ME-SEN: Senate candidate Graham Platner apologizes for using slur in interview [View all]

PORTLAND, Maine — Graham Platner, a candidate for U.S. Senate in Maine, offered an apology on Wednesday after he used a slur against people with intellectual disabilities in a recent interview.

In an article published on Saturday by The Maine Monitor, Platner was quoted using the slur when talking about the controversy surrounding a tattoo he had that resembled a Nazi symbol. Platner had the tattoo covered up in October 2025, 18 years after he got it in Split, Croatia, while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Platner also used the slur in a Reddit post that he made several years ago, which has since been deleted.

"I am sorry. I'm sorry that I said it. I am endeavoring to improve every single day. I am not a perfect person, and I continue to try to be better," Platner said. "I will say that my politics is one of inclusivity and one of showing up for everybody, and I will continue every day to represent that in our policies and in our campaign."



https://www.wmtw.com/article/graham-platner-controversy-r-word-maine-senate-candidate/71030038