During a Monday interview with CNN’s Boris Sanchez, Massachusetts Rep. Jake Auchincloss, a typically obedient Democrat, said he finds Maine’s Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner’s Nazi “tattoo and his commentary about it to be personally disqualifying. I hope Maine voters agree with me.”
Auchincloss added, “I think it would be a mistake for the Democratic Party to think that Graham Platner’s brand of the Democratic Party is what wins us durable majorities throughout this country.”
It was an extraordinary remark from a congressman whose party routinely stands behind its own, with almost no exceptions. Frankly, I didn’t think Auchincloss was capable of such candor.
Nearly as extraordinary, instead of asking Auchincloss whether he was endorsing Platner’s Republican opponent, incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, Sanchez simply ended the segment there.
Naturally, Democrats were upset by what they considered to be Auchincloss’s betrayal of the party’s broader objective: winning back the Senate majority. Despite Platner’s tattoo and the growing trove of deleted social media posts from his past that have surfaced in recent weeks, Democrats have largely circled the wagons around him.
California Democratic candidate Saikat Chakrabarti, who is running for outgoing Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi’s seat, took to Twitter to say that Auchincloss should be primaried. He wrote: “Jake Auchincloss is essentially endorsing Susan Collins in Maine. Absolutely no excuse for a Democrat in the House to back a Republican for Senate in a crucial swing seat.”
If Chakrabarti’s name sounds familiar, it’s because he cofounded Justice Democrats, the progressive political action committee that helped elect Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) to Congress in 2018. He served as her campaign manager before becoming her first chief of staff. He later left to lead New Consensus, an organization promoting the Green New Deal that he helped develop.
YouTuber Kyle Kulinski wrote on X that Auchincloss should resign from Congress: “Effectively endorsing a MAGA republican as Trump loots the treasury, starts illegal wars, builds ICE concentration camps and tanks the economy is completely unacceptable.” He urged followers to call Auchincloss’s office to let their feelings be heard.
And Democrats answered the call.
Some took aim at Auchincloss, who is Jewish, for accepting donations from AIPAC.
Others hit him for burning a Quran in 2010 and reporting it in a Facebook post.
While Auchincloss did most certainly criticize Platner, he did not endorse Collins.
Tired of the blowback from members of his own party, Auchincloss clarified his position. While he sees Platner’s Nazi tattoo as disqualifying, he is not endorsing Susan Collins, whom he called “a rubber stamp for the worst admin in history.” He hopes to see Democrats “take back both chambers.”
Auchincloss is reportedly distantly related to former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (via her mother’s second marriage) which prompted one X user to respond:
But another X user disputed this remark:
Elizabeth writes commentary for Legal Insurrection and The Washington Examiner. She is an academy fellow at The Heritage Foundation. Please follow Elizabeth on LinkedIn.
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