Political ads · 2026 · ME

Maine House District 1 2026: the ads, and who's paying for them

Chellie Pingree won · 65.9% to 34.1%, with an estimated 92% of the vote counted · Called by AP on Nov 3

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Chellie Pingree (Democrat) and Ronald Russell (Republican) are the nominees for Maine's 1st congressional district in the November 3, 2026 general election. Chellie Pingree is the incumbent. By their latest FEC reports, Chellie Pingree's campaign had raised $551,000 (through October 14, 2026) and Ronald Russell's campaign $214,000 (through October 14, 2026). Outside groups have reported $10 for Chellie Pingree and $0 against.

Chellie Pingree (DEM, incumbent), Ronald Russell (REP). 3 others filed with the FEC; any ads they ran are below. 0 ads analyzed, 0 with at least one technique in the copy. Newest first. The paid-for-by line is the advertiser's own filing.

How to vote in Maine

From Maine's official election office. Each line links to the official page it came from.

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 required (passed)Source: 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) (passed)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) (passed)Source: maine.gov ↗Source: maine.gov ↗
Election Day	Tue, Nov 3. Polls: opens 6-10 a.m. (varies by town); closes 8 p.m. (passed)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 ↗

Check your registration and polling place ↗ Maine's official election site ↗

Checked October 6, 2026. Rules can change; confirm with the official site before you go.

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Money in this race

From FEC filings for 2025–26. Outside spending is money a group spends on its own about a candidate — TV and online ads, mail, canvassing. It is not a donation to the campaign, and the candidate does not control it. Supporting means it was spent to help that candidate win; Opposing means it was spent to defeat them, usually on attack ads. Groups report it within 24 or 48 hours as the election nears. Raised is the campaign's own fundraising, as of its latest quarterly report. Largest donors come from each outside spender's own FEC receipts, with each donor's share of its itemized receipts; donors under $100,000 are not named. People are shown with the employer and occupation they reported. A donor that is itself a political committee is shown with its own largest donors. Companies and nonprofits don't report their funders to the FEC, so the trail ends there, and the page says so.

Chellie Pingree (DEM, incumbent)

Raised: $551K through 2026-10-14 individuals $233K · PACs $306K · from the candidate's other committees $11K · cash on hand $320K
Outside spending: $10 supporting Pingree · latest reported 2026-03-19
Largest outside spenders: SIERRA CLUB INDEPENDENT ACTION — $10 supporting Pingree

Bundled through PACs: $1,000 through 1 PAC · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01 JSTREETPAC — $1,000 from 1 gift Lobbyist/registrant PAC

84 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election

ACTORS' EQUITY ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
ALLIANCE FOR PHARMACY COMPOUNDING PAC (COMP PAC) $2,500
ALLIED PILOTS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
AMALGAMATED SUGAR COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,000
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (SKINPAC) $2,000
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR JUSTICE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (AAJ PAC) $7,500
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CROP INSURERS PAC $2,500
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF NURSE ANESTHETISTS SEPARATE SEGREGATED FUND (CRNA-PAC) $2,500
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF NURSE PRACTITIONERS PAC (AANP-PAC) $3,500
AMERICAN BAKERS ASSOCIATION AMERICAN BAKERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
AMERICAN CLEAN POWER ASSOCIATION CLEANPOWER PAC $6,000
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF OB-GYNS PAC (OB-GYN PAC) $1,000
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RHEUMATOLOGY (RHEUMPAC) $2,500
AMERICAN CRYSTAL SUGAR COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF MUSICIANS OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA - TEMPO POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,000
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE COUNTY & MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES P E O P L E $10K
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, AFL-CIO COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION $10K
AMERICAN FOREST & PAPER ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,500
AMERICAN HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE ('HOTELPAC') $7,000
AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
AMERICAN NURSES ASSOCIATION PAC $2,500
AMERICAN PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSOCIATION PHYSICAL THERAPY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (PT-PAC) $2,500
AMERICAN SOYBEAN ASSOCIATION PAC (SOYPAC) $1,000
AMERICAN SUGAR CANE LEAGUE OF USA INC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $3,000
AMERICAN SUGARBEET GROWERS ASSOCIATION PAC $1,000
AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS ACTION FUND PAC $2,500
CARPENTERS LEGISLATIVE IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE UNITED BROTHERHOOD OF CARPENTERS AND JOINERS $5,000
CASTEN FOR CONGRESS $1,000
CORNING INCORPORATED EMPLOYEES POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (COREPAC) $2,000
CSX CORPORATION GOOD GOVERNMENT FUND $1,000
CULAC THE PAC OF CREDIT UNION NATIONAL ASSOCIATION $5,000
CUMMINS INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (CIPAC) $1,000
DAIRY FARMERS OF AMERICA, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE; AKA DFA-PAC $8,000
ELANCO US INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE ('ELANCO PAC') $3,500
ELECT DEMOCRATIC WOMEN $1,000
EMPLOYEES OF RTX CORPORATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $10K
ENGINEERS POLITICAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE (EPEC)/INTERNATIONAL UNION OF OPERATING ENGINEERS $5,000
FEDERAL AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
FLORIDA SUGAR CANE LEAGUE PAC $1,000
FOOD SOLUTIONS ACTION PAC (FSA PAC) $2,000
GENERAL DYNAMICS CORPORATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (GDC PAC) $10K
INT'L ASSOCIATION OF BRIDGE, STRUCTURAL, ORNAMENTAL AND REINFORCING IRON WORKERS (IPAL) $5,000
INTERNATIONAL DAIRY FOODS ASSOCIATION (IDFA) PAC $1,000
INTERNATIONAL FRESH PRODUCE ASSOCIATION FRESH POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (FRESH PAC) $2,000
INTERNATIONAL UNION OF PAINTERS AND ALLIED TRADES POLITICAL ACTION TOGETHER POLITICAL COMMITTEE $1,000
LABORERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA (LIUNA) PAC $10K
LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS ACTION FUND $50
LEIDOS INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $7,000
LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION EMPLOYEES' POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $4,000
MACHINISTS NON PARTISAN POLITICAL LEAGUE OF THE INT'L ASSOC OF MACHINISTS & AEROSPACE WORKERS $5,000
MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION FOR PRIVATE PHOTOGRAMMETRIC SURVEYORS PAC (MAPPS PAC) $2,500
MASTERS, MATES AND PILOTS POLITICAL CONTRIBUTION FUND $2,500
MICHIGAN SUGAR COMPANY GROWERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
MINN-DAK FARMERS COOPERATIVE SUGAR PAC (MDSPAC) $1,000
NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF FOREST OWNERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (NAFO PAC) $2,500
NATIONAL APARTMENT ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONALS INC. PAC $7,500
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS OF U.S.A. POLITICAL FUND (LETTER CARRIER POLITICAL FUND) $3,500
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $10K
NATIONAL BEER WHOLESALERS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
NATIONAL COTTON COUNCIL OF AMERICA COMMITTEE FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COTTON $5,000
NATIONAL ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTORS PAC/ INTN'L UNION OF ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTORS (NEC PAC) $5,000
NATIONAL FARMERS UNION PAC $1,000
NATIONAL FISHERIES INSTITUTE (FISHPAC) $1,000
NATIONAL RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION AMERICA'S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES PAC $1,000
NEA FUND FOR CHILDREN AND PUBLIC EDUCATION $10K
OPTIVER AMERICAS LLC PAC (OPTIVER PAC) $2,500
PROFESSIONAL COMPOUNDING CENTERS OF AMERICA POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,500
SHEET METAL WORKERS' INT'L ASSOC POL ACTION LEAGUE $5,000
SUGAR CANE GROWERS COOPERATIVE OF FLORIDA (PAC) $500
THE ALBERTSONS COMPANIES, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (ACI PAC) $1,000
THE BOEING COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $3,000
THE COUNCIL OF INSURANCE AGENTS & BROKERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
THE FARM CREDIT COUNCIL POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $10K
THE SEASONAL EMPLOYER PAC $5,000
TREE CARE INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION, INC PAC (THE VOICE FOR TREES PAC) $1,000
UNUM GROUP POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (UNUMPAC) $5,000
WALMART INC. PAC FOR RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT $4,500
WATER QUALITY ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (WQA-PAC) $1,000
WESTERN SUGAR COOPERATIVE PAC $1,000
WEYERHAEUSER COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
WOOLPERT, INC. PAC $1,000

All filings at the FEC ↗

Ronald Russell (REP)

Raised: $214K through 2026-10-14 individuals $138K · PACs $8,419 · party $1,000 · candidate's own money, incl. loans $67K · cash on hand $8,364
Outside spending: none reported

Bundled through PACs: none reported · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01

3 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election

BLUE AND GOLD FUND $1,000
DIRIGO PAC $5,000
KELLY JAMES FOR COUNTY COMMISIONER $819

All filings at the FEC ↗

No campaign ads analyzed for this race yet.

What this page is

An ad is on this page because its own "Paid for by" line is a campaign in this race; or it comes from a national Senate group and ran mostly in ME; or it ran mostly in ME and names a candidate — unless its sponsor is a campaign for some other office. Ads from outside groups appear alongside the campaigns' own.
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 rhetorical 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. Running a check and seeing its verdicts are part of Semblen Pro, because each check costs money to run; anyone can see which claims an ad makes. 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.