ECU Announces $1 Million Ad Buy to Flip Maine Senate Seat

End Citizens United (ECU), a leading national anti-corruption organization, today announced a $1 million ad buy to support Troy Jackson’s campaign for U.S. Senate in Maine. Jackson is one of over 290 Senate and House candidates across the country that joined ECU’s Unrig Washington program, committing to reject corporate PAC money, support a ban on congressional stock trading, and work to get dark money out of elections.

“Susan Collins says one thing in Maine and does another in Washington, and we want to make sure voters see through her charade,” End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller said. “Collins is one of the most corrupt politicians in Washington and chooses her corporate donors over Mainers every chance she gets. Troy Jackson will stand up for working people and fight against the status quo in Washington that has led to higher costs for Americans. We’re proud to do our part to flip this seat.”

The $1 million ad buy is ECU’s largest expenditure for one race since the 2022 cycle. In addition, ECU has contributed and raised over $2.1 million directly for candidates so far this cycle.

In April, ECU named Senator Susan Collins to its 2026 Most Corrupt Politicians List, and she received a failing F grade on ECU’s Anti-Corruption Scorecard this year. Over her career, she has taken a stunning total of $8.5 million in corporate PAC money — the most of any politician in Maine history. She owns one of the most lucrative stock portfolios in Congress while working to block a full ban on congressional stock trading, opposes a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United, and opposes commonsense reforms to increase donor transparency. She has also used her position to deliver tax loopholes for private equity firms after being their top recipient of campaign donations for her 2020 campaign.

Troy Jackson, on the other hand, served for 20 years in the Maine State Legislature, including six years as Senate President, fighting every day to lower costs and create opportunity for working families across the state. His Senate platform focuses on ending the outsized influence of billionaires and corporations in politics. He has joined over 290 Democratic congressional candidates on ECU’s Unrig Washington program by committing to reject corporate PAC money, support a ban on congressional stock trading, and work to get dark money out of elections. Learn more here.

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For 11 years, End Citizens United (ECU) has been dedicated to combating the two biggest challenges facing our democracy: the corrosive impact of Big Money in politics and attempts to block access to the ballot box. Since its founding in 2015, ECU has had over 1.4 million donors with an average donation of just $14. The group has more than four million members nationwide and is one of the nation’s leading anti-corruption organizations.