Collins-Aligned Super PAC Ad Runs in Wrong Portland

A super PAC supporting Sen. Susan Collins spent between $20,000 and $25,000 on a campaign ad that ran in Portland, Oregon, instead of Portland, Maine, according to Google Ad Transparency Center data. The 30-second spot attacked Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson over taxes and was intended for the Maine race. The ad appeared in Oregon from October 8 through October 11, the data showed. It was delivered across hundreds of ZIP codes in Oregon and Washington, according to one report based on the same data. Other reports said it ran more than 1 million times, with one putting the total above 1.25 million. Defending Main Street, the group behind the ad, is aligned with Collins. The placement error was attributed to Cross Screen Media, the company that bought the ad. A company spokesperson acknowledged the mistake and said Cross Screen Media had refunded the money to the super PAC. That reimbursement was reported by the company but was not independently documented in the available information. Defending Main Street president Sarah Chamberlain said she was furious about the error and said the Oregon ad had been taken down and the ad was running in Portland, Maine.