Oct. 22 – Outside groups spent $2.9 million on House and Senate races as of Oct. 16. The bulk of that spending, $1.8 million, will go to Senate races, while the remaining $1.1 million will go to House races.
Here’s a look at the 10 largest spending groups.
DEMOCRAT-ORIENTED:
The State Democratic Party Committee has spent $875,000, including nearly $673,000 on Senate races and $202,000 on House races. The committee’s latest round of digital ads and mailers tout Democrats as protectors of reproductive freedoms and abortion. They have also promoted the party’s efforts to expand access to affordable health care and improve public education.
Maine Conservation Voters Action Fund, an environmental advocacy group, has spent more than $193,000, including $115,000 on House races and $78,000 on Senate races. The group’s ads promote Democratic candidates as protectors of drinking water and the environment from perennial chemicals.
Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund has spent $80,000, mostly on mailers, in 37 House races. Planned Parenthood, which provides reproductive health care services, has been at the forefront of efforts to expand access to abortion and protect health care workers who provide these services, as well as gender-affirming care.
Maine Labor Climate PAC, which supports clean energy and strong labor standards, has spent $50,000 on two Senate races, including more than $28,000 on direct mail and $22,000 on digital ads. The PAC is controlled by the Maine AFL-CIO, a state federation of more than 200 local unions representing more than 42,000 working men, women and retirees across the state.
Strong Maine Communities, a leadership PAC controlled by Rep. Marc Malon, D-Biddeford, has spent $24,000 on direct mail to boost independent candidates running against Republicans in four House races.
REPUBLICAN AFFILIATED:
Maine Senate Republicans have spent $425,000 on consulting, staffing, mailers and digital ads in 12 Senate races. Recent digital ads accuse Democrats of raising property taxes on seniors by eliminating the seniors’ property tax stabilization program. But ending the program and strengthening existing property tax relief programs, such as the property tax fairness credit, was done with bipartisan support because the senior tax stabilization program was not sustainable and did not target people who need it to have. They also attack Democrats for high energy costs.
Renew the American Dream, a PAC controlled by Dale Crafts, a Republican who ran unsuccessfully against Rep. Jared Golden, running in the 2nd Congressional District, has spent $310,000 on mailers, text messages and efforts to vote for Republicans in the House of Representatives and Senate races. The bulk of that spending — $254,000 — went on ads attacking Democratic candidates.
Dinner Table Action, a leadership PAC affiliated with Laurel Libby, has spent $253,300 on mailers, voter contact services and digital ads supporting Republicans in nine House races. One mailer emphasizes the themes of fiscal responsibility, “traditional Maine values” of personal responsibility and hard work, and accessible health care through the free market and reduced regulation, rather than government programs.
House Republican Fund has spent $202,000 on mailers and digital ads in 26 House races, including 15 seats they are trying to take from Democrats and independents, seven of which have incumbents seeking re-election.
Bright Future Maine, a leadership PAC controlled by retiring Republican Sen. Lisa Keim, has spent $40,000 on digital ads in three Senate races, including two seats in the Augusta area where there is no incumbent candidate seeking re-election. One digital ad uses a humorous approach to blame Democrats for high energy prices, showing a woman who says she charges her phone with static electricity, eats by candlelight and uses her grandmother’s hair rollers. Other ads promote Republicans.
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