Augusta, Maine - Maine's incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins reportedly dropped about $100 million on a massive attack ad campaign targeting Democratic candidate Graham Platner.
The latest projection from AdImpact estimates that the 2026 general election cycle for Maine will end up costing a total of around $500 million, with the Collins-Platner race costing $384 million alone.
This massive expenditure is a $185 million boost to what the state spent on its last electoral cycle, in 2020. Overall, the latest figures make Maine the fourth most expensive Senate race this year.
About $150 million has already been spent on political advertisements. Of that amount, two-thirds – or about $100 million – has been spent by the Collins campaign alone.
On average, political ads are increasingly expensive, with a 30-second spot in Portland generally costing about $314 in 2026.
"From record-setting races and surging party committee war chests to a competitive landscape that continues to expand, all indicators point to 2026 being the most expensive political advertising cycle in history," AdImpact reported.
"Their plan: Spend $300 million to buy Susan Collins a sixth term," Platner wrote on X in response to the report. "My plan: Defeat them, then ban billionaires from buying elections."
Collins' massive spending boost comes after Platner secured the Democratic nomination for the Senate in Maine last week, winning over 70% of the state's primary vote.
Anthony Emerson, a political writer based in Maine, reported that pro-Collins ads had appeared in "every single ad break" during the World Cup and Stanley Finals Cup games.
"Sure doesn't seem like Republicans think they have it in the bag," wrote journalist Zaid Jilani in response to Collins' ad spend.