Political Ads & Free Speech

Newsradio WGAN · Oct 13, 2026 · 13m

The discussion examined the rapidly rising cost and volume of political advertising in Maine, including the sharp increase in spending in the Second Congressional District over the past two decades. The conversation looked at how much of that spending still goes toward television, radio and print, while digital has grown as a campaign tool. It also focused on the constitutional issue at the center of the debate: political spending is protected speech, making efforts to limit campaign advertising legally complicated. The segment also referenced a Maine Policy Institute dashboard being prepared…