Sen Susan Collins addresses controversies surrounding scandal-plagued Democratic challenger Platner

"I never expected to have an opponent like Graham Platner," Collins said in her first national interview since Platner's nomination. "He is very different from me. He's the antithesis of the steady leadership that I provide and Washington that has delivered real results for the state of Maine and for our nation."

Platner, a military veteran and oyster farmer, has spent much of his campaign on the defensive as multiple scandals have rocked his candidacy, including a chest tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol and abuse allegations from former girlfriends.

Platner is pushing an economically populist agenda, taking aim at corporate interests and advocating for the working class during his campaign.

"There have been numerous controversies. He often denies them only to be contradicted by others who say what he told them," Collins told Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum on "The Story."

He said he's "been open about what was a very dark period of my life where I struggled with undiagnosed PTSD, too often self-medicated with alcohol, and was a far from perfect boyfriend."

Collins, the Republican incumbent, revealed whether she believes Platner's controversies disqualify him from running.

"I would have said in a different time that any one of these would have been disqualifying for someone to be a candidate to serve our country and the state of Maine in the United States Senate, whether they were Democrat or Republican," the senator said.

During Platner's nomination acceptance speech during the primary, he accused Collins of being "just as spineless and corrupt as the establishment she now serves."

Collins argued that constituents do not want someone who engages in "angry rhetoric" representing them in Washington and said their senator should have proper "character."

"I believe that the people of Maine want steady leadership," she continued. "They want independence, and they want someone who cares deeply about the state and our country and has the character to serve."