Maine Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson has acknowledged receiving campaign contributions from billionaires, just days after telling Republican Sen. Susan Collins that none were funding his campaign.
The admission came during a Thursday debate after Jackson’s newly released campaign finance disclosures identified at least four billionaire donors who contributed the maximum $3,500 allowed for the general election. The revelations contradict a central part of Jackson’s campaign message, which portrays the former logger and state Senate president as a working-class candidate fighting wealthy special interests.
WATCH: Troy Jackson Discloses Campaign Donations From Billionaires Two Days After Saying 'There's No Billionaires Funding Me' pic.twitter.com/SqhjDzggHg
— Washington Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) October 16, 2026
During a debate Tuesday, Collins pressed Jackson over his failure to release a campaign finance report detailing his donors. Jackson promised to provide the information the following morning and insisted, “I know that there’s no billionaires funding me.” The report was not delivered as promised.
When the two candidates met again Thursday, Collins confronted Jackson with the newly disclosed contributions. Jackson conceded the point, telling the audience, “As far as the billionaires that I might have on my campaign, that is accurate.” His response drew laughter from the crowd, according to the Washington Free Beacon.
The contributions are particularly awkward for Jackson because his campaign website continues to advertise that he “isn’t backed by corporate PACs or billionaire donors.” Jackson has also criticized “high-priced lobbyists and corporate greed” while presenting himself as an advocate for working-class Mainers.
Jackson has maintained that wealthy contributors will not influence his decisions in Washington. He also defended the delayed disclosure, pointing to the work involved in processing contributions from more than 200,000 supporters. What else is he supposed to say?
His campaign reported raising approximately $20.4 million during the third quarter, compared with $5.2 million for Collins, according to the Associated Press. Jackson has emphasized his support from small-dollar contributors, although that fundraising success does not erase the discrepancy between his public statements and the billionaire donations.
The controversy comes as Democrats attempt to unseat Collins in one of the nation’s most competitive Senate races. Republicans have seized on Jackson’s fundraising disclosures to question his transparency and his promises to reject the influence of wealthy political donors, adding another point of contention to a closely watched contest that could help determine control of the Senate.
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