In a viral video that has shocked the nation, Maine senate candidate Graham Platner can be seen chanting “I hate puppies” at the Devil’s Horn, a satanic strip club in Sullivan, Maine.
“I deeply regret my actions,” Mr. Platner, a Democrat running against Senator Susan Collins, a Republican, stated at a press conference. “At the same time, I also reject the media weaponization of my actions. The road to redemption is long—and often involves thinking, saying, or doing things that must be disavowed or denied. Which is exactly what I am doing.”
Originally posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, the video is the latest source of controversy for Mr. Platner, who has been accused of sporting a Nazi-linked tattoo (which he has since had covered) and allegedly behaving in an “unsettling” manner toward past romantic partners (as detailed in a New York Times investigation). The pileup of scandals has alarmed Senate Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
“Graham Platner’s patronization of the Devil’s Horn and his derogatory statements about puppies are unacceptable,” Mr. Schumer said in a statement published on his MySpace page. “As Democrats, we must work to defeat Susan Collins and condemn Graham. The time has come for our party to seriously reflect on this issue, both briefly and momentarily.”
While some Democratic lawmakers have echoed Mr. Schumer’s sentiments, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont says he is backing Mr. Platner, despite deep reservations about the candidate’s behavior.
“No American should be expressing animosity toward puppies in a strip club, especially a satanic one,” Mr. Sanders said in an interview with MS NOW. “That said, Graham is still our best shot to beat Susan Collins. And frankly, I’m more of a cat person.”
Along with many Democrats, Mr. Sanders has raised concerns about the objectivity of the source behind the video: Senator Collins, who personally posted it on X. “Let me be clear: My party affiliation played no role in my decision to post the video,” Ms. Collins told Fox News. “We must not let puppies become a partisan issue.”
Despite conservatives hailing Ms. Collins as “courageous,” some political operatives have accused her of hypocrisy, given that she voted to confirm Kristi Noem, the former secretary of homeland security and notorious canine murderer.
“Obviously, I’m not the biggest Graham Platner fan,” barked Gareth, an eight-year-old Pembroke Welsh Corgi who recently founded a super PAC called EPCC (Elect Pro-Canine Candidates). “But Mr. Platner’s words pale next to the barbaric actions of Kristi Noem. And, for that matter, her enabler, Susan Collins.”
He added, “At the end of the day, I trust my fellow dogs to vote their conscience. It’s the humans I worry about.”
