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Belmont Stakes 2026 at Saratoga Race Course: Best bets, exotics, 'Pick 5' for the Grade 1 stakes races
This will be the final of three consecutive years that the Belmont Stakes will run at the mecca of horse racing: the Saratoga Race Course.
Traditionally held at Belmont Park, the third jewel of horse racing’s Triple Crown has been held in Saratoga during Belmont's renovations and will return to its original home next year.
As you probably already know, we won’t get a Triple Crown winner. Golden Tempo, the winner of the 2026 Kentucky Derby and third-betting choice in the Belmont Stakes, didn’t run in the Preakness Stakes. Also, Napoleon Solo, the winner of the Preakness, is skipping the Belmont.
Regardless, because it's Saratoga and one of the five biggest horse racing days of the year, I'm going to the window for five Grade 1 stakes races on Belmont Stakes Day 2026. Here is my Pick 5 and best bets for Races 9-13.
#1 Governor Sam (12-1 morning-line odds)
I’m taking a shot with #1 Governor Sam (12-1) because I like his morning-line odds, given this is a sprint, and he has fast "early speed" and runs out of the No. 1 post. Meaning he should be able to get inside quickly, and maybe he can hold on in this one-turn race.
Also, Governor Sam has two wins and a second in three career starts in Saratoga, and four wins, one second and one third in seven races at 5.5 furlongs, which is today's distance. Lastly, he’s gone off as the betting favorite in 10 of his 14 career races, including three times against graded company.
#8 Twenty Six Black (12-1)
The Horacio De Paz trainee is appealing for similar reasons. He has two wins, three seconds and one third in seven career races at The Spa, and two wins, three seconds and one third in six outings at 5.5 furlongs.
Furthermore, Twenty Six Black ran two 100-Beyer speed figure races in Saratoga last year, which would be fast enough to win the Jaipur.
#5 Solitude Dude (6-1)
His 97 Beyer speed figure is tied for the fourth-fastest race in this field with the second-betting choice #7 Englishman (3-1), behind the betting favorite, #6 Crude Velocity (9-5), who ran two 100 Beyers.
Hence, Solitude Dude shouldn’t be double the price as Englishman. Before this race, Solitude Dude’s longest price was $3.60 at the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth, where he finished third by 2.25 lengths behind two contenders in the Belmont Stakes.
But the Fountain of Youth was a two-turn race, and the Woody Stephens is a sprint. Solitude Dude is 4-0 in his four sprints and 2-0 at seven furlongs. Lastly, he has back-to-back blazing-fast workouts in Saratoga heading into the Woody Stephens.
#7 Journalism (5-2)
While Journalism’s third at the Grade 2 Oaklawn in his 2026 debut was disappointing, there’s no shame in losing to White Abarrio and Sovereignty. The former was the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic champion, and the latter won the 2025 Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes.
Journalism has run a Beyer of 101+ in five races in a row and eight of his last nine, all against graded company. He was the betting favorite for all three Triple Crown races last year. Journalism has the fastest "late speed" in this field, and his neighbor, #6 Knightsbridge, has the fastest "early speed".
Essentially, my handicap is that Journalism can draft Knightsbridge around the course and outkick the rest of the field on the closing stretch.
#5 Deterministic (7-2)
His jockey, Kendrick Carmouche, is popular and profitable in Saratoga during the summer meets, and Deterministic has won four straight races since Carmouche started riding him last year.
Those races included the Grade 1 Fort Marcy this year and last, and the 2025 Grade 1 Four Star Dave and the 2025 Manhattan, both at Saratoga. So, Deterministic is a horse for the course coming in with excellent form.
#7 Commandment (6-1)
I’m a little sketched out that Commandment is getting another jockey change for a fourth straight race. Otherwise, I love his 6-1 morning-line odds for several reasons.
First, Commandment went off at roughly the same price in the 2026 Kentucky Derby, which had a deeper field. Second, he was the betting favorite in the first four of his six career races and the second-betting favorite in the other.
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Third, the Brad Cox trainee had a four-race winning streak entering the Derby, including the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth and Grade 1 Florida Derby, where he beat the second-betting choice for the Belmont, #3 Chief Wallabe (3-1).
Fourth, Commandment’s 101 Beyer speed figure in the Fountain of Youth is the fastest in this field and his 100 Beyer in the Florida Derby is tied for second. So, at his best, Commandment is the fastest horse in this race and is tied for the fourth-best price in a nine-horse field.
#4 Renegade (2-1)
If I weren’t philosophically opposed to betting this short of a favorite at Saratoga, the "Graveyard of Champions," then I’d take Renegade here.
I’ve heard many horse handicappers who are way sharper than me say that Renegade ran the best race at the Kentucky Derby but got the "worst trip".
After all, he ran out of the No. 1 post at the Derby and there have only been eight horses to win from the No. 1 post since 1930, and the last horse was Ferdinand 40 years ago. But Renegade is the rightful favorite in the Belmont, and has hit the board in all six starts: Two wins, three seconds and one third.
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His jockey, Irad Ortiz Jr., is one of the winningest jockeys every year during Saratoga’s summer meet. However, because of his price, I’m only using Renegade in my trifecta and Pick 5.
#9 Golden Tempo (9-2)
Lining up on the outside and having the slowest "early pace" in this field will allow Golden Tempo to run his race. Remember, he came from out of nowhere to win the Derby and Golden Tempo could get a similar trip in the Belmont.
Or at least that’s my working theory. He is tied for the fastest "late speed" in this race with Renegade, the first-betting choice, and can sneak into the trifecta at the wire.
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Follow me on X @Geoffery-Clark, and check out my OutKick Bets Podcast for more betting content and random rants.
Auburn student Weston Higginbotham found dead in Japan after weeklong search, mom confirms
The family of James "Weston" Higginbotham, a 20-year-old Auburn University student who vanished during a family vacation in Japan in late May, confirmed Saturday that he has been found dead.
In a statement on Facebook Saturday morning, Higginbotham's mother, Nancy, revealed that her son's body was discovered by a volunteer search-and-rescue group in a mountainous area outside of Kyoto.
"Our family is heartbroken," Nancy Higginbotham wrote in the post. "... The grief we feel is impossible to put into words."
The family expressed their deep gratitude to the people across the U.S., Japan and the globe who offered prayers and assisted in the search efforts.
"The outpouring of kindness and support has carried us through the darkest days of our lives," she said, pleading for privacy as the family begins to navigate the loss.
"We are forever grateful for the time we had with our sweet, precious Weston, but cannot begin to understand what life without him will be like," his mother wrote. "… Thank you for your thoughts, prayers and support. We will need them now more than ever. We will always love you, Weston."
The update comes after a massive, multinational search.
The 20-year-old hiker was last seen May 29 near Yamashina Station, just east of Kyoto, after being separated from his parents following family "bickering," Fox News Digital previously reported.
His parents were able to track him near a river and boarding a train via the Life360 app before his phone location suddenly went dark.
The family had previously held out hope that he would be found alive, telling Fox News Digital earlier in the week that he knew how to forage and was "built to endure."
Fox News Digital's Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.
SI Swimsuit model Carol Alt was 'on the verge of death' before dramatic health turnaround
Carol Alt was quietly battling debilitating health issues that left her so drained and weak that the model was convinced she was "on the verge of death."
Alt, one of the most recognizable faces of the 1980s, made her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit debut in 1981 and landed the cover just a year later. She was featured in the outlet six times between 1981 and 1989. Despite gracing the pages of numerous magazines, including Vogue, the star was dealing with a range of physical challenges.
"I had issues my whole life," Alt told fellow Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model and friend Kim Alexis, host of the "Unexpired" podcast. "I had allergies as a kid. I would rupture my stomach coughing. Everything made me cough."
CHRISTIE BRINKLEY SHARES HER TOP BEAUTY TIP AND SECRET TO FITNESS IN HER SEVENTIES
"... I had been praying," she later recalled. "I said, 'I don't feel good.' I was doing a job. I didn't look good. I literally escaped from the job, and it had my name on it. ... Everybody looked better than me. Everybody was feeling better than me, projecting better than me. And I went back to L.A. really depressed, and I just started praying. I was like, 'Something's happening. Let me know what it is. Whatever it is, whatever you need me to do, tell me.'"
At the height of her modeling career, Alt was running on empty. She often subsisted on poor nutrition and restrictive eating habits. The constant exhaustion she felt didn't fade; it only intensified over time.
She also struggled with frequent headaches and sinus problems that left her feeling fatigued. Getting by on little sleep during her constant travels, she fueled herself with coffee, sugar and processed foods, leaving her with digestive issues.
It was her friend Steve Cantor who suggested Alt consult Dr. Timothy Brantley, whom she described as a major proponent of the raw food diet.
WATCH: SI SWIMSUIT MODEL CAROL ALT SAYS CHRISTIE BRINKLEY INSPIRED HER BOLD LOOK
The raw food diet focuses on foods that are uncooked and unprocessed, or heated only to relatively low temperatures. Proponents argue that cooking can destroy certain nutrients and natural enzymes found in food. Supporters say the diet can boost energy, improve digestion and promote overall wellness.
Health experts generally note that nutrition needs vary from person to person and that no single eating plan works for everyone.
"I'm rolling my eyes," Alt told Alexis. "I pretended to take down his number, and then I hung up. ... A little voice inside of me said, 'Hey, you've tried everything. You've been asking for help, and now you throw this away.' Fortunately, it was a really easy number to remember. So I called."
When Alt told Brantley about her diet, he laughed, she said.
"I was allergic to Irish, whatever they put in the Irish rye or barley, whatever it was," Alt said. "I was allergic to it. So I went to Scotch. But people have to remember that we were traveling all the time. We never knew what time zone we were in.
"I would wake up in the morning on my days off, and I would have a Scotch coffee and whipped cream," Alt said. "And when I was working, believe it or not, I would have pizza bread and cappuccino. That would be my breakfast. That was Italy. In France, I'd have a cappuccino and a coffee. And the doctor was like, 'It's the same thing, the sugar and caffeine.'"
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"... I really had to dig myself out of a very big hole because, first of all, I was addicted to coffee," she shared. "Second of all, I wanted my Scotch in the morning. I loved my whipped cream. I really had to get myself back on track again and completely swing from this way to that way. Timothy took me through it. When I started with Timothy, I couldn't even go without something to eat every couple of hours."
In 1996, at age 35, Alt completely changed her approach to eating. She's never looked back. Alt said the changes didn't happen overnight, but she eventually noticed significant improvements in her energy levels and overall health. The model said she no longer felt constantly exhausted and began feeling stronger and more capable of keeping up with the demands of her career.
Brantley encouraged Alt to eliminate heavily processed foods and focus on raw fruits, vegetables and other minimally processed ingredients.
"There was no question," she told Alexis. "For me, there was no turning back. And believe me, I've sat at dinners with renal doctors who were taking me through the coals because I was some stupid model. But hey, you know what? I rebuilt my body. I was on the verge of death, and I'm back. So you can't knock me off my pedestal. I'm going to be an orator on this. I'm going to be screaming this from the mountaintops."
"... I remember my father dying, saying to me, 'You know, Carol Ann, I should have known something was wrong when I didn't want to go to work,'" she reflected. "And here I was hiding. I'm like, 'There's something wrong. Whatever it is, [God], you've given me a little bit of celebrity. I know I could use it for good. Please let me know.'"
Over the years, Alt has written several books on how natural, unprocessed foods can be used to improve overall health, energy levels and aging.
"... I think it was more just trying to get people to understand that processed food has so many chemicals, so many preservatives, has so many hidden fats, cooked oils and really bad things. You could have things that were the same, tasted just as good and were just as gratifying that were healthy."
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When asked how she hopes to be remembered, Alt didn't hesitate, saying, "That I was an inspiration and helped people to live better lives, to eat better and to live better."
"When you eat better, you feel better," she said. "When you feel better, you're nicer to people. That's really what it's about for me. ... I really want people to be happy, and it's so hard to be happy these days. It really is unless you're at peace with yourself. I find a lot of people just aren't. ... We're not all perfect. We're not all able to do what other people do, but look at your attributes and be happy and joyous in that. Bring that forth to the world because the universe will conspire to find use for you."
In 2023, Alt told Fox News Digital she would have done some things differently as a model.
WATCH: '80S SUPERMODEL CAROL ALT ON AGING, HOW NOT TO BREAK DOWN LIKE ‘AN OLD CAR’
"I wish when I was 18, 19 years old and somebody said to me, ‘You should eat your vegetables raw,'" she said at the time.
"I suffered through my modeling career because I was always tired, I was always malnourished. I was always trying to keep my weight down. I didn't eat, and when I ate, I ate garbage because I really did not know what to eat," she continued.
"I didn't know what to eat in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, how much, and what would keep my energy going, and there were so many times I suffered," Alt noted.
Alt said that if she had changed how she ate earlier, her modeling career would have been "immensely" different.
"I just had no energy left to be cool and groovy," she said.
Victor Wembanyama, well over 7 feet tall, gets away with hard foul after getting boxed out by Jose Alvarado
It was a rough first half for Victor Wembanyama on Friday night.
The San Antonio Spurs' alien-like phenom scored just seven points in the first 24 minutes of Game 2 of the NBA Finals, and despite making up ground in the second half, it was not enough as the New York Knicks took a 2-0 series lead.
The referees sure seemed tilted toward San Antonio throughout the night, and one moment in the second quarter helped the public's case.
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With San Antonio up 37-32, Dylan Harper drove toward the hoop but missed a contested shot, and the ball was up for grabs. With Wembanyama, listed at 7-foot-4, on the floor, it should surprise nobody if he ever got an offensive rebound.
However, he was boxed out by Knicks guard Jose Alvarado, whose minutes come sparingly.
Alvarado might have gotten away with some hard contact when initiating the box out, but Wembanyama may have just gotten away with a flagrant foul after wrapping both of his arms near Alvarado's neck and tossing him like a rag doll. Wembanyama then asked for a whistle on Alvarado but never got one.
Wembanyama was also ejected for the first time for a flagrant foul in the Western Conference Finals.
KNICKS SURVIVE TO TAKE 2-0 NBA FINALS LEAD AFTER JALEN BRUNSON'S CLUTCH SHOT SINKS SPURS
Wembanyama scored 22 points in the second half, turning it up in the fourth quarter, but it was all for naught after a costly turnover. After a rebound with less than 15 seconds left, Wembanyama threw a pass to a teammate who was not looking, and it hit his back. Jalen Brunson was able to pick up the ball, draw a foul and knock down a free throw.
The Frenchman had the ball in his hands for the potential game-winning basket but missed, giving the Knicks an exhilarating 105-104 victory.
No team has ever won an NBA Finals after losing both of the first two games at home, although it is a small sample size - only the 1993 Phoenix Suns and 1995 Orlando Magic did the same.
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Benjamin Hall tackles grueling One World Trade Center climb on prosthetic legs to honor fallen heroes
Fox News' Benjamin Hall is preparing to conquer more than 2,000 steps to the top of One World Trade Center on Sunday, climbing alongside the very doctor who saved Hall's life when he was critically wounded in Ukraine.
Speaking on "Fox & Friends Weekend," Hall and military trauma surgeon Dr. Joe Alderete explained why they're taking on the challenge for the 10th annual Tunnel to Towers Tower Climb.
"If I have to crawl to get to the very top, I will crawl to get to the top because we need to show that we're there alongside all these people," Hall said Saturday.
On Sunday, Hall will climb to the top of One World Trade Center in New York City to raise money for Gold Star families and the families of fallen first responders. Hall will make the climb, which is more than 2,000 steps and 104 stories, on prosthetic legs to send the message to others facing difficult circumstances that they can keep going.
A SEASON OF HOPE: T2T'S GIFT OF INDEPENDENCE AND DIGNITY FOR INJURED HEROES
"If I can climb to the top of the skyscraper on prosthetic legs, then maybe that sends a message to anyone else who's gone through something difficult," Hall said. "It doesn't matter if you've been hurt. You pick yourself up, and you can keep climbing."
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In March 2022, while covering the war in Ukraine, Hall and his crew were hit by Russian missiles outside Kyiv while traveling in a car. Fox News photojournalist Pierre Zakrzewski and Ukrainian journalist Oleksandra Kuvshynova were killed in the attack.
Hall was left fighting for his life and required amputations on both legs.
Dr. Alderete described Hall after the attack, saying he was different from other severely injured patients he's seen.
"Ben had a different look in his eyes that really told Colonel Jennifer Gurney and I, fellow trauma surgeon, that this is somebody who's not [going to] be broken," Alderete said, adding, "So it doesn't surprise me that we're here today."
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The Tunnel to Towers event honors the lives and sacrifices of those killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The foundation was created in honor of Stephen Siller, an off-duty firefighter who sacrificed his life to save others at the Twin Towers.
The climb takes place just months ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Hall and Dr. Alderete will join 1,250 participants who are taking on the challenge to support the organization's mission to provide mortgage-free homes to families of fallen heroes.
"My injuries don't matter. It doesn't matter how injured I was. I got back to my family. But these people did not," Hall said. "And so we're raising money for the families of those who did not come home, and so we should all be part of their growing family now."
Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals will continue to see the offenses pepper goalies with shots
If you have stopped paying attention to hockey, or just don't enjoy watching it, you are missing out. Hockey has been fantastic in the postseason, as it always is. And the Stanley Cup Final has given us two great games already.
I hope this one goes the distance as we have two solid teams duking it out for the Cup.
The Carolina Hurricanes were almost down 0-2, and then it was almost like a light switch was flipped on for the team. The Hurricanes were scoreless going into the third period. They went 50 minutes of the game before they started lighting the lamps. Then, when they finally broke through, they turned the home stadium into a frenzy.
The team put together three unanswered goals, turning a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead. In overtime, the team capitalized once again on a power play and put the puck in the net to even the series 1-1.
It is worth noting that the Hurricanes did a good job of keeping the Golden Knights in a good spot to be able to steal the game. It wasn't pretty, giving up goals in both of the periods, but the defense came through. Frederik Andersen also did his part. Sure, he gave up a late goal, but this was a better performance than in Game 1.
The Vegas Golden Knights probably will kick themselves about this game if they do lose the Final. This is one they were in full control of for the majority of the game. The third period turned out to be a disaster. Outside of five minutes in the game, you probably could make a strong case that the Golden Knights were the clear best team in the game. They also had a goal waved off, and that obviously would've changed the course of the game.
To their credit, even without the goal issue, they still found a way to tie up the game late. The problem ended up being the power play goals they allowed. It was a tie-breaking goal both times, and in overtime, it was a game-winning goal. What made matters worse in this situation was that because of the goalie interference call that waved off their goal, it allowed that power play to happen. It was essentially a two-goal swing.
For Game 3, the series now shifts to Las Vegas. The Golden Knights at home this season are 20-12-9. In the postseason, they've gone 6-2. The Hurricanes haven't lost a game on the road in the postseason. They also haven't looked like quite as dominant of a team in these first two games of the series.
Tonight, I think the best look is over 5.5 goals. The first two games have seen nine and seven goals, respectively. Even with the series shifting over to Vegas, I think the teams' offenses will keep rolling. In Game 1, the offenses were clearly in control. In Game 2, even if we take out the two power play goals, there were five in the net, and one additional waved off. I like the over once again.
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For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024
Test your pop culture: From Hollywood to the Heartland
The Pop Culture Quiz is your weekly test of what’s making headlines and breaking the Internet, from the Heartland to Hollywood.
This week’s quiz spotlights hard launches and Hollywood revelations.
Can you get all 5 questions right?
For more Entertainment articles, visit www.foxnews.com/entertainment
To try your hand at more quizzes from Fox News Digital, click here.
Federal agents arrest anti-ICE agitators during chaotic Delaney Hall confrontations caught on video
Shocking video captured the moments at least two anti-ICE agitators were arrested outside Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey, Friday, during riotous confrontations.
The chaotic scene unfolded Friday night as a caravan of cars rushed out of the immigrant detention center while agitators blocked them.
Cars pushed through the crowd, hitting at least one person as agitators continued banging, kicking and blocking government vehicles.
Agitators could be heard shouting, "Let's go coward," "F--- you," "Are you proud of yourself a------" and "quit your f------ job."
An agent directly addressed one agitator, saying, "What did you say? You're going to kill me?" before appearing to detain the person.
ICE agents were attempting to push crowds back to remove barricades that would allow cars to pass through.
At least two people were seen on video being detained by authorities.
Witnesses confirmed pepper spray was deployed during the incident.
The night of violence followed a decision Thursday by Newark Mayor Ras Baraka to remove law enforcement resources from outside Delaney Hall, beginning Friday.
"ICE increased its presence and engaged protesters in ways that escalated tensions and led to unnecessary confrontation," Baraka wrote in a statement. "It is not the responsibility of the Newark Police Division to secure a private facility. We have made clear to the GEO Group, who has its own private security firm, that securing their facility is their responsibility, not the City’s. Our intention was never to protect Delaney Hall or HSI but to bring calm."
The mayor went on to call it "a clear contradiction" to remain outside the facility.
"We will not continue to spend resources and tax dollars in an already strapped budget to safeguard a privately-owned facility, especially when it places our officers at unnecessary risk," he said. "Nor will we ask our officers to engage in practices that contradict our values of fairness, restraint and respect for human rights."
Just over a year ago, in May 2025, Baraka was arrested himself for allegedly storming Delaney Hall alongside New Jersey lawmakers LaMonica McIver, Bonnie Watson Coleman and Rob Menendez.
Baraka was handcuffed, detained for five hours and formally charged with trespassing.
Baraka's attorneys at the time maintained that the mayor was exercising his First Amendment rights and "acted throughout with calm, restraint and dignity in a law-abiding manner."
The federal trespassing charge was later dismissed by U.S. Attorney Alina Habba, who was nominated by President Donald Trump.
Despite the arrest, Baraka was reelected by constituents last month, winning more than 50% of the vote.
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
AI vs human war has already begun, as robot kicks child in martial arts demonstration in China
Most of my time as a writer is spent bemoaning the current state of college football or breaking down obscure scenes from "The Sopranos" that no one has thought about for 20 years, but occasionally I like to stray from my lanes and venture into some weird territory.
One vertical I have found myself occupying fairly frequently as of late is the artificial intelligence debate and whether we are all doomed to an eternity of servitude under our robot overlords.
Yes, much like the guy standing on the corner brandishing the "End Is Near" sign, I have tried my best to warn you all that AI is coming for us all in the end, and earlier this week I received a much-needed piece of validation from China.
A robot adorned with a clown wig was putting on quite the martial arts demonstration at a popular tourist destination in Xinjiang, when a young onlooker almost became an unwilling victim of the upcoming war between humans and AI.
CHINESE ROBOT'S KUNG FU MOVES WILL MAKE YOUR JAW DROP
First and foremost, as was first reported by Shanghai Daily, the child was not seriously injured, so if your first instinct was to fear retribution for laughing at the visual of a humanoid robot doing a Rex-Kwan-Do routine in a clown wig and rocking some little kid in the chest, then worry not.
He's fine!
I also love the immediate reaction from Jack-AI Chan after making hard contact with the kid's diaphragm.
APOCALYPSE NOW? WHY THE MEDIA ARE SUDDENLY FREAKING OUT ABOUT AI
It looks like a toddler that just got caught with its hand in the cookie jar, standing perfectly still before realizing what it had done and taking a few steps back before a nervous little dance.
I thought that sequence looked familiar, because it's basically what my two-year-old son does every time he knows he did something wrong.
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In fairness to RoboClown, that kid was standing directly in the path of its kicks.
Someone probably should have grabbed that kid before he went home with a mechanical footprint stamped onto his rib cage, but all's well that ends well, I suppose.
Just remember this video 50 years from now when you're teaching your underground history class to a young team of resistance fighters during the AI Wars.
When someone asks who fired the first shots of the conflict, show them the video their history books omitted, and Godspeed to all of you who never say "please" and "thank you" in your ChatGPT prompts.
Platner supporter Khanna calls Senate hopeful's past relationships 'toxic,' but says he deserves 'redemption'
BAR HARBOR, Maine - Graham Platner's past relationships were "toxic and volatile," Rep. Ro Khanna of California says of the Senate Democratic candidate aiming to unseat longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in one of this year's most crucial ballot box showdowns.
But Khanna, a progressive leader from California who along with Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont is backing Platner, argued in a Fox News Digital interview on Friday night that Platner is "taking accountability" for his past and "we need that redemption in this country."
Platner, the military combat veteran and oyster farmer who is considered the Democrats' presumptive nominee ahead of Tuesday's primary in Maine, has been playing defense amid multiple controversies, ranging from inflammatory online comments made on Reddit, a well-publicized and now-covered up tattoo on his chest that resembled a Nazi symbol, to new allegations this week from ex-girlfriends of a history of rape fantasies, heavy drinking and violent episodes.
The candidate is arguably facing the roughest stretch to date of his campaign against Collins, in a race that is one of a handful across the country which will decide if the Republicans hold on to their slim Senate majority in this year's midterm elections.
THE TEN RACES THAT WILL DETERMINE THE SENATE'S MAJORITY
Collins, returning to Maine on Friday after a busy week on Capitol Hill where she reached a milestone by casting her 10,000th consecutive vote in the Senate, was asked by reporters about the latest allegations facing Platner.
"The allegations in the latest story are troubling," Collins responded. "And I believe that Graham Platner has a lot of questions to answer."
Collins, a moderate Republican who at times votes against President Donald Trump's agenda, is running for a sixth six-year term in the Senate in left-leaning Maine.
DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB
Speaking with Fox News Digital ahead of a rally with Platner, progressive gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson and congressional contender Matt Dunlap, which was organized by Khanna, the congressman was asked if he was concerned the latest allegations could sink Platner's campaign and hurt Democrats' hopes of winning back the Senate.
"I’m more concerned about making it clear that we’re opposed to misogyny, those relationships were toxic and volatile, there’s no excuse for that," Khanna said. "I talked to Graham and he says he was at a very dark period, he had come back from two tours of duty in Iraq as an infantry man seeing violence and death. That doesn’t excuse it."
But Khanna added that Platner said "he really grew as a person when he came back to Maine and he was an oyster farmer and he found peace and he is ashamed of that period. To me that suggests someone taking accountability and improving their lives and we need that redemption in this country. And I agree with a lot of his economic policies, that we should be taxing the billionaires, we should be focusing on the working class."
After Christine Blasey Ford accused then-Supreme Court justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault in 2018, Khanna tweeted, "I stand with Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. Brett Kavanaugh is not fit to sit on the Supreme Court. #BelieveSurvivors."
Back on home turf on Friday, the rally was held in this resort town next to Acadia National Park that is close to Platner's hometown of Sullivan, Maine, the candidate thanked a large crowd of supporters for having his back and charged the incoming fire he's facing is "politically motivated."
"When hurtful things I said on the internet a decade ago came out into the public as I shared my personal journey through PTSD and darkness of recovery and accountability and growth. Maine had my back," Platner said at a rally. "Now, as every single piece of that past and journey gets dug up, litigated, and weaponized, you have my back. And when politically motivated, serious and false, false accusations are made against me. Maine, you have my back."
Platner, who has acknowledged his battle with post-traumatic stress disorder from his multiple tours of duty in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, apologized for his controversial Reddit posts after they made headlines last fall soon after he launched his Senate campaign.
And Platner has said he got the skull and crossbones tattoo in 2007 while drinking with fellow Marines stationed in Croatia. He said that he covered up the tattoo with a new design after learning last year that it resembled a Nazi symbol. But new allegations raise questions about Platner's timeline regarding knowledge of the tattoo.
‘HE HATED WOMEN’: EXPLOSIVE ABUSE, NEW NAZI TATTOO ALLEGATIONS FROM EXES ROCK PLATNER'S CAMPAIGN
Platner is facing plenty of incoming political fire from Republican groups. A super PAC aligned with Collins has been blasting Platner, running ads spotlighting his multiple controversies.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), in a social media post following Friday night's rally, took aim at Platner, charging he's "a fraud"
"He's preaching about living a small but decent life growing up in Maine. The truth? Graham Platner is an elitist whose parents sent him to boarding school in Connecticut and bought him a house," the NRSC wrote.
And the Republican National Committee (RNC) also targeted Platner.
"Graham Platner says his violent and erratic past is being "weaponized" against him. Platner said he would rape someone to show his dominance and "rape was about power," the RNC research team wrote on X, as it pointed to new allegations against the candidate.
Platner, as he runs for the Senate, is pushing an economically populist agenda as he takes aim at corporate influences and advocates for the working class.
"I agree with a lot of his economic policies, that we should be taxing the billionaires, we should be focusing on the working class," Khanna told Fox News Digital.
Platner is considered the all-but-certain Democratic nominee after two-term Gov. Janet Mills, who was backed by longtime Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer and the Democratic Party establishment, dropped out of the race earlier this spring after significantly trailing Platner in fundraising and polling.
Mills, in a recent interview, noted that her name remains on the ballot. And a source in her wider political orbit confirmed to Fox News that the governor is receiving calls urging her to get back in the race amid Platner's controversies. But there's no active campaign effort on behalf of Mills.
Asked about Mills, Khanna told Fox News Digital: "the great thing about democracy, you can run full steam ahead, you can kind of run ambiguously like Janet Mills, you can keep your name on that campaign. That's why I love American democracy."
But he predicted that "Platner is going to come out victorious. And we need to unite and realize that the goal is defeating Susan Collins. And everyone from Schumer to Sanders is unified around that goal.
Platner's campaign said that more than 600 people attended the rally. And they touted that they had raked in $200,000 in fundraising the past 24 hours, which they said was their strongest fundraising day since Mills suspended her campaign.
WATCH: Maine residents weigh in on Platner amid mounting controversies:
Maine voters that Fox News Digital spoke with ahead of the rally were divided on whether Platner's controversies will impact their opinions of the candidate.
Jeff from Waterboro, Maine, said, "it's not a good situation" as he pointed to Platner. "I think it's somebody who shouldn't' be in the mix. I am a conservative but he's just got so much damage, if the Democrats want to have a winner, they're going to have to find somebody else. He's not the guy. It's just too much."
Ellen from Acton, Maine, who said she is a registered Republican, said, "is he a perfect person? Heck no."
But she added, "I think he will go in and do a good job."