I think everybody, regardless of political affiliation, is getting fed up with the dark money ads in Maine’s U.S. Senate race. Most of the spending on these ads are coming from the pro-Collins side, which is vastly outspending Democratic candidate Troy Jackson.
Elon Musk, private equity billionaires and Palantir are attempting to buy Sen. Susan Collins a sixth term in the Senate by spreading lies, half-truths and distortions of Troy Jackson’s record. Here are the facts behind some of those ads flooding the airwaves and filling our mailboxes.
Collins: Taking far more money from Maine than she has brought in
In spite of her claims, Collins has taken way more money from Maine than she has brought in.
Her vote to advance the Trump federal budget will cost Maine $4.125 billion over the next 10 years; and by allowing DOGE to gut federal funding to Maine, she cost us another $530 million. That’s $4.7 billion dollars.
Here’s the breakdown:
The Trump federal budget cost us $325 in clean energy investments, which caused hundreds of job losses in Maine. On the energy consumption side, ratepayers will have to pay $80 million more per year for electricity.
Nationally, the Trump budget cut billions in funding for health care, nutrition assistance, and clean energy investments, and took $1 trillion in tax revenue that could have been spent on those and other programs – to give back to super-rich people in the form of tax cuts. in tax cuts to the ultra-rich.
The Trump budget really hit us on health care – with 31,000 Mainers losing health care coverage, a $2.7 billion loss in Medicaid (MaineCare) funding for hospitals, and at least four Maine hospitals facing risk of closure, including Calais Community Hospital, Cary Medical Center in Caribou, Maine Coast Memorial Hospital in Ellsworth and Aroostook Medical Center in Presque Isle.
Susan Collins claims her Rural Health Transformational Program (RHTP) offsets these cuts. But it’s a band-aid on the gaping wound she helped make. It’s projected to deliver just $950 million (not billion) for Maine – because states can spend only 15% of this program’s money on direct provider payments (previously covered by Medicaid). That means Maine can replace only $142,5 million of the $2.7 billion it loses in Medicaid funding.
Jackson: Actually a reasonable human being trying to do right by Mainers
Now, for the far more numerous negative Jackson ads. Contrary to what far-Right PACs have been making sure you see absolutely everywhere.
On property taxes: This is complicated, but in 2013 Jackson voted (with a strong majority of legislators from both parties) to override Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of the biennial budget, which prevented property tax increases (paid for by revenue sharing cuts and taking away property tax relief.)
Then, in 2023, Troy and a bipartisan majority of the Maine Senate voted to pass a budget that replaced a temporary freeze on property tax increases for older Mainers with a property tax fairness credit. The old property tax freeze was not a good policy because it included everyone (even millionaires). The new budget instead expanded programs that allow people over 65 to stop paying their property taxes until they die, move or sell their home. It also increased property tax fairness credits for older people.
On other taxes: In 2009, Jackson voted for a Democratic tax overhaul that would have cut taxes for 90% of Maine residents, according to state estimates. Mainers would have paid $55 million less in taxes. The bill lowered the top income tax rate and flattened tax brackets, while expanding previously untaxed tourism-related activities and raising the meals and lodging tax. Sales tax increases were offset by a tax credit for working-class Mainers.
On electricity prices: Collins has attacked Jackson for voting against a bill that would have eliminated a rooftop solar program in Maine – and slightly lowered electricity costs, according to the Public Advocate. But let’s be real. Solar isn’t why electricity costs are so high. Electricity prices are rising because of volatile natural gas prices (due to global conflicts, increasing domestic exports, extreme weather caused by climate change and rising infrastructure and operating costs); expensive storm recovery efforts; an aging power grid in need of upgrades; and, of course, CMP rate hikes.
On gun safety: Jackson once opposed further gun restrictions because he comes from a rural district with high gun ownership. Like many lawmakers, Jackson changed his position after the Lewiston mass shooting in 2023 that killed 18 people.
On funding Maine Maritime Academy: Jackson was one of 10 co-sponsors of a bipartisan bill that would have provided $13.4 million for Maine Maritime Academy because it faced a funding disparity relative to Maine colleges and other state maritime academies. The legislation passed the Senate unanimously, but it didn’t become law.
Jackson’s son Chace worked for a lobbying firm whose clients included the Maine Gun Safety Coalition, which supports gun safety laws. Chace didn’t receive $200,000 from anyone. The firm he worked for received money from various clients. According to Politifact, while he “had a relationship” with Maine Maritime Academy, state finance disclosures don’t show the college was a client of his.
On travel expenses: Republicans have really tried to find a problem with Jackson’s travel reimbursements. But they haven’t. Jackson had a home in Augusta for a few years, but he frequently went back and forth to his home in Allagash, 300 miles away. In 2013, after he hit a moose, the Bangor Daily News reported he routinely travels between “35,000 and 40,000 miles a year on legislative business.” The ads take advantage of the fact that most ordinary people don’t know how legislative reimbursements work (why should they?)
On sex offenders: Contrary (again) to claims by far-Right PACs, Jackson’s vote for LD 385, “An Act To Ensure a Uniform Comprehensive State Policy Regarding Residency Restrictions for Sex Offenders,” in 2009, actually replaced the patchwork of municipal residency restrictions for sex offenders with one uniform state law. It’s a sensible law that makes enforcement simpler.
The bipartisan Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee voted 11-1, to advance the bill, with every single Republican supporting it, including some very Conservative members like retired state trooper David Burns of Whiting.
The same committee voted 10-2 not to advance the LD 326, “An Act To Impose Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Certain Sexual Offenses,” which sought to establish mandatory minimum 10-year prison sentences for child sex offenders and minimum 20-year sentences for second offenses. They did this because a comprehensive list of recommendations was coming down the road a couple of months later. This bill would have cost $350,000 and would have only addressed one of numerous issues around sexual abuse that the committee wanted to make recommendations on. It just didn’t make sense in that moment.
For those who have made it this far, congratulations. Here’s my takeaway: Take everything you see, hear or read from pro-Collins PACs (remember: Elon Musk, private equity billionaires and Palantir) with a very, very large grain of salt.
The views and opinions expressed in this column are Andy O’Brien’s and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of any organization or business he is employed by. For more of his writing, check out his Substack here!
Daily Updates