A viral campaign ad from Maine Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson has drawn criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike, complicating his effort to challenge Sen. Susan Collins in one of the country’s most closely watched races.
Jackson, a fifth-generation logger who has built his campaign around working-class credibility, appears in the ad sipping a boba tea. Asked “If Republicans spend $46 million on these tv ads, who’s gunna be convinced by that?” he pauses, smiles, and answers “the 1%ers” as images of Collins and Tesla CEO Elon Musk flash on screen. The post’s caption reads “sips boba tea” alongside a boba and wide-eyed emoji.
The ad has been viewed more than 2 million times on X and prompted a wave of mockery from across the political spectrum.
Democrats question the strategy
Democratic strategist Steve Schale wrote on X: “Maine is the oldest median age electorate in the nation. I know I’m not a DC strategist but I really, really don’t get it.”
Liberal influencer Harry Sisson posted: “Troy Jackson needs to win but videos like this are unhelpful and cringey. Please change it up! No boba tea!”
Left-wing podcaster Kyle Kulinski was more pointed, writing: “The same people that ran Mallory McMorrow’s campaign into the ground are telling you to do this goofy sh**. Just get out there and tell the truth and speak from the heart for economic justice and against war and stop with all this bullshit. C’mon man. You’re smarter than this.”
Republicans pile on
Republican communicator Matt Whitlock said: “It’s a little bit funny to be desperately trying to position as working class masculine male and have gen-z women run your socials like they would run their own personals.”
GOP communicator Steve Guest called the spot “weird,” adding: “Looks like the first time that Troy Jackson has ever had boba.”
Journalist Chris Cillizza wrote: “Boba tea! Just like regular people!” Former Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh added: “Want to remind you that Democrats were openly proud of how masculine their Maine campaign was going to be and then they ran this ad.”
Fox News Digital said it reached out to Jackson’s campaign for comment.
A tight race with a new nominee
The ad backlash comes as a New York Times/Siena poll, conducted Sept. 15–22, shows Collins leading Jackson 49% to 46% among likely voters, with 5% undecided — a three-point edge within the margin of error. It is one of the first surveys to show Collins ahead since Jackson entered the race in late July.
Jackson replaced Graham Platner, a combat veteran and oyster farmer who won the June Democratic primary in a landslide before dropping out following a report containing a rape allegation from a woman he had previously dated. Platner denied the allegation but stepped aside. Jackson, who had campaigned alongside Platner earlier this year during his own unsuccessful run for governor, won a special nominating convention to secure the Senate nomination.
Collins, seeking a sixth six-year term, has also been contending with a ProPublica report alleging the FBI sought to open a pay-to-play investigation into her and others; the investigation was later dropped and no one working for Collins was charged. Collins called the report “offensive” and a “partisan hit job” orchestrated by Democrats. Jackson responded on social media that “Susan Collins is blatantly corrupt.”
Notably, the same poll found 55% of respondents said they would prefer Democrats control the Senate next year, compared with 43% who favor a Republican majority — meaning Collins holds her lead even in an electorate that leans toward the opposing party on the broader question of control.
