Former Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway sparked criticism on social media after comments she made during a Fox News appearance regarding Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner.

Conway argued that Democratic candidates should publicly distance themselves from Platner, who has faced controversy over reports that he sent sexually explicit messages to other women while married and over a Nazi-related tattoo from his military service.

During the discussion with host Sean Hannity, Conway compared the situation to the pressure Republicans historically faced to denounce former Ku Klux Klan leader and former Louisiana politician David Duke.Conway stated that Republicans were often expected to reject any association with Duke regardless of whether they had any personal connection to him.

She then called on Democratic Senate candidates to similarly distance themselves from Platner and suggested that he should withdraw from politics and focus on his family.Her remarks quickly drew reactions from political commentators, journalists, and former Republican figures online.

Critics focused on her characterization of Republicans' past denunciations of Duke, with some suggesting that her comments implied such disavowals were made reluctantly.Former Representative Adam Kinzinger, journalist John Harwood, journalist Jay Bookman, and others mocked or criticized the comparison.Several commentators also argued that the situations involving Duke and Platner were not directly comparable.

The controversy revived discussion about the Republican Party's historical connections to Duke, including scrutiny that Donald Trump faced during his 2016 presidential campaign over delayed responses to questions about Duke's endorsement.The debate largely centered on Conway's framing of those events and whether her comparison was appropriate.