Platner's campaign manager steps down amid controversies

Democratic Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner’s campaign manager confirmed to The Hill on Monday that he's leaving his post. 

The development comes as Platner faces backlash over a series of controversies that have surfaced over the past week, but campaign manager Kevin Brown said in a statement that his decision was due to expecting a baby. 

“Graham is a dear friend. I started this campaign Tuesday but found out Friday we have a baby on the way,” Brown said. “Graham deserves someone who is 100% in on his race and we want to lean into this new experience as a family so it was best we step back sooner than later so Graham can get the Manager he deserves.”

Axios was the first outlet to report on Brown’s exit from the campaign. 

Platner has been on the defense over a number of scandals, including the revelation that he had a tattoo of a Nazi symbol on his chest, which he has covered up in the past week, along with numerous controversial statements he made in the past on Reddit. He has addressed the controversies and has apologized. 

Platner is seen as the favorite of progressive populists, most notably Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), as Democrats gear up to take on incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) in the general next year. The party’s establishment has lined up behind Gov. Janet Mills (D) in the primary.

It’s unclear what kind of impact the scandal will have on his support in the primary. 

A University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll conducted prior to the fallout found Platner leading Mills with 58 percent support to her 24 percent among Maine Democratic primary voters. Another 14 percent said they were undecided, and 2 percent said they would back other candidates. 

However, a SoCal Strategies poll released after the controversies broke showed Mills leading Platner 41 percent to 36 percent.