Republican super PAC Defending Main Street mistakenly spent $25,909 running digital attack ads against Maine Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson in Portland, Oregon, garnering over 1.25 million impressions. Ad buyer Cross Screen Media accepted full blame and issued a complete refund. Jackson's campaign mocked the mix-up as Senator Susan Collins faces a highly competitive reelection effort, with recent polling showing a close race that holds major implications for U.S. Senate control.
Misdirected ad campaign and vendor response
- ▪Defending Main Street Chief Financial Officer Sarah Chamberlain stated that vendor Cross Screen Media pulled the Oregon digital campaign and launched a new ad campaign targeting Troy Jackson in Maine
- ▪Media vendor Cross Screen Media, a subsidiary of 1903 Group, accepted full responsibility for placing Defending Main Street PAC's anti-Jackson ads in Oregon and refunded $25,909.61 to Defending Main Street PAC
- ▪The Defending Main Street PAC's mistargeted digital ads against Maine Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson received over 1.25 million impressions in Oregon and over 300,000 in Washington state between October 8 and October 11, 2026
- ▪Republican super PAC Defending Main Street mistakenly ran digital attack ads targeting Maine Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson in the Portland, Oregon media market instead of Portland, Maine
Polling in the Maine Senate race
- ▪Maine Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson led incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins 51% to 47% in an October 1–4, 2026 Marist University poll, while a YouGov/CBS News poll showed them tied at 50%
- ▪A Washington Post/George Mason University poll of likely voters conducted September 30 to October 5, 2026, showed Maine Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson leading Republican Senator Susan Collins 50% to 46%
Stakes for control of the Senate
- ▪Democrats need a net gain of four seats to secure a Senate majority in the 2026 midterms, with Maine and North Carolina viewed as top pickup opportunities against incumbent Republicans
- ▪Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the United States Senate, making the Maine Senate race a critical toss-up for control of the chamber during the 2026 midterm elections
Troy Jackson pushback against Republican attacks
- ▪Troy Jackson campaign spokesperson Dan Gottlieb criticized Republican Senator Susan Collins and her allies following the ad error that mistakenly placed attack ads in Portland, Oregon, stating they are out of touch and cannot find Maine on a map
- ▪Maine Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson countered Republican tax attacks by stating he supports tax increases only on wealthy individuals and large corporations
National political figures in Maine race
- ▪Donald Trump floated the idea of visiting Maine ahead of the 2026 midterm elections in remarks to reporters
- ▪Maine Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson received political support in October 2026 through an endorsement from former President Barack Obama and a joint campaign appearance with Senator Bernie Sanders
Debatable claims
- ▪Digital advertising platforms should require geographic verification for political ad buys
- ▪Tax increases on corporations and high earners harm overall economic growth
- ▪Super PACs bear primary responsibility for advertising errors committed by their contractors
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