Susan Collins's Allies Spend $25,000 on Wrong Ad Target
A super PAC backing Collins mistakenly ran an ad against Troy Jackson in Portland, Oregon, instead of Portland, Maine, reaching hundreds of zip codes across the wrong states
Susan Collins's allies spent nearly $25,000 on a digital ad attacking her rival Troy Jackson, but it was mistakenly run in Portland, Oregon, instead of Portland, Maine. The ad, titled 'So Many Taxes', was intended to target voters in Maine, where Collins is defending her Senate seat against Jackson.
Defending Main Street, the super PAC backing Collins, spent the funds on digital placements for the ad, which ran in hundreds of zip codes across Oregon and Washington State from October 8 to October 11. However, the same ad also aired on broadcast TV in Portland, Maine, reaching about 675,000 impressions over the same four days.
The mistake was discovered when an Oregon user reported seeing five anti-Jackson ads in one day, prompting speculation that the PAC had mixed up the two Portlands. The targeting was fixed by Monday afternoon, but not before the ad had reached a significant number of people in the wrong states.
The error comes as Collins and Jackson clashed in their third Maine Senate debate, with just three weeks until Election Day. The debate saw the two candidates spar on several topics, including Collins's votes on the Iran war and their differing views on how to address cost of living issues.
## Why it matters The mistake highlights the challenges of targeted advertising in politics, where small errors can have significant consequences. With Election Day looming, every dollar spent on advertising counts, and mistakes like this can be costly for campaigns. The incident also underscores the importance of careful planning and execution in political advertising, where the stakes are high and the margins can be small.
The debate and the ad campaign are part of a closely watched Senate race, in which Collins is seeking to defend her seat against Jackson. Collins has served as one of Maine's senators since 1997 and is seen as a moderate Republican voice in the state. The outcome of the election will have significant implications for the balance of power in the Senate and the future of Maine's representation in Washington.
