Maine Governor 2026: the ads, and who's paying for them
Hannah Pingree (Democrat), Bobby Charles (Republican) and Rick Bennett (independent) are the candidates for governor of Maine in the November 3, 2026 general election. Semblen has analyzed 77 ads in this race; 42 used at least one manipulation technique, most often loaded language and appeal to prejudice. Next date for voters: Registration deadline: Tue, Oct 13.
Hannah Pingree (DEM), Bobby Charles (REP), Rick Bennett (IND).
On the ballot as listed by Maine Secretary of State, 2026 General Candidate List - FINAL. 77 ads analyzed, 42 with at least one technique in the copy.
Newest first. The paid-for-by line is the advertiser's own filing. Updated 2026-10-08.
From Maine's official election office. Each line links to the official page it came from.
Next: Registration deadline: Tue, Oct 13 (in 5 days)
Registration
Register by Tue, Oct 13 (mail/3rd party: received by close of business Oct 13; online: 5 PM Oct 13; BMV: Oct 27; in person: through close of polls on Election Day). Same-day registration: in person at the town office through close of polls; ID and proof of residence requiredSource: maine.gov ↗
Early voting in person
Sun, Oct 4 to Thu, Oct 29 (in-person no-excuse absentee voting at town/city halls; begins 30 days before Election Day)Source: maine.gov ↗Source: maine.gov ↗
By mail
Anyone can vote by mail; request a ballot by Thu, Oct 29 (must be received 3 business days before Election Day unless special circumstances); return it by Tue, Nov 3 (received by the municipality by 8 p.m. Election Day; postmark does not count)Source: maine.gov ↗Source: maine.gov ↗
Election Day
Tue, Nov 3. Polls: opens 6-10 a.m. (varies by town); closes 8 p.m.Source: maine.gov ↗
ID at the polls
No ID required for registered voters; same-day registrants must show ID and proof of residenceSource: maine.gov ↗
$78,900–106,841 on all ads, $25,400–35,221 on flagged ads · Meta reports ranges; these are the sums of their ends
Example
“pushing social agendas” — Loaded Language, paid for by RENEW THE AMERICAN DREAM
· the flagged ad with the highest reported spend that shows the most common technique
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A small box with these findings and the newest ads, updated as new ads are analyzed. Free for newsrooms, blogs and campaigns alike; it links back here.
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Leaving out the softer ones (loaded language, glittering generalities, slogans, exaggeration, repetition): 48% of ads.
The words doing the work
The words that show up most in phrases our model flagged as loaded language or name calling in this race's ads, by number of ads.
augustain 5 ads· e.g. “This is how Augusta is run today”, “Augusta insiders”
insiderin 5 ads· e.g. “Augusta insiders”, “Far-Left Augusta Insider Hannah Pingree”
agendain 4 ads· e.g. “pushing social agendas”, “Hannah Pingree's agenda”
corruptionin 4 ads· e.g. “Mills-Pingree era corruption”, “This corruption must end”
augusta insiderin 3 ads· e.g. “Augusta insiders”, “Far-Left Augusta Insider Hannah Pingree”
democratin 3 ads· e.g. “Democrats have failed our kids”, “the Democrats ACCOUNTABLE”
failedin 3 ads· e.g. “Democrats have failed our kids”, “failed our kids”
mills-pingreein 3 ads· e.g. “Mills-Pingree era corruption”, “Mills-Pingree era of corruption”
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Money in this race
Candidates for governor report their fundraising to Maine's state campaign-finance office, not the FEC. This page doesn't cover those reports yet, so it shows no money figures.
The ads
77 ads, newest first.
Showing the 40 ads paid for by Bobby Charles for Maine Governor Campaign Committee. Show all 77 ads
Paid for by Bobby Charles for Maine Governor Campaign Committeefrom 2026-10-072 variantsspend $100–29823,000–28,998 impressions
🚨NEW AD: Maine has never been in the kind of trouble it’s in now. I’m Bobby Charles, former federal investigator running for Governor. As Governor, I will investigate the fraud and hold those who’ve misused taxpayer funds accountable.
Exaggeration/Hyperbole: The claim that Maine has 'never' been in this kind of trouble is an absolute superlative with no factual basis provided, overstating the current situation — for example: 'Maine has never been in the kind of trouble it's in now'
Appeal to Fear: The sentence creates anxiety about an unspecified but severe threat facing Maine to prime the audience for a call to action — for example: 'Maine has never been in the kind of trouble it's in now'
Transfer: The candidate borrows authority and legitimacy from his role as a 'former federal investigator' to validate his political candidacy — for example: 'former federal investigator running for Governor'
Loaded Language: The word 'fraud' and 'misused taxpayer funds' are emotionally charged terms implying criminal wrongdoing without providing specific evidence — for example: 'investigate the fraud and hold those who've misused taxpayer funds accountable'
Exaggeration/Hyperbole
Appeal to Fear
Transfer
Loaded Language
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Loaded Language: The word 'corruption' is emotionally charged and used to trigger a reaction rather than convey a specific factual claim — for example: Mills-Pingree era corruption
Name Calling: Attaching 'corruption' directly to named political figures serves as a derogatory label to discredit them rather than address specific policy arguments — for example: Mills-Pingree era corruption
Appeal to Prejudice: The personal appeal 'Can I count on you?' invokes in-group loyalty and identity, pressuring the reader to prove their allegiance — for example: Can I count on you?
Loaded Language
Name Calling
Appeal to Prejudice
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Loaded Language: The word 'failed' is emotionally charged, implying total dereliction of duty rather than a policy disagreement — for example: 'failed us'
False Urgency: The call to donate framed as 'fighting back' implies an urgent struggle requiring immediate action — for example: 'fight back'
Loaded Language
False Urgency
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
An email when new ads come in from either side or the outside groups: the techniques, the words doing the work, and who paid. And each debate's analysis the morning after. One-click unsubscribe.
Paid for by Bobby Charles for Maine Governor Campaign Committeefrom 2026-10-03 to 2026-10-082 variantsspend $500–69840,000–49,998 impressions
Some light weekend reading. One Pingree family, two “nonprofits”, and a lot of overlapping titles. This is how Augusta is run today. Much more to come.....
Conspiracy Appeal: The use of scare quotes around 'nonprofits' implies these organizations are not legitimate, suggesting hidden or deceptive coordination by the Pingree family — for example: 'two "nonprofits"'
Loaded Language: The phrase implies corrupt or improper control of government, framing the situation as sinister without providing evidence — for example: 'This is how Augusta is run today'
False Urgency: The teaser 'Much more to come' creates anticipatory pressure and implies a building exposé, designed to keep the audience engaged and primed for further accusations — for example: 'Much more to come.....'
Conspiracy Appeal
Loaded Language
False Urgency
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Bobby Charles for Maine Governor Campaign Committeefrom 2026-10-034 variantsspend $600–99686,000–102,996 impressions
AUGUSTA IS UPSIDE DOWN: I’m Navy Veteran and former federal investigator Bobby Charles.
As Governor, I’ll open the books on Augusta, audit state spending, and deliver a $100K Homestead Exemption so you pay less on your property taxes, not more like you do under Mills-Pingree. Let’s return to common sense on November 3.
Card Stacking: The sentence presents the candidate's promises as straightforward benefits while framing the current administration solely in negative terms (paying more), omitting any counterarguments or context — for example: 'not more like you do under Mills-Pingree'
Glittering Generalities: The phrase 'common sense' is a vague, emotionally positive term used as rhetorical flourish without specifying what policies or positions it refers to — for example: 'return to common sense'
Card Stacking
Glittering Generalities
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Bobby Charles for Maine Governor Campaign Committeefrom 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-063 variantsspend $300–59736,000–46,997 impressions
I am a former Federal investigator and the way Augusta treats your hard earned money is appalling. Hannah Pingree raised your taxes then gave money to a group that employed her husband. The same group that she was in charge of before she was hired by Janet Mills. The same group her mother was a trustee for. This corruption must end.
Loaded Language: The word 'appalling' is emotionally charged and designed to trigger outrage rather than convey neutral facts — for example: appalling, raised your taxes then gave money to a group that employed her husband and This corruption must end.
Transfer: Invoking the authority of being a 'former Federal investigator' to lend credibility and legitimacy to the claims that follow — for example: 'I am a former Federal investigator'
Appeal to Prejudice: The phrase 'your hard earned money' appeals to in-group identity of taxpayers, framing the issue as a personal affront to ordinary working people — for example: 'your hard earned money'
Card Stacking: The sentence presents a sequence of facts selectively to imply corrupt intent without providing context, counterarguments, or evidence of wrongdoing — for example: raised your taxes then gave money to a group that employed her husband and she was in charge of before she was hired by Janet Mills.
Conspiracy Appeal: The accumulation of overlapping relationships implies a hidden sinister network of coordination — for example: The same group that she was in charge of before she was hired by Janet Mills and The same group her mother was a trustee for.
Repetition: The phrase 'The same group' is repeated across sentences 2, 3, and 4 to rhetorically reinforce the implication of corruption through familiarity — for example: 'The same group'
False Urgency: The imperative 'must end' creates a sense of urgency demanding immediate action without deliberation — for example: 'This corruption must end'
Loaded Language
Transfer
Appeal to Prejudice
Card Stacking
Conspiracy Appeal
Repetition
False Urgency
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Bobby Charles for Maine Governor Campaign Committeefrom 2026-09-30 to 2026-10-083 variantsspend $400–69748,000–58,997 impressions
This morning I sent this letter to Hannah Pingree, calling on her for full transparency related to the taxpayer grant received by her husband. The Augusta insiders are raising our taxes to pay themselves. It’s time for a change.
Loaded Language: Emotionally charged words chosen to trigger a reaction rather than convey facts. — for example: Augusta insiders.
Name Calling: Derogatory labels used to discredit a person or group rather than address their arguments.
Conspiracy Appeal: Hidden plots, secret coordination, or shadowy actors invoked to explain away evidence. — for example: raising our taxes to pay themselves.
Scapegoating: A specific group ('Augusta insiders') is blamed for the complex problem of tax increases — for example: Augusta insiders are raising our taxes
False Urgency: The phrase 'It's time for a change' creates a sense of urgency implying immediate action is needed — for example: It's time for a change
Glittering Generalities: The vague call for 'change' is emotionally positive but carries no specific meaning or policy substance — for example: It's time for a change
Loaded Language
Name Calling
Conspiracy Appeal
Scapegoating
False Urgency
Glittering Generalities
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Bobby Charles for Maine Governor Campaign Committeefrom 2026-09-30 to 2026-10-022 variantsspend $1,100–1,29865,000–74,998 impressions
We are down to the final days of September, and this deadline is critical. We are in a single-digit race, and we have a real chance to win.
Can you chip in $5, $25, or $50 today to help us cross the finish line? Link in comments.
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Bobby Charles for Maine Governor Campaign Committeefrom 2026-09-30 to 2026-10-062 variantsspend $600–79880,000–89,998 impressions
IN HER OWN WORDS: Hannah Pingree is proud of higher property taxes, higher electric bills, and higher housing costs under the Mills-Pingree Administration.
Her words, not mine. See for yourself.
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Bobby Charles for Maine Governor Campaign Committeefrom 2026-09-26 to 2026-10-012 variantsspend $800–99870,000–79,998 impressions
🚨 CLOSING THE GAP: Multiple independent polls confirm we are closing the single-digit gap between Mills-Endorsed Hannah Pingree and me. That's because thousands of Mainers like you stepped up and donated to the fight. But the job isn't finished. What you're doing is WORKING, and we can't stop now. Will you rush a donation to help our campaign finish the job and close this single-digit gap?
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Bobby Charles for Maine Governor Campaign Committeefrom 2026-09-26 to 2026-10-01spend $4,000–4,499350,000–399,999 impressions
STOP MILLS-PINGREE CORRUPTION: I spent my career in Naval Intelligence and federal investigations following the facts, following the money, and holding powerful people accountable.
Now I’m bringing that fight home to Maine to end the Mills-Pingree era of corruption.
Loaded Language: The word 'corruption' is emotionally charged and used to characterize political opponents without evidence — for example: 'era of corruption'
Name Calling: The phrase 'Mills-Pingree era' is used as a derogatory label to discredit specific political figures by associating their names directly with 'corruption' — for example: 'Mills-Pingree era of corruption'
Loaded Language
Name Calling
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Bobby Charles for Maine Governor Campaign Committeefrom 2026-09-18 to 2026-09-20spend $0–9910,000–14,999 impressions
This is the film Hannah Pingree’s husband made for the Island Institute. Pingree’s office approved a taxpayer-funded grant to that same group.
The film has barely 1,000 views after 4 years on YouTube.
Pingree’s husband is not an amateur filmmaker. He is a professional. He’s made films that played festivals and national TV. He knows how to get people to watch something.
So why does this one look like it went nowhere?
Maybe it’s just a flop. That happens.
Or maybe Pingree’s husband didn’t have much reason to care if anyone watched it. If the paycheck was already coming — from the client, from the grant, from somewhere in that pile of public money — the views wouldn’t matter. The job was already done.
We don’t know. That is the problem.
When your wife approves tax dollars to the outfit that hired you, people deserve to know who paid for the film, how much, and whether any of that money was ours.
Hannah Pingree will not answer that.
If Hannah Pingree will not come clean about a grant that ran through her office and her husband’s client, she cannot be trusted with a state budget. She cannot be trusted with your money. She cannot be Governor of Maine.
I spent my career as a Naval Intelligence Officer and federal investigator reading files people hoped would stay shut. A Charles Administration will open this one—in public.
Hannah Pingree has already shown you what she does when the money gets close to home.
Believe her.
Appeal to Fear: Creates anxiety about financial mismanagement and untrustworthiness to pressure voters against the candidate — for example: 'she cannot be trusted with a state budget'
Card Stacking: Presents an unverified implication of wrongdoing ('come clean') as if it were established fact, omitting any context or counterargument — for example: 'a grant that ran through her office and her husband's client'
Repetition: The phrase 'cannot be trusted' is repeated across sentences to hammer home distrust through familiarity — for example: She cannot be trusted with your money and She cannot be Governor of Maine.
Appeal to Prejudice: Uses 'your money' to invoke personal in-group ownership and stoke resentment, making the audience feel personally threatened — for example: 'your money'
Black-and-White Fallacy: Presents a binary conclusion — either she 'comes clean' or she is entirely unfit for office — ignoring any middle ground or due process — for example: 'She cannot be Governor of Maine'
Loaded Language: The phrase 'when the money gets close to home' carries an implicit negative connotation, insinuating corrupt or self-interested financial behavior without stating it directly — for example: 'when the money gets close to home'
Appeal to Fear
Card Stacking
Repetition
Appeal to Prejudice
Black-and-White Fallacy
Loaded Language
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Bobby Charles for Maine Governor Campaign Committeefrom 2026-09-17 to 2026-09-20spend $0–9910,000–14,999 impressions
Under Mills-Pingree, property taxes exploded. Families are being taxed out of houses they've had for generations. Hannah Pingree is "proud" of that record.
As Governor, I'll raise Maine's Homestead Exemption to $100,000 for every Mainer. Seniors, veterans, and working families will pay less and keep more of what they earn.
Exaggeration/Hyperbole: The word 'exploded' is an extreme overstatement used to dramatize a tax increase beyond what neutral reporting would support — for example: 'property taxes exploded'
Appeal to Fear: Evokes the visceral fear of families losing their ancestral homes to create anxiety and emotional outrage — for example: 'taxed out of houses they've had for generations'
Loaded Language: The phrase 'taxed out of houses they've had for generations' uses emotionally charged framing to trigger resentment and sympathy — for example: taxed out of houses they've had for generations and "proud" of that record.
Exaggeration/Hyperbole
Appeal to Fear
Loaded Language
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Bobby Charles for Maine Governor Campaign Committeefrom 2026-09-15 to 2026-09-23spend $200–29915,000–19,999 impressions
Join Bobby Charles and special guest Gov. Chris Christie in Lewiston for a conversation about Maine’s future.
RSVP Here: https://secure.winred.com/bobby-charles-for-maine/lewiston-town-hall-feat-gov-chris-christie?utm_source=email&utm_medium=nb&utm_campaign=bcfmg
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Bobby Charles for Maine Governor Campaign Committeefrom 2026-09-15 to 2026-10-014 variantsspend $500–89680,000–99,996 impressions
🚨NEW AD: Under Hannah Pingree & Janet Mills, property taxes are through the roof and working families are stuck with some of America’s highest electric rates.
As Governor, I’ll reverse the damage: raise the homestead exemption to $100,000, cut the unfunded Augusta mandates raising your property taxes, and make Maine affordable.
Loaded Language: The phrase 'through the roof' is emotionally charged hyperbolic language designed to trigger outrage rather than convey precise factual information — for example: 'through the roof'
Scapegoating: The sentence directly attributes complex economic problems like high property taxes and electric rates solely to two named individuals, oversimplifying causation — for example: 'Under Hannah Pingree & Janet Mills, property taxes are through the roof'
Appeal to Prejudice: The phrase 'working families' invokes in-group identity to frame the issue as an attack on ordinary, relatable people by implication contrasting them with the named politicians — for example: 'working families are stuck'
Exaggeration/Hyperbole: Claiming 'some of America's highest electric rates' without qualification or context overstates the severity to provoke a stronger emotional reaction — for example: 'some of America's highest electric rates'
Loaded Language
Scapegoating
Appeal to Prejudice
Exaggeration/Hyperbole
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Bobby Charles for Maine Governor Campaign Committeefrom 2026-09-14 to 2026-09-173 variantsspend $100–39714,000–20,997 impressions
Before Hannah Pingree asks Maine voters to judge what she would do as governor, voters should look at what she already helped do under Janet Mills.
Pingree was not a minor staffer. For more than six years, she ran the governor’s policy office. Her job was to help develop and coordinate major policies across state government. That included housing, the economy, workforce development, opioid policy and, later, the Office of New Americans (immigration). She has failed Maine.
This is why this is now a single digit race. Keep the faith. Get out the word. We can win this.
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Bobby Charles for Maine Governor Campaign Committeefrom 2026-09-12 to 2026-09-284 variantsspend $2,200–2,596215,000–244,996 impressions
🚨 SINGLE-DIGIT RACE: The latest independent poll shows just single digits between Hannah Pingree and me, with 17% of registered Maine voters still undecided. Rush a donation to my campaign to help get our winning message in front of them to take back Maine!
False Urgency: The emergency siren emoji and 'SINGLE-DIGIT RACE' framing creates artificial urgency to pressure immediate action — for example: 🚨 SINGLE-DIGIT RACE and Rush a donation.
Glittering Generalities: The phrase 'winning message' and 'take back Maine' use vague, emotionally positive language without specifying any concrete policy or substance — for example: take back Maine
False Urgency
Glittering Generalities
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Bobby Charles for Maine Governor Campaign Committeefrom 2026-09-106 variantsspend $4,400–6,194455,000–549,994 impressions
HANNAH, WHO GOT PAID?: Hannah Pingree approved a taxpayer-funded grant for a group using her husband to make climate films. Then, a nonprofit she led secured $840,000 in state funds. Pingree's husband worked for them, too.
Did the Pingree family get paid? Mainers deserve an answer.
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Bobby Charles for Maine Governor Campaign Committeefrom 2026-09-04 to 2026-09-166 variantsspend $600–1,19464,100–77,094 impressions
🚨 Hannah Pingree is out-raising me 4-to-1 with out-of-state money and Augusta lobbyist cash. I won’t take a dollar from those lobbyists. My only interest is YOU. If we don’t close this gap now, the machine buys this election. Chip in any amount today to take back Maine.
Loaded Language: The phrase 'lobbyist cash' uses emotionally charged language to frame the opponent's fundraising negatively — for example: lobbyist cash and the machine buys this election.
Appeal to Prejudice: Framing 'out-of-state money' as inherently suspicious appeals to in-group/out-group identity, implying outsiders are corrupting local politics — for example: 'out-of-state money'
Card Stacking: Selectively highlights the speaker's refusal to take lobbyist money while omitting any other information about their funding sources, creating a one-sided picture of moral purity — for example: 'I won't take a dollar from those lobbyists'
Glittering Generalities: Vague claim of representing 'YOU' with no substantive policy detail, used as an emotionally positive rhetorical flourish — for example: My only interest is YOU and take back Maine.
Appeal to Fear: Creates anxiety about a dire consequence — the election being 'bought' — to pressure the reader into acting immediately — for example: 'the machine buys this election'
False Urgency: The phrase 'if we don't close this gap now' imposes artificial time pressure to prevent deliberation — for example: 'if we don't close this gap now'
Black-and-White Fallacy: Presents only two outcomes: either the gap is closed now or 'the machine' wins, ignoring any other possibilities — for example: 'If we don't close this gap now, the machine buys this election'
Loaded Language
Appeal to Prejudice
Card Stacking
Glittering Generalities
Appeal to Fear
False Urgency
Black-and-White Fallacy
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Bobby Charles for Maine Governor Campaign Committeefrom 2026-09-01 to 2026-09-03spend $0–995,000–5,999 impressions
Come have a straight conversation about the crime and fraud facing Maine families. Bring your questions. Featuring local candidates.
RSVP Here: https://secure.winred.com/bobby-charles-for-maine/bangor-town-hall-with-bobby-charles-?utm_source=email&utm_medium=nb&utm_campaign=bcfmg
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Bobby Charles for Maine Governor Campaign Committeefrom 2026-08-31 to 2026-09-164 variantsspend $800–1,19695,000–114,996 impressions
NEW AD: Far-Left Augusta Radical Hannah Pingree will be even MORE PROGRESSIVE than Janet Mills. That means higher taxes, higher electric bills, and more crime. Reject Far-Left Augusta Insider Hannah Pingree.
Name Calling: Derogatory labels are applied to discredit Hannah Pingree rather than address her policy positions — for example: Far-Left Augusta Radical Hannah Pingree and Far-Left Augusta Insider Hannah Pingree.
Loaded Language: Emotionally charged terms like 'Far-Left', 'Radical', and 'MORE PROGRESSIVE' are used to trigger a negative reaction rather than convey factual information — for example: 'Far-Left Augusta Radical'
Appeal to Fear: The sentence lists dire consequences — higher taxes, higher bills, and more crime — to create anxiety and override rational evaluation of the candidate — for example: 'more crime'
Card Stacking: The sentence selectively presents only negative outcomes attributed to the candidate's positions, omitting any potential benefits or counterarguments — for example: 'higher taxes, higher electric bills, and more crime'
Repetition: The loaded label 'Far-Left Augusta' is repeated from sentence 1 to sentence 3 to reinforce a negative association through familiarity — for example: 'Far-Left Augusta Radical' and 'Far-Left Augusta Insider'
False Urgency: The imperative 'Reject' functions as a call to immediate action, pressuring the audience to act without deliberation — for example: 'Reject Far-Left Augusta Insider Hannah Pingree'
Name Calling
Loaded Language
Appeal to Fear
Card Stacking
Repetition
False Urgency
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Loaded Language: The word 'attacking' frames political opposition as a hostile assault, triggering an emotional defensive reaction rather than describing a factual event — for example: 'attacking me again'
Bandwagon Appeal: The phrase implies a shared collective momentum ('we can win') to pressure the reader into joining the cause based on implied popular support — for example: 'we can win'
False Urgency: The phrase 'right now' creates artificial time pressure to prevent deliberation and force an immediate financial decision — for example: 'Rush a donation to my campaign right now'
Glittering Generalities: 'Take back Maine' uses vague, emotionally resonant language implying reclamation of something noble without specifying what or from whom — for example: 'take back Maine'
Loaded Language
Bandwagon Appeal
False Urgency
Glittering Generalities
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Bobby Charles for Maine Governor Campaign Committeefrom 2026-08-28 to 2026-09-012 variantsspend $700–89824,000–29,998 impressions
🚨 I NEED YOUR HELP: The Mills-Pingree Machine is attacking me again - because they know we can win. Rush a donation to my campaign right now to help me fight back.
Name Calling: The term 'Machine' is appended to political opponents' names to imply a corrupt, impersonal, and sinister political apparatus rather than addressing them on policy merits — for example: Mills-Pingree Machine
Appeal to Fear: The claim that opponents are 'attacking' creates a sense of threat and danger designed to provoke an emotional, defensive response rather than rational deliberation — for example: attacking me again
Bandwagon Appeal: The phrase 'we can win' implicitly invites the reader to join a winning side, implying collective momentum and pressure to conform — for example: because they know we can win
False Urgency: The imperative 'Rush' combined with 'right now' creates artificial time pressure to prevent careful deliberation about whether or how to donate — for example: Rush a donation to my campaign right now
Name Calling
Appeal to Fear
Bandwagon Appeal
False Urgency
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Bobby Charles for Maine Governor Campaign Committeefrom 2026-08-27 to 2026-09-03spend $0–992,000–2,999 impressions
The issues we are fighting for are issues every Maine family cares about, regardless of party. Crime in our towns. The quality of our schools. Ending the corruption in Augusta. Reducing your property taxes. Other states have done it. Maine can do it too.
Appeal to Prejudice: Invokes 'every Maine family' as a unified in-group to create a sense of shared identity and universal agreement — for example: every Maine family cares about
Bandwagon Appeal: Claims universal agreement among all Maine families to pressure conformity, implying no reasonable person could disagree — for example: every Maine family cares about
Appeal to Fear: Invokes crime as a looming threat in local communities to trigger anxiety and motivate political support — for example: Crime in our towns
Loaded Language: Uses the emotionally charged word 'corruption' to trigger a negative reaction toward political opponents in Augusta without providing specific evidence — for example: Ending the corruption in Augusta
Card Stacking: Vaguely references other states as proof of success without specifying which states, what policies, or whether outcomes were positive, selectively implying easy replication — for example: Other states have done it
Glittering Generalities: Offers a vague, emotionally uplifting assertion of possibility without any substantive policy detail — for example: Maine can do it too
Appeal to Prejudice
Bandwagon Appeal
Appeal to Fear
Loaded Language
Card Stacking
Glittering Generalities
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
An ad is on this page because its own "Paid for by" line is a campaign in this race; or it ran mostly in ME and names a nominee for governor — unless its sponsor is a campaign for some other office (a U.S. Senate or House campaign included), or it also names ME's Senate nominees, in which case it is on the Senate race's page. Ads from outside groups appear alongside the campaigns' own.
The candidates are the ones certified for the November ballot, from the source linked at the top. Governors are state offices, so there are no FEC filings behind this page: no money figures, and outside groups are placed on a side only when they are a campaign or a party committee.
Campaigns run one text as many separate ads. Identical text from the same sponsor is one card here, marked with its number of variants.
A technique is a specific manipulative move in the wording, found by our model and explained in one line. It is not a claim that the ad is false.
Claims are checked when a reader asks: press "Check this ad's claims" on a card. The check runs once and its result is shown to everyone afterwards. The ten ads with the most money behind them in each race are checked ahead of time.
Claim verdicts say what the cited sources say. A verdict that an ad is wrong or misleading is shown only when it cites an established fact-checker or an institutional record — Congress, a federal agency, a court — and its confidence is not low; a weaker one is not shown at all. Each verdict shows what it rests on and how confident it is. If we got one wrong, press Disagree: a verdict that readers dispute and no one defends comes down.
Video ads come from the campaigns' own YouTube channels; the transcript is analyzed. Meta ads are analyzed on their text; their video and images are not, yet.
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