Exclusive: Platner raises $5 million despite scandals
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Graham Platner listens to his mother, Leslie Harlow, introduce him during a town hall at the Leavitt Theater on October 22, 2025. Photo: Sophie Park/Getty Images
Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner raised $4.7 million in the final quarter of the year, his campaign exclusively told Axios.
Why it matters: The fundraising haul suggests that Platner — a Bernie Sanders-endorsed populist who came under fire for a Nazi-linked tattoo and controversial social media posts — may have weathered the storm for the time being.
The big picture: Platner is vying with Gov. Janet Mills to be the Democratic nominee against Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), who is running for her sixth term.
- Pine Tree Results, a super PAC supporting Collins, raised another $5 million in the second half of the year, Axios has learned.
- The PAC will start the year with $10 million in cash on hand, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Zoom in: Democrats view Maine as one of their top pickup opportunities, but the party is deeply divided. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has declared that Mills is the "best candidate" to defeat Collins.
- Sanders has stood by Platner, and Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) recently co-hosted a fundraiser for him. Many progressives see him as a skilled and charismatic communicator.
- News broke about Platner's tattoo and posts in mid-October, during the first few weeks of the fourth quarter. He apologized for the social media comments and covered up his tattoo, saying he didn't know it had ties to Nazis.
What they're saying: "While the political elites in both parties have tried to write this movement off as a flash in the pan, we have shown time and time again that we not only have staying power but are building a ship that will last," Platner said in a statement.
- Platner's campaign said his average donation in the fourth quarter was $25, and he received more than 182,000 contributions.
- His team did not immediately share his cash on hand, so it is unclear exactly how much he spent to bring in his funding.
By the numbers: Recent polling of the primary has been all over the map, from a nonpartisan survey showing Platner down 10 percentage points to a progressive group showing him up 20.
- Internal polling conducted on behalf of then-Senate candidate Jordan Wood, which was obtained by Axios, found Platner leading by nine percentage points on the first round of ranked-choice voting. The survey was conducted from Oct. 28 to Nov. 2.
- Platner grew his lead in the hypothetical final round. Wood later dropped out and launched a bid for the House.
The other side: In addition to Pine Tree Results, there are at least two other pro-Collins organizations that have already been spending on her behalf. Stronger America, a non-profit organization, spent nearly $6 million to bolster Collins in 2025, according to AdImpact.
- Stronger Maine, which is organized as a Super PAC, invested $250,000 on digital ads to defend Collins during the government shutdown.
What we're waiting for: The official campaigns of Collins and Mills haven't released their fourth-quarter fundraising numbers yet.
- Though Platner has held on for now, he hasn't yet been tested with negative TV ads about the controversies.
Editor's note: This article has been corrected to note Sen. Collins is running for her sixth term (not her fifth).
