GOP Super PAC’s Ads Mistakenly Land in Portland, Oregon, Not Maine
A super PAC backing Republicans said a media vendor accidentally spent about $25,000 on digital ads in Portland, Oregon, instead of Portland, Maine. The ads attacked Troy Jackson, a Democratic Senate candidate in Maine who is trying to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins. The vendor stopped the misplaced campaign, moved the ads to the correct market, and refunded the spending.
The misdirected buy was valued at roughly $25,000 and ran for about a week in Oregon's Portland market. The ad criticized Troy Jackson's state Senate record on tax increases, including votes for higher sales, gas, property and income taxes. The Intercept first reported the mix-up, and Oregon viewers discussed it online during the weekend.
Defending Main Street, a Republican-supporting super PAC, said its vendor 1903 Group made the mistake. The vendor's Cross Screen Media unit accepted responsibility, halted the Oregon campaign, shifted the ads to Maine's Portland market, and refunded the misplaced spending. A Jackson campaign spokesperson used the error to criticize Collins's allies as unfamiliar with Maine.
The misplaced ad buy may briefly draw national attention to a Maine Senate race, giving Oregon voters an unexpected look at another state's politics. It could also heighten scrutiny of digital ad vendors and how campaigns verify geographic targeting, affecting donors and consultants. For Maine voters, the mistake may become a talking point about local knowledge, though its lasting electoral impact is likely limited.