Maine Senate Race Draws Nearly $218M in TV Ads, About $160 Per Person
Maine's U.S. Senate race is seeing the heaviest advertising barrage in the country. Data from the ad-tracking firm AdImpact through October 28 show nearly $218 million in television and radio advertising booked for the general election. An analysis by USA Today combining AdImpact and Census data found Maine has the highest per-person TV ad spending of any competitive Senate race, about $160 per person — compared with about $74 in Iowa, $42 in Ohio and $14 in Texas.
Republican Senator Susan Collins is seeking a sixth term against Democratic nominee Troy Jackson, a former state Senate president. Collins is the only Republican senator running for reelection in a state Donald Trump lost in 2024. Ads supporting Collins total $126.1 million, while those backing Jackson total $89.7 million.
Peter Howe, a Maine AFL-CIO volunteer canvassing for Jackson, said voters across the political spectrum are complaining about the volume of ads. The 2026 midterms are on pace to be the most expensive election cycle in U.S. history. Election Day is November 3.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：MaineStateHouse1。Albany NY of English Wikipedia 摄，CC BY-SA 3.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: MaineStateHouse1. By Albany NY of English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
