Senator Collins’ Husband’s Consulting Work Raises Questions Amid Reelection Bid
The intersection of politics and business has once again come under scrutiny as Maine Senator Susan Collins faces a tough reelection campaign. Recent revelations about her husband’s consulting work have added to her challenges, particularly regarding data center development and allegations of political corruption.
Thomas Daffron, Senator Collins’ husband, conducted consulting work for Chesapeake Enterprises in 2025. At that time, the firm’s sole registered lobbyist was Scott Reed, a figure embroiled in an alleged pay-to-play scheme that threatens to disrupt Collins’ campaign.
Data centers have been a hot-button issue this year, with many voters expressing concern over their impact and alleged corruption in political circles. Collins, married to Daffron since 2012, saw her net worth increase significantly post-marriage, rising from $250,000 to $4.1 million currently. Daffron’s past roles include positions as a lobbyist and business consultant.
According to Collins’ personal financial disclosures filed in May, Daffron received at least $1,000 in consulting fees from Chesapeake Enterprises last year. Senate regulations mandate that spouses disclose any income over $1,000. Previously, Daffron was the firm’s executive vice president between 2001 and 2004.
During his time advising Chesapeake Enterprises, the company lobbied for Hillwood Investments, chaired by billionaire H. Ross Perot Jr., a supporter of Collins’ campaign. Hillwood has been instrumental in developing data centers, including a major Texas facility operated by Meta, Facebook’s parent company.
The rapid expansion of these data centers has sparked debate due to their substantial consumption of electricity and water, contributing to increased utility bills nationwide. A recent New York Times/Siena poll revealed that 61% of Americans oppose constructing data centers in their neighborhoods. Several communities in Maine have enacted temporary bans on further data center developments.
Scott Reed, Chesapeake’s lobbyist in 2025, worked on the Hillwood Investments account, lobbying Congress on “real estate investments.” Reed also leads Pine Tree Results, a super PAC backing Collins. In 2019, Reed was investigated by the FBI for soliciting a significant donation from Navatek, a defense contractor, under dubious pretenses.
Martin Kao, Navatek’s former CEO, who is serving a prison term for wire fraud, alleged that the donation was made with the expectation that Collins would help secure federal contracts for Navatek, which she did. The FBI dropped the investigation into Reed after President Donald Trump resumed office.
Despite the allegations, Collins has dismissed the ProPublica report released on Sept. 22, denying any wrongdoing and standing by Reed. ProPublica has defended its reporting and countered Collins’ denials.
In an effort to address concerns, Collins supported the Ratepayer Protection Act, a bill aimed at requiring data centers to bear their electricity costs. However, Senate Democrats criticized the bill for lacking enforceable measures. Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy remarked to Yahoo Finance, “It’s just fakery to try to fool voters into forgetting that Republicans spent the entire term trying to stop states from regulating AI.” The bill ultimately failed in the Senate on Sept. 30.
As Collins campaigns for a sixth term, she is considered one of the most vulnerable Republican incumbents. Her opponent, Democratic state Sen. Troy Jackson, advocates for data center projects only if they offer a tangible benefit to Mainers.
