Right here’s how a lot political advert spending Maine might even see by means of 2024
AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine will seemingly see greater than $100 million in political advert spending from this 12 months by means of the 2024 election cycle, a nationwide advert monitoring agency mentioned.
That won’t high the state’s whole over the last presidential election cycle in 2020, when the U.S. Senate race during which U.S. Sen. Susan Collins held off Democrat Sara Gideon alone shattered state information because of greater than $200 million in spending.
However Maine’s projected $102 million in spending for the 2023 and 2024 cycle will contribute to an anticipated nationwide whole of $10.2 billion, which might be the most costly political cycle of all time nationally, based on an AdImpact report launched this week.
A breakdown of projected spending by political race and medium was not instantly accessible for Maine, though the main race right here figures to be within the swing 2nd Congressional District. AdImpact mentioned it expects document spending nationally as a result of presidential election, “razor-thin margins in Congress” and “super development” in legislative and referendum elections.
Maine shouldn’t be like neighboring New Hampshire by way of internet hosting a first-in-the-nation presidential major, with the Granite State anticipated to attract $267 million in whole advert spending and $128 million solely for the 2024 presidential race that can seemingly see a rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
However White Home seekers don’t ignore the Pine Tree State, provided that it’s one among two states that allocates electors by congressional district. Biden carried the state in 2020 and earned three electoral votes, Trump received the state’s 2nd District each then and in 2016.
Biden additionally visited Maine earlier this summer season to tout his financial agenda at a producing facility in Auburn, whereas Trump made stops within the state in 2020.
A few of Maine’s advert spending for the 2023-2024 cycle will seemingly come from the spots already airing in a closely-watched referendum battle that might see voters substitute the state’s two largest utilities with a public utility overseen by an elected board.
The 2nd Congressional District race between U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, a centrist Democrat, and a to-be-determined Republican challenger may additionally begin to attract extra spending, as it’s on the radar of nationwide GOP officers who view Golden as weak. Practically $32 million was spent by candidates and outdoors teams in Golden’s 2022 race in opposition to former U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin.
The Maine Legislature is among the high state-level battlegrounds within the nation. Greater than $6 million was spent by Democratic and Republican outdoors teams within the 2022 elections for the state Home and Senate. About $1 million went towards the Aroostook County race received by Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, whose get together held each chambers.
U.S. Sen. Angus King, an unbiased who caucuses with Democrats, is looking for a 3rd time period that will make him Maine’s oldest senator in historical past. No Republicans have entered the race, and Brunswick guide David Costello is the only Democratic candidate to date.
