Collins campaign says Jackson's ad partnership with the DSCC undercuts his pledge
Blake KernenSpokesperson for Collins for Senator
Collins campaign spokesperson Blake Kernen says Jackson wants credit for refusing corporate-PAC checks while sharing an ad buy with the DSCC, which accepts them.
“Troy Jackson wants credit for refusing corporate PAC checks while enjoying an advertising partnership with a committee that cashes them”
Official statement
Where this statement fits
Susan Collins says Troy Jackson's joint ads with the DSCC break his corporate-PAC pledge; Jackson says he did not approve them
Susan Collins says Troy Jackson broke his pledge to reject corporate-PAC money by running ads paid for in part by the DSCC, which takes corporate-PAC donations. Jackson said at their October 15 debate that the ads were made without his approval.
Source and context
Official statement
About this source
Collins' campaign identifies a joint advertising buy and alleges it conflicts with Jackson's pledge. The release distinguishes a national party committee's donors from checks paid directly to a candidate. Its spokesperson is Blake Kernen.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
The Collins campaign release says ad records list Women for Troy/DSCC/Jackson as the advertiser on a joint buy approved by Jackson, and that the DSCC has taken money from 198 corporate PACs and at least 28 billionaires this cycle.
After the quotation
Kernen added that Jackson's pledge comes with fine print that Mainers should read. The release says Women for Troy is a campaign committee authorized by Jackson and that its donor information was not yet available on the FEC's public summary page.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Reference point: whether the ads paid for by Women for Troy, the DSCC and Jackson's campaign break his pledge to reject corporate-PAC money. Kernen says the shared ad buy contradicts the pledge and criticizes Jackson for it. We used Condemned rather than Challenged the characterization because she faults the arrangement itself, not a description of it.
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More from this case
Read the full caseCollins says hybrid ads with the DSCC violate Jackson's promise
“They are hybrid ads with the DSCC. The DSCC has received funding from 28 billionaires and more than 190 corporate PACs. That totally violates the promise that Troy made.”Read statement
Jackson says the ads Collins cites were made without his approval
“So those ads obviously are done without my approval, just like you know very well. I mean, Elon Musk is running ads for you.”Read statement
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- Collins campaign says Jackson's ad partnership with the DSCC undercuts his pledge
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The Dispute Index. "Collins campaign says Jackson's ad partnership with the DSCC undercuts his pledge". First published: 2026-10-18. Last updated: 2026-10-18. https://disputeindex.com/events/5950-collins-campaign-spokesperson-blake-kernen-says-jackson-wants