Maine’s Susan Collins-Graham Platner race expected to draw nearly $400M in ads

Maine’s U.S. Senate race between five-term incumbent Susan Collins and Democratic nominee Graham Platner is expected to surpass $384 million in ad spending alone, according to AdImpact’s latest projections. This figure nearly doubles previous estimates and would make the race the fourth-most expensive Senate contest in the country, trailing only Texas, Michigan, and Georgia. Over $150 million in ads have already been booked through Election Day, with $100 million attributed to Collins-aligned groups. The spending surge follows a contentious primary season and recent controversies involving Platner, who secured the Democratic nomination after facing criticism. Democrats, who outspent Republicans in Maine’s 2020 Senate race, are expected to ramp up their ad campaigns as they seek to regain control of Congress from Republicans. AdImpact projects a total of $11.6 billion in national ad spending for the 2026 election cycle, up from $11.2 billion in 2023-2024, driven by post-*Citizens United* fundraising trends. Costs for political ads in Maine have risen sharply, with a 30-second spot in Portland now averaging $314 for candidates and nearly $1,600 for issue groups, up from $250 and $490 in 2020, respectively. Stations are required to offer candidates their lowest rates, but issue groups—dominating airtime—face escalating prices. Platner, who defeated Governor Janet Mills in the Democratic primary, has positioned himself as a challenger to Washington’s power structure while raising significant funds. Collins’ campaign has countered with ads highlighting her record on federal investments and Platner’s past controversies, including a Nazi-linked tattoo. The race is part of a broader trend of record political spending, with Maine’s Senate contest serving as a microcosm of the 2026 election’s financial intensity.