Democrat Responds to Accusation He ‘Endorsed' Susan Collins
Democratic Representative Jake Auchincloss hit back at accusations that he endorsed Republican Senator Susan Collins over Democrat Graham Platner in Maine's Senate race.
The Maine race presents Democrats with perhaps their best opportunity to flip a Senate seat in the 2026 midterm elections, in a state that backed former Vice President Kamala Harris by about 7 points in 2024.
Collins, a centrist, has won reelection in tough environments before, but Democrats believe Platner may be positioned to make this her toughest challenge yet as President Donald Trump's declining approval rating threatens to bog down Republicans across the country.
Platner, however, has faced some controversy on the campaign trail over uncovered Reddit posts and the revelation that he had a tattoo resembling the Totenkopf, or "death's head," a symbol adopted by the Nazi SS. He has apologized and said he was unaware of its meaning at the time.
Auchincloss Calls Tattoo ‘Disqualifying,' Sparks Democratic Outrage
Auchincloss, who represents a Massachusetts district in Congress, criticized Platner in an interview with CNN on Monday.
"I find that tattoo and [Platner’s] commentary about it to be personally disqualifying," he said. "I hope Maine voters agree with me. I think it would be a mistake for the Democratic Party to think Graham Platner's brand of the Democratic Party is what wins us durable majorities throughout this country."
His comment drew outrage from other Democrats on X, with criticisms that it amounted to a Collins endorsement.
"Jake Auchincloss wants conservatives to expand their 6-3 majority in the Supreme Court - which already took away a woman's right to choose, dismantled the Voting Rights Act and disenfranchised Black voters & gave the president absolute immunity from criminal prosecution - to 7-2," pollster Adam Carlson wrote.
Auchincloss Hits Back Against Collins Endorsement Allegations
On Tuesday, Auchincloss responded to those critiques on X, saying that Collins is a "rubber stamp for the worst admin in history" and that any claims of an endorsement would be ignoring his record of "supporting Democrats to take back both chambers."
"As I said months ago, I find Platner’s Nazi tattoo and his commentary about it personally disqualifying. If it were me I’d vote for someone else in the Maine Democratic primary," he wrote. "Regardless of what happens in Maine, Democrats need to take back the Senate and I’ll keep working hard to make it happen."
Platner is viewed as the likely Democratic nominee in the Senate race after Democratic Governor Janet Mills ended her campaign last month. David Costello, a former Maryland Department of the Environment official, is running, while Democrat Andrea LaFlamme has launched a write-in campaign. But neither has put up strong showings in recent polls.
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This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 1:29 PM.