WASHINGTON — How did they nazi this coming?
Top Democrats and prominent lefties are grappling with credibility concerns over their embrace of alleged predator Graham Platner in his Maine Senate bid, despite glaring warning signs.
For months, ultra-progressives and Dems who wanted to placate the base stood by Platner as scandal after scandal broke against him — downplaying the Nazi tattoo, the offensive Reddit posts, the alleged cheating on his wife, and even the abuse accusations that emerged against him last month.
But on Monday, his supporters finally breaking point after ex-girlfriend Jenny Racicot went public with rape accusations against him revolving around an alleged home intrusion roughly five years ago.
Platner denies the claims and is currently debating whether the heed the call of his former supporters and drop out.
Here’s a look at some of the most dramatic reversals.
Elizabeth Warren: ‘My kind of man’
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) threw her weight behind Platner, praising him during a rally in April, proclaiming he was “my kind of man.”
She added: “Because that is a man who not only has the values, but a man who believes in accountability. And we need a little accountability coming out of Washington right now.”
She continued to back him through the end of June and dismiss his scandals, telling WCVB-TV: “He is not proud of who he was, and he has taken responsibility.”
Platner reportedly privately assured her last month that he didn’t have any more skeletons in his closet. After the rape accusations emerged on Monday, Warren finally dropped him.
“Now more than ever, we need leaders in Washington who reflect our values. There can be no tolerance for sexual assault,” she said in a statement calling on him to step aside.
Ro Khanna: ‘Some dumb thing he said’
Perhaps Platner’s most notorious backer throughout the scandal cascade was Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who publicly admonished the “establishment” for being uneasy about the lecherous oyster farmer.
“One of the things that drives me crazy is our inability to stand by progressive Democrats, or Democrats for that matter, because of some dumb thing or inaccurate thing they may have said in their past,” Khanna told “Breaking Points” last month.
Khanna also blasted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer as “very weak” for not wanting to back Platner.
Right after the bombshell New York Times piece broke detailing accusations that Platner was abusive towards Lyndsey Fifield and toxic towards other past dates, Khanna stood by him, flying out to Maine the very next day to stump with Platner.
Bafflingly, Khanna insisted that “I do believe those women” — despite standing by Platner’s denials.
Then, on Monday, after the rape accusations dropped, Khanna declared that he “should drop out of the race. I am withdrawing my endorsement.”
Bernie Sanders: ‘Nobody’s perfect’
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) was one of Platner’s earliest backers, endorsing him in August of last year, shortly after the oyster farmer launched his campaign.
After the first abuse accusations emerged, Sanders stood by Platner and complained to reporters that the billionaires are “spending so much money trying to defeat this guy” because “he’s going to stand up to the oligarchs.”
While defending Platner, Sanders stressed that “there are no saints in the United States Senate” and that “nobody is perfect.”
On Tuesday, some 21 hours after the rape accusations emerged, Sanders relented and pulled his support for Platner, urging him to step aside.
Ruben Gallego: ‘Authentic man’
Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) backed Platner, touting him as “an authentic man.” Gallego was the second senator to endorse the oyster farmer.
“He’s not anti-semitic,” the possible 2028 presidential contender told the Bulwark. “And, more importantly, we need to win elections.”
On Monday, Gallego reversed course, saying: “The allegations against Graham Platner are troubling and deeply serious. I am rescinding my endorsement.”
Chris Van Hollen: ‘went through a really rough period’
Another progressive darling who has seen his standing with the far left rise over recent years, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), defended Platner over various controversies, including the Nazi tattoo and Reddit comments. suggesting women who get raped while drunk should claiming he “went through a really rough period.”
“We are going to win Maine and Graham Platner is the candidate in that race who is fighting for working people,” he said in June.
He also defended Platner’s Nazi tattoo, saying in April “he went through a really rough period.”
Van Hollen finally reversed course on Monday, saying: “These allegations are serious and cannot be ignored. Graham Platner should step aside.”
New York Sens. Chuck Schumer & Kirsten Gillibrand: ‘Maine will elect Graham Platner’
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) had both backed Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) in the primary, but were coy about Platner after it became clear he would win the primary.
Following his victory, they declared that in “November, Maine voters will elect Graham Platner and we will win a Senate majority.”
But on Monday, they called the rape accusations. against him “unacceptable” and declared that the “DSCC will not invest in the Maine Senate race if Platner remains on the ballot.”
Cory Booker: ‘My God we need the Senate’
New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) similarly tried to avoid enthusiastically backing Platner and avoid alienating the party’s most liberal voters.
However, he seemed to dismissed the allegations against Maine Dem by claiming the necessity of winning in November outweighed all other concerns.
“He has a lot of issues but my God we need the Senate,” Booker told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” last month.
Booker then called for Platner to step aside after the rape accusations surfaced.
‘Could’ve sexted my mom’
Lefty YouTuber Kyle Kulinski made waves in late May, declaring that he’d stand by Platner even if he sexted “my mom.” But even he appeared to have limits.
In a snarky YouTube post about the rape accusations, Kulinski conceded that Platner was likely to drop out while fuming against Republicans for using the scandal against Dems.
Naomi Klein: ‘extraordinary political communicator’
Progressive author Naomi Klein, a Canadian, gushed over Platner in March, hailing him as an “extraordinary political communicator” and saying that she has “rarely heard better.” On Tuesday, she gave a mea culpa.
“I truly f—ed up not doing my due diligence on Platner before offering high praise for his communication skills,” she posted on X.
“Enough was out there at the time that I should have been more cautious. Especially because I met adventurer dudes like him while reporting in Iraq.
“Deep respect to all who got it right.”
Sunny Hostin: ‘I’d hold my nose and vote for Platner’
“The View” host Sunny backed Platner after the first abuse and infidelity scandals emerged, despite claiming that she still believed morals matter.
“I am sorry. I am someone that believes in character, I am someone that believes that morals matter, but because of the state of this country, if I lived in Maine and I would hold my nose then I’d vote for Platner,” she said on air.
Weeks later, she declared that he “should step down” and claimed the country was in an “existential crisis.”
Mehdi Hasan: ‘bad-faith right-wing smear campaign’
Former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan backed the oyster farmer during the scandals, claiming there was a “massive bad faith right wing smear campaign going on against Platner.”
Hasan also went after alleged Platner victim, Lyndsey Fifield, claiming she was a bigot.
After the rape accusations against Platner dropped, Hasan began reposting X posts attacking President Trump over the history of allegations he faced.
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