Defending Main Street’s susan collins super PAC ad mixup sent an anti-Troy Jackson ad to Portland, Oregon instead of Portland, Maine. The group spent thousands of dollars on the spot, which said, “Maine can’t afford Troy Jackson and all his taxes.”
The ad was shown more than 1 million times in Portland, Oregon, even though that city is more than 3,000 miles and three time zones away from Portland, Maine. Troy Jackson is challenging incumbent GOP Sen. Susan Collins, and the buy surfaced after an X user reported seeing multiple anti-Jackson ads in Portland, Oregon.
Andy O’Brien on Portland
Andy O’Brien, a political operative who supports Jackson, said, “We have billionaires with no connection to Maine spending millions of dollars to buy Susan Collins the election, so it’s pretty hilarious to see them throwing money at the wrong Portland.” He added, “It’s clear these people don’t know anything about Maine, because they’re directing their ads to the wrong Portland.”
He also said, “I’m glad they’re wasting their money in Oregon and not continuing to waste it in Maine.” His comments put the mistake in plain terms: the ad money reached viewers in Portland, Oregon, not the Maine race the spot was meant to influence.
Republican Main Street Partnership
Defending Main Street is affiliated with Republican Main Street Partnership, which counts Susan Collins among its nine members in the Senate. The group describes itself as supporting the governing wing of the Republican Party, yet this ad against a Maine candidate landed in the wrong Portland.
Graham Platner dropped out amid allegations of sexual assault, and Jackson stepped in to replace him. That left the ad buy aimed at a candidate who had just entered the race, while the distribution error sent the message far from Maine voters and into Oregon instead.
The public question now is simple: why did the ad buy target Portland, Oregon instead of Portland, Maine? The factual answer on the record is narrower still — thousands of dollars were spent, more than 1 million impressions went to the wrong city, and the campaign spot meant for Maine’s Senate race was aimed at the wrong audience.
