Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders defended a New England Senate hopeful mired in controversy over old Reddit posts and a tattoo that looks suspiciously like a Nazi symbol.

Sanders lauded Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner and said he looked “forward to him becoming the next senator in the state of Maine.”

“There’s a young man who served his country in Afghanistan and Iraq, and he went through some really difficult experiences seeing friends of his killed or whatever, and in spite of all of that he had the courage to run,” Sanders shared in a statement. ““I personally think he is an excellent candidate. I’m going to support him.”

Sanders’ support comes during a roller-coaster week for the upstart Democrat. CNN made hay out of years-old Reddit posts from Platner that critici

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