The Aporia · Susan Collins condemns ‘freak’ ad attacking Troy Jackson family in Maine Senate battle

Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins criticized a recent radio ad by the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with Senate Republicans, that labels her Democratic opponent Troy Jackson as a "freak" and a "creep." The ad claims Jackson has two children with his cousin and features lyrics like, "If he’ll screw his own family, he’ll screw yours too." Collins stated she had no involvement in the ad and called for its removal. Meanwhile, Lana Pelletier, Jackson's partner, condemned the attacks as disrespectful and inappropriate. Democrats are working to defeat Collins in an effort to gain control of the Senate.

Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-22, using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the same event (that is the story summary below).

Story summary

Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins has condemned a recent radio ad from the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with Senate Republicans, which labeled her Democratic opponent Troy Jackson as a "freak" and a "creep." The ad, in the form of a country song, includes lyrics such as "If he’ll screw his own family, he’ll screw yours too," referring to Jackson's relationship with a second cousin who is the mother of his two children. Collins distanced herself from the ad during a campaign appearance in Lewiston on Wednesday, stating she had nothing to do with it and publicly called for its removal due to federal laws prohibiting coordination between senators and super PACs. Lana Pelletier, Jackson's partner, criticized the ad and accused Collins of stooping low, emphasizing that such attacks are unacceptable.

Written for “Susan Collins Condemns Attack Ad” on 2026-10-22, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

Why this leaning score

The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted verbatim and was checked against the article text before being stored, so you can find it in the original.

Lana Pelletier, Jackson's partner, criticized the ad and wider family attacks by Collins and her supporters

left criticizes personal attacks on a candidate’s family

Reading Leans left (beta estimate) Confidence high 1 quote(s) discarded as not found in the article

Leaning: leans left for article 99954 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-10-22

📰 Susan Collins Condemns Attack Ad

Politics · 1 article(s) covering the same event.

This article reads leans left and hedges 0% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

F*ck Joe Manchin different event · 95%

The Bulwark

⚖️ Leans strongly left further left than this 🔴 0% hedged 0 of 8

“The articles describe different aspects of Susan Collins' campaign in Maine; Article A mentions Joe Manchin's visit to campaign for her, while Article B covers a radio ad that she condemns.”

The Case Against Susan Collins different event · 90%

The Bulwark

⚖️ Leans left 🔴 9% hedged 3 of 32

“The articles describe different events: one is about an interview and debate where Collins avoids mentioning DSA support for her opponent, while the other is about Collins condemning a radio ad attacking her opponent's family.”

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability

Source leaning vs. consistency

Patrick Whittle

10 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 Writing in an op-ed Wednesday, Lana Pelletier, Jackson's partner, criticized the ad and wider family attacks by Collins and her supporters, saying she never expected they "would stoop this low." "Sen. Collins has been quick to demand respect and decency for herself.

2026-10-22 · assertive framing · Susan Collins condemns ‘freak’ ad attacking Troy Jackson family in Maine Senate battle

🔮 Manchin said to lose Collins would be “to lose the soul of the Senate.”

2026-10-21 · assertive framing · Maine Sen. Collins enlists ex-Democratic colleague Manchin in effort to highlight her independence

🔮 Maine lobster fisherman Frank Thompson sued after his state began requiring all federally permitted lobstermen to install GPS trackers on their boats to collect data that will help manage the industry.

2026-10-14 · assertive framing · Supreme Court declines to hear the case of a lobster fisherman who opposes boat tracking

🔮 John Evich, a commercial fisherman in Washington and Alaska, has voted for President Donald Trump three times, viewing him as someone who would fight for his industry. But these days, Evich is weary of the high cost of doing business at sea, with fuel prices rising and trade hostilities with Canada jeopardizing markets for the crabs that he pulls off the ocean floor. “If somebody came along that was going to do a better job, I would vote for them in a heartbeat,” he said.

2026-10-02 · assertive framing · Trump tried to make an ally out of fishermen. Some have started to turn on him

🔮 “Just about every week, I dial up Georgia mayors and pastors and farmers to find out how I can help,” Ossoff said at a recent campaign rally for his reelection bid against Republican Rep. Mike Collins.

2026-10-02 · assertive framing · How Jon Ossoff and Susan Collins are turning a mundane part of their jobs into a reelection pitch

🔮 John Evich, a commercial fisherman in Washington and Alaska, has voted for President Donald Trump three times, viewing him as someone who would fight for his industry.

2026-10-02 · assertive framing · Trump tried to make an ally out of fishermen. Some have started to turn on him

🔮 For years, Planned Parenthood’s endorsement of Susan Collins was enough to persuade Erin Evans to vote for Maine’s longtime U.S. senator, believing that the moderate Republican would protect abortion access.

2026-09-27 · assertive framing · Supreme Court vote shadows Maine Sen. Susan Collins in her first bid after abortion rights decision

Also by Patrick Whittle

Maine Sen. Collins enlists ex-Democratic colleague Manchin in effort to highlight her independence

2026-10-21 · Toronto Star

Troy Jackson tells Susan Collins to 'shut up' during heated Maine Senate debate

2026-10-16 · Toronto Star

Supreme Court declines to hear the case of a lobster fisherman who opposes boat tracking

2026-10-14 · Toronto Star

Trump tried to make an ally out of fishermen. Some have started to turn on him

2026-10-02 · The Independent

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 10 articles by Patrick Whittle →

Kimberlee Kruesi

13 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

2026-10-22 · assertive framing · Susan Collins condemns ‘freak’ ad attacking Troy Jackson family in Maine Senate battle

🔮 "Would you trust her to pick the next Supreme Court justice?" Jackson asked.

2026-10-07 · assertive framing · Susan Collins tells voters she’s ‘not exactly’ Trump’s favorite senator

🔮 “You look like an operating human being,” she told school investigators at a hearing in May of 2025.

2026-10-03 · assertive framing · Woman told Cornell investigators she 'felt like bait' during alleged gang rape

🔮 No student should ever be left wondering whether the institutions meant to protect them will listen and act.” An email seeking comment was sent to Cornell on Tuesday. Prosecutor defends decision not to bring charges In several media interviews on Tuesday, Van Houten argued that while the male students involved did things that were “morally wrong,” the woman’s initial account of the incident to police didn’t include allegations that she was drugged, incapacitated beyond the ability to consent, or forced into sex. “She went to the police because she knew it wasn’t right,” Van Houten told CNN.

2026-09-29 · assertive framing · New York Gov. Hochul pushes for investigation into Cornell's handling of a 2024 gang rape allegation

2026-09-27 · assertive framing · Supreme Court vote shadows Maine Sen. Susan Collins in her first bid after abortion rights decision

🔮 Meteorologists warn that gale winds could down trees while heavy rain threatens to leave roadways underwater for extended periods.

2026-09-26 · assertive framing · Nor’easter slams East Coast leaving towns submerged, widespread power outages and canceled flights

🔮 More than 70,000 customers were without electricity in the U.S. Northeast on Saturday, the sign of a powerful nor’easter expected to create dangerous conditions through the weekend.

2026-09-26 · assertive framing · Roads flood in New Jersey, inundate some homes, as major signs of nor'easter take shape

🔮 Strong winds, coastal flooding and heavy rain are expected to hit much of the East Coast over the weekend, with a powerful nor’easter bringing its strongest winds to Cape Cod and the nearby islands.

2026-09-25 · mixed framing · Nor'easter to lash the East Coast with strong winds, flooding and heavy rain

🔮 In Nashville — where Parton had lived since she was 18 — the city will honor the singer with pink lights and posters and give away stickers, buttons and bookmarks.

2026-09-25 · assertive framing · It's officially Dolly Parton Day, with parades, pink lights and book drives

🔮 “There was a time I didn’t think I would live to see my 35th birthday, and I was completely fine with it,” he said.

2026-09-21 · assertive framing · Lindsay Clancy’s ex-husband breaks silence after controversial mistrial

Also by Kimberlee Kruesi

Susan Collins tells voters she’s ‘not exactly’ Trump’s favorite senator

2026-10-07 · The Independent

In first Maine Senate debate, Collins seeks to distance herself from Trump

2026-10-07 · Toronto Star

Woman told Cornell investigators she 'felt like bait' during alleged gang rape

2026-10-03 · Toronto Star

New York Gov. Hochul pushes for investigation into Cornell's handling of a 2024 gang rape allegation

2026-09-29 · Toronto Star

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 13 articles by Kimberlee Kruesi →

Writing in an op-ed Wednesday, Lana Pelletier, Jackson's partner, criticized the ad and wider family attacks by Collins and her supporters, saying she never expected they "would stoop this low." "Sen. Collins has been quick to demand respect and decency for herself.

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-22

2026-10-22 · The Independent

Susan Collins condemns ‘freak’ ad attacking Troy Jackson family in Maine Senate battle · assertive framing

Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins has distanced herself from a new radio ad labeling Democratic opponent Troy Jackson a "freak" and a "creep" because "he has two kids with his cousin," stating Wednesday that it should be taken down. asserted

it → distance → cousin

Airing on Maine radio in the form of a country song, the spot comes from the Senate Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with Senate Republicans. asserted

spot → air → Republicans

Lyrics in the jingle include: "If he’ll screw his own family, he’ll screw yours too." asserted

he → include → yours

Collins told reporters at a Lewiston campaign appearance she "had nothing to do with that ad." asserted

she → tell → ad

She noted federal law bans her from coordinating with the super PAC, but said she publicly called for its removal. asserted

she → note → removal

In September, Collins had referenced Jackson's relationship with a second cousin in a Politico interview. asserted

Collins → reference → interview

"I’m not going to bring up the fact that the mother of his two children is his second cousin," Collins said. asserted

Collins → go → children

"I don’t know whether people know that or not." asserted

people → know → that

Collins → write → herself

My family deserved the same," Pelletier said. asserted

Pelletier → deserve → same

"I am not a helpless woman who needs politicians to tell the world what happened in my own life. asserted

what → need → life

And I am not a punchline or a caricature of where I come from," she added. asserted

she → come → where

Jackson, a former lumberjack and state lawmaker, and Pelletier are longtime partners who share two sons. asserted

who → share → sons

Dan Gottlieb, Jackson's deputy campaign manager, stated Wednesday that Collins owes Jackson's family an apology. asserted

Collins → state → apology

"Susan Collins herself spread these disgusting personal attacks on Troy's family," he said. asserted

he → spread → family

"Now she wants Mainers to believe she's above the very attacks she helped spread." asserted

she → want → attacks

Democrats are hoping Jackson defeats the incumbent Collins as the party works to retake the Senate. asserted

party → hop → Senate

Collins also lamented Wednesday how negative campaign advertising has become during this election cycle. asserted

advertising → lament → cycle

"This race is unique in Maine history in the number of personal attacks," Collins said. asserted

Collins → say → attacks

Susan Collins condemns ‘freak’ ad attacking Troy Jackson family in Maine Senate battle

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