Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner appeared on MSNBC Thursday night, denying he physically harmed an ex-girlfriend and vowing to remain in Maine's primary race just five days before voting begins. The interview followed a New York Times report detailing allegations from three women who dated him after his military service, including claims of heavy drinking and volatile behavior.

Lyndsey Fifield, a Virginia conservative who dated Platner from 2013 to 2015, told the Times he repeatedly grabbed her shoulders, once twisted her arm behind her back, shoved her into a bedroom and held the door shut. Two other women, including Maine Democrat Jenny Racicot, described his conduct as "unsettling" and "reckless," with Racicot saying he "does not respect women."

A separate controversy involves a chest tattoo resembling a Nazi Totenkopf symbol. Fifield provided screenshots showing she messaged friends about the "actual Nazi symbol" in August — months before Platner acknowledged its significance. He denies prior knowledge, saying he would not have exposed it at a family wedding attended by Jewish relatives had he known, and has since covered the tattoo.

The race is considered critical to Democratic hopes of retaking the Senate majority in the midterms. Platner acknowledged a "dark period" of self-medicating with alcohol after combat service but called violence allegations "simply not true."