Democratic Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner insists controversies over his past online remarks and a tattoo that resembled a Nazi symbol have only “strengthened” his insurgent campaign to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins in next year’s midterm elections.

The progressive oysterman says he’s seeing bigger and more enthusiastic crowds for his insurgent bid since he admitted past mistakes.

“It is amusing for me to watch the campaign described in the media as collapsing or falling apart when internally, we frankly have not felt this strong since the beginning,” Platner told NBC News. “It hasn’t sunk my campaign. In fact it seems, in many ways, it’s strengthened us.”

Platner is vying with Gov. Janet Mills in a Democratic primary to take on Collins, 72, who is expected to seek a

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