Senator Collins’ Husband’s Consulting Ties Under Scrutiny Amid Reelection Bid
In 2025, Maine Senator Susan Collins’ husband, Thomas Daffron, was involved in consulting work for Chesapeake Enterprises, a lobbying firm that has advocated for the expansion of data centers. This has come to light as Collins navigates challenges to her reelection campaign amid allegations of corruption in political circles and concerns about data center impacts on local communities.
The timing and nature of Daffron’s consultancy are significant as Scott Reed, the only registered lobbyist for Chesapeake Enterprises at the time, is central to an alleged pay-to-play scheme. This situation has added pressure on Collins, who faces resistance on both political integrity and data center issues.
Collins married Daffron, a former lobbyist and political advisor, in 2012, and their joint net worth reportedly increased significantly. Collins’ recent financial disclosures reveal Daffron earned at least $1,000 in consulting fees from Chesapeake Enterprises last year. Although precise amounts are not mandated to be reported under Senate rules, Daffron’s past role as executive vice president at the firm from 2001 to 2004 adds another layer to the scrutiny.
Chesapeake Enterprises, during Daffron’s advisory tenure, lobbied for Hillwood Investments, a real estate development company chaired by billionaire H. Ross Perot Jr., a noted donor to Collins’ campaign. Hillwood Investments is known for its involvement in constructing at least six data centers across the United States, including a Meta-operated facility in Texas.
The development of these data centers has sparked controversy due to their high electricity and water consumption, leading to increased utility costs nationwide. Public sentiment reflects this unease, with a New York Times/Siena poll indicating that 61% of Americans are against the establishment of data centers in their localities. In response, several communities in Maine have enacted temporary bans on further data center construction.
Scott Reed, who managed lobbying efforts for Hillwood Investments in 2025, has been linked to the controversy through his leadership of Pine Tree Results, a super PAC supporting Collins. In 2019, Reed attracted FBI scrutiny over a hefty donation he solicited from Navatek, a defense contractor. Former Navatek CEO Martin Kao, serving prison time for wire fraud, claimed he made the donation believing Collins would aid in securing lucrative federal contracts for his company. Collins ultimately facilitated these contracts.
The investigation into Reed was dropped after former President Donald Trump resumed office, but the initial report by ProPublica on Sept. 22 has kept the matter in public discourse. Collins has consistently challenged the report’s claims and offered a public defense of Reed, while ProPublica has maintained its position and rebutted Collins’ denials.
In an attempt to address data center concerns, Collins supported the Ratepayer Protection Act, a legislative effort aimed at holding large data centers accountable for their electricity expenses rather than transferring costs to consumers. However, Senate Democrats criticized the bill as ineffective, arguing it only requires public utility commissions to consider cost-sharing standards without enforcing them. Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy called the bill a deceptive political maneuver, as reported by Yahoo Finance.
The Ratepayer Protection Act did not pass the Senate on Sept. 30. As Collins campaigns for a sixth term, she is considered one of the Republican incumbents most at risk. Her opponent, Democratic state Senator Troy Jackson, contends that data center projects should proceed only if they demonstrate tangible advantages for the residents of Maine, according to WGME.
