U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner walked back past claims that he was "a communist" on Sunday. (Libby Kenny/Sun Journal via AP)
"I did get in a fight with somebody and say that some rural White voters were stupid and racist," he told the outlet. "I myself am a rural White voter in eastern Maine. These are my neighbors and my friends. I actually rise to their defense often and continue to do so."
"I don’t want to be flippant about it, but I was getting in arguments on the Internet … at a part in my life when I was looking for interaction and engagement, at a time where I was feeling quite isolated and alone and very disillusioned at that point," he added. "I do not hold those feelings."
The internet posts were only one avenue of criticism Platner has faced in recent weeks. He also faced a whirlwind of backlash after photos revealed that he had a tattoo depicting the Totenkopf used by Hitler's SS paramilitary forces.
Platner has resisted calls for him to drop out of the Maine Senate race. (Daryn Slover/Portland Press Herald via AP)
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"I want to talk about my evolution as a human being," he said. "A lot of Americans also want to have hope that you can change and that you can evolve, and that we can have a society that gives grace and forgiveness to people. Because if we can’t, if we think that people are just ossified into who they are right now, and can never be something different, then what’s the point?"
"We find ourselves now in a significantly stronger position, team-wise," he said. "While we lost some people, we’ve kept almost everybody, and people that have stayed are galvanized and committed."
Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to Anders.Hagstrom@Fox.com, or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/senate-dem-candidate-who-wrote-he-became-communist-now-says-he-joking