Must-Win Republican’s Canvasser Busted as Porch Pirate
Police have identified the man and said that charges are forthcoming.
A man canvassing on behalf of embattled GOP Sen. Susan Collins was caught on camera swiping a package from a home he visited.
A video circulating on social media showed a man wearing a shirt bearing the name of Stronger Maine, a super PAC supporting the 73-year-old senator, nabbing a homeowner’s package from their doorstep before running away.
The Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday that the “package thief/political campaigner” had been identified and that charges were forthcoming, but did not share the man’s name.
The man wore a shirt with Collins' name on the back.
Jill Margaret/Facebook
Sheriff Joel Merry told the Bangor Daily News that the man had not been arrested yet and that the investigation remains active.
“We’re making good progress,” he told the local news outlet.
Woolwich resident Mare Cressey, the crook’s victim, first shared Ring camera footage of the thief on Facebook on Wednesday, saying the incident occurred around 4 p.m.
Get the best of The Beast delivered right to your inbox
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
“I had a package delivered around 2:30 this afternoon and about an hour and a half later, this ‘SUSAN COLLINS’ DOOR IDIOT decided he needed my package more than I did... and left the flyer hanging on my door.... REALLY DUDE!!!!!” Cressey wrote in the post.
The victim shared a photo of the package thief on Facebook.
Mare Cressey/Facebook
Several others on social media noted that the man had also appeared at their homes.
The Daily Beast has reached out to Collins’ office and Stronger Maine for comment.
Collins’ campaign spokesperson Blake Kernen told the Bangor Daily News that the man “is not and has never been an employee or a volunteer of the Collins for Senator campaign.”
A source who has worked with Stronger Maine told the Bangor Daily News that the PAC fired the canvasser immediately upon learning of the incident and reached out to Cressey to reimburse her for her stolen package.
Susan Collins is facing a series of missteps in her campaign for a sixth term in the Senate.
CJ Gunther/Getty Images
Democrats view Collins’ seat as prime real estate to help flip the Senate blue.
The senior Republican senator is facing off against Democrat Troy Jackson, a former president of the Maine Senate, after progressive Graham Platner withdrew from the race in July amid a series of sexual assault allegations, which he denied.
Jackson is a fifth-generation logger and a former president of the Maine Senate.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Collins and Jackson are neck and neck, with the latest Quantus Insights poll showing the two within a single percentage point.
Collins has occasionally clashed with President Donald Trump, leading the 80-year-old president to say she was “not my best friend at all.”
Donald Trump posts about Susan Collins on Truth Social.
screen grab
“Republicans, when in doubt, vote the exact opposite of Senator Susan Collins,” Trump wrote on Truth Social earlier this year. “Generally speaking, you can’t go wrong.”
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
Sign in
Login dialog
Sign in or create an account
Login dialog
Loading comments…