Pro-Susan Collins super PAC launches website of 'red flags' on Graham Platner
A super PAC targeting Platner launched a website highlighting his past online comments and tattoo.

SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYCredibility rates Centralmaine.com, which carries this article. The other scores rate the article itself. Centralmaine.com's published outlet score.
Credibility rates Centralmaine.com, which carries this article. The other scores rate the article itself. Centralmaine.com's published outlet score.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article uses attributed campaign statements, advertising-spending figures, a named polling firm and polling results, while distinguishing old disclosures from new developments. It offers useful campaign context, though it does not include a response from the super PAC or much detail about the poll’s methodology.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article explains the attack, gives Platner’s campaign response, and supplies context about the age of the disclosures and the race’s polling. It does not include a direct response from the super PAC or much detail about the poll’s methodology.
- Counterarguments presented — Platner’s campaign rejects the ads’ framing, and the article notes the disclosures were largely already public.
- Source diversity — Includes campaign statements, an ad-tracking firm and polling results, but no direct super PAC response.
- Loaded language — Most critical language is attributed to the ad or campaign manager rather than adopted as the article’s voice.
- Omitted context — The poll’s methodology and the super PAC’s own explanation are not presented.
The article reports the super PAC’s attacks and the campaign’s response in attributed terms, and includes both unfavorable information about Platner and context limiting the novelty of the disclosures. Its language does not show a discernible partisan lean.
- Language tone — Mostly descriptive language; charged phrases are attributed to the ad or campaign manager.
- Source selection — Includes both the attack campaign’s claims and Platner’s campaign response, alongside polling and spending data.
- Framing — Frames the story around the launch of an attack website and its place in the Senate race.
- Omission — The article does not quote the super PAC, but does describe its ad and supporters.
Republished
Republished from Portland Press Herald. ChamberLight matched this page's text to Portland Press Herald's article.
158 stories · 77.6–78.4 · updated Oct 13, 2026
This is Portland Press Herald's own score, and this article is credited to Portland Press Herald. The host score in the Source Check is Centralmaine.com's.
Republished by Lewiston Sun Journal
A super PAC supporting Susan Collins is spending another $2 million on ads targeting Senate candidate Graham Platner and launched a website highlighting his past comments and tattoo. The article reports Platner’s campaign response and the race’s polling and advertising context.
Pine Tree Results, a super PAC backing Collins’ reelection bid, released an attack ad directing viewers to a website about Platner’s past online comments and a tattoo that resembled a Nazi image. The article says the group had spent $4 million attacking him since Janet Mills suspended her campaign, and that many of the comments had been public since last fall. Platner has apologized for many of the comments and said he did not recognize the tattoo’s resemblance until last fall; his former political director disputed his account of the tattoo.
Platner’s campaign dismissed the ads as a sign of desperation and pointed to his volunteer support. An independent poll released Wednesday put Platner seven points ahead of Collins, while also finding his net favorability had fallen nine points since March. The article also describes Mills’ earlier warnings about Platner’s past remarks and David Costello’s presence on the Democratic primary ballot.
Community verdict
10 VOTESCounts every outlet’s report of this story. See all 31
- Readers of left-leaning coverage: not enough votes yet
- Readers of right-leaning coverage: 25% good look
Votes cast on this page
Votes cast on this page: ▲ 0 · ◆ 0 · ▼ 0
People in this story
SWIPE →Senator and candidate whose reelection bid is backed by the super PAC
Democratic Senate candidate on the primary ballot
Former Senate candidate who suspended her campaign
Part of a bigger story
15 OUTLETSGraham Platner, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Maine, is facing renewed scrutiny after Reddit posts attributed to him resurfaced, including a post about a wounded soldier. The posts have drawn criticism during his campaign. Center outlets place the posts within the campaign’s political fallout, including ad efforts and responses from political leaders. Right-leaning outlets focus more on the insulting remarks and condemn Platner, often stressing criticism from Republicans.
- ARTICLES
- 31
- OUTLETS
- 15
- AVG CRED
- 51
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