Millions of dollars are flowing into Maine’s 2nd Congressional District race from around the country, including from groups financed by billionaire donors who hope to influence which party wins control of the U.S. House of Representatives for the next two years.
As of Oct. 1, eleven groups, or political action committees, not affiliated with either campaign had spent about $6.8 million, including roughly $3.9 million targeting U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat from Lewiston, and $2 million targeting state Rep. Austin Theriault, R-Fort Kent.
And that’s on top of what the candidates themselves are raising and spending. Through June 30, Golden had raised nearly $4.8 million and had nearly $3.3 million on hand, while Theriault had raised nearly $1.8 million and had nearly $900,000 on hand.
Here’s a look at the top spending from outside groups based on the most recent campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.
Restoration PAC spent $2.4 million to oppose Golden using radio, TV, digital platforms and direct mail.
The conservative super PAC has raised $23.5 million to spend on this year’s elections nationwide. Nearly half of its money – $10.1 million this year – has come from Richard Uihlein, a billionaire who owns a Wisconsin-based maker of packaging and shipping supplies. The PAC had $5.9 million on hand through June 30.
Two of the group’s attack ads feature a former Democratic state representative who accuses Golden of selling out his home state by siding with President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and blaming him for inflation and taxes. Another ad accuses Golden of being a tax-and-spend politician, although he has been one of the few Democrats to resist Biden’s more ambitious spending bills.
House Majority PAC spent $1.3 million to oppose Theriault through TV and digital ads.
The Democrat-aligned super PAC has raised $142.3 million this cycle and had $109.5 million in cash through Aug. 31.
It has run at least two ads attacking Theriault, criticizing him for missing votes in the state Legislature and accusing him of intending to support cuts to Social Security and Medicaid and increase health care costs for seniors and working families. Theriault insists he will vote to protect those programs.
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spent $644,000 to oppose Theriault in digital and other media ad buys.
The official campaign arm of House Democrats has raised nearly $251 million through Aug. 31 and had $87.3 million on hand.
The PAC ran a series of ads highlighting comments Theriault made in March on WGAN News Radio about supporting a federal government shutdown by opposing a crucial spending bill to keep the government open. Theriault has said he would have pushed for a better deal.
The ads claim a federal shutdown could put at risk the U.S. Navy’s contract with Bath Iron Works and its 6,500 employees, saying Theriault put his “extreme agenda ahead of our jobs.”
Pole Position PAC has spent $575,000 mostly to oppose Golden in canvassing, direct mail and other ads.
This super PAC is locally funded, with Oxford residents Sandra and Gary Bahre donating at least $100,000 through June 30. The Bahres are also big political donors to state Senate Republicans.
Congressional Leadership Fund has spent $530,000, primarily to oppose Golden in text messaging, direct mail and digital ads.
The fund is aligned with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise’s leadership PAC, among others. The group was a major player in the unsuccessful effort to oust Golden two years ago. Through June 30, it had raised $130.9 million and had $110.9 million on hand.
The group’s first ad this cycle hits Golden on immigration, reaching back into his time as a state lawmaker to say that he supports sanctuary cities and welfare for noncitizens while saying he supports amnesty for noncitizens and opposed funding for former President Donald Trump’s border wall.
Golden supported a bipartisan bill that would have strengthened border security, but Trump helped kill the bill so he could run on the issue this fall.
National Republican Campaign Committee spent $445,000 to oppose Golden in unspecified media buys.
The official campaign arm of House Republicans has raised over $183 million this cycle and had nearly $70.8 million on hand through Aug. 31. The group said in June that it had reserved nearly $2.5 million in air time for ads in Portland, Bangor and Presque Isle.
One new ad calls Golden, a Marine combat veteran, a “turncoat” for joining calls for an assault weapons ban following the mass shooting in his hometown of Lewiston, where a gunman used an AR-style semiautomatic rifle to kill 18 people and wound 13 others at two separate locations, a bowling alley and bar.
America PAC spent $341,906 for Theriault and against Golden for digital ads, printing and canvassing and field operations.
This PAC had raised nearly $8.8 million and had just under $1 million on hand June 30, and much of its spending has been aimed at helping Trump win votes in battleground states. The Washington Post and others have reported that the PAC was set up with the help of Elon Musk, the entrepreneur and Trump supporter who is behind Tesla and SpaceX and now owns X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter.
Campaign finance records only cover activity through June 30, and reports of Musk’s involvement emerged after that. The Wall Street Journal reported in July that Musk planned to spend $45 million.
With Honor Fund II Inc. spent $250,000 in support of Golden in digital ads.
The “cross-partisan organization” supports military veterans running for public office who pledge “to put principles before politics and lead with civility, integrity, and courage, including the courage to meet with a member from an opposing party once a month and sponsor legislation with colleagues on both sides of the aisle once a year.”
Golden is one of 31 candidates – 16 Democrats and 15 Republicans – supported by the group, which has raised nearly $10.6 million through June 30 and had $4 million on hand.
National Rifle Association of America Political Victory Fund spent $100,000, split evenly in support of Theriault and opposing Golden in unspecified media ads. Through Aug. 31, the NRA had raised $9.7 million and had $13.3 million on hand.
Welcome PAC spent $33,000 to support Golden in digital ads.
This PAC supports moderate Democrats. Its website says, “We need a Democratic Party that reaches out to mainstream Americans – not just those who pass all the progressive purity tests.”
Golden is one of three incumbents getting the group’s support, along with Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp, D-Wash., and Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska.
Through Aug. 31, the group had raised $5.8 million and had $1.8 million on hand.
American Veterans Support Group PAC spent nearly $18,000 in support of Golden through phone banking.
This group supports veterans running for public office who will “fight against corruption and mismanagement (that) negatively impact our VA Hospitals and active duty military support networks.”
Golden is one of three incumbents featured on the group’s webpage, along with Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., and Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla.
Through Aug. 31, the group had raised $620,000 and had about $3,000 on hand.
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