said they would back Mills in the primary compared to 29 percent who still said they would back Platner.
Platner has the support of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who defended the Maine oyster farmer amid the controversy, while Mills was endorsed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
“He went through a dark period in his life. I suspect that Graham Platner is not the only American to have gone through a dark period,” Sanders said of Platner's past Reddit posts during an appearance on “The Axios Show” earlier this week.
“I think what we have got to do as a nation is not focus on a tattoo," he added. "We've got to focus on a system which in many ways is collapsing."
Platner said Tuesday he’s gotten the tattoo covered and claimed he was not previously informed of its resemblance to a Nazi symbol.
The Democratic candidate still maintained a wide lead over Mills with voters aged 18-29, according to the poll, with his advantage staying relatively stable even after respondents were informed of his recent scandal.
The SoCal Strategies poll reached 500 likely Democratic primary voters in Maine from Oct. 21-25.