Scandal-plagued democratic socialist Graham Platner\u2019s continued controversies have led his former primary rival to speak out and remind Mainers that she remains on the ballot despite having suspended her campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Platner has been hit with one controversy after another, though he remains the heavy favorite heading into next Tuesday\u2019s primary contest, as his only active opponent, David Costello, has failed to gain traction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But Maine Gov. Janet Mills, who suspended her campaign for Senate earlier this year, dropped a potential bombshell in comments to a Lewiston Sun-Journal columnist by suggesting Democrats could still vote for her in their effort to unseat 30-year incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, New England\u2019s last remaining federal Republican officeholder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“People have the impression that I withdrew or dropped out,” Mills said, according to columnist Steve Collins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I simply suspended active campaigning. I am still on the ballot,” said Mills \u2014 an outspoken Trump critic who got publicly reprimanded by the president during a White House lunch earlier this year over the subject of biological men in girls\u2019 sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While fundraising struggles were cited in Maine media reports as a key reason Mills paused her campaign, Platner has charged ahead through one controversy after another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His “Totenkopf” chest tattoo \u2014 one used by German Nazi concentration camp guards \u2014 has been the controversy most frequently cited by Republicans, while his campaign also became embroiled in a separate controversy when a consultant asked Massachusetts-based sports media personality David Portnoy to collaborate on an anti-private-equity campaign against the Boston Red Sox front office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Portnoy balked at the suggestion, citing his Jewish faith and Platner\u2019s Nazi tattoo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Platner also defended himself after a Reddit post resurfaced in which he called former Pennsylvania lieutenant gubernatorial candidate Teddy Daniels a “dumb motherf—-er” for being badly wounded in a Taliban siege, blaming “poor marksmanship” by the Afghan terrorists for the Republican\u2019s survival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Otherwise dormant since April 30, Mills\u2019 campaign X account sprang back to life June 1 with a post commemorating Pride Month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Everyone deserves the freedom to live authentically and marry who they love without fear. I\u2019m proud to stand with the LGBTQ+ community, today and every day,” Mills said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, Steve Collins wrote in the column containing Mills\u2019 comments that an increasing number of female independent and Democratic voters in Maine are troubled by Platner\u2019s scandals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He wrote that their collective umbrage is “more likely to kill [Platner\u2019s] campaign\u2026 than greedy millionaires.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Susan Collins\u2019 counterpart in the Senate is registered Independent Sen. Angus King Jr., who caucuses with Democrats and reliably votes with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n