Case Study: Dan Kleban’s Maine Senate Campaign Launch

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Key Outcomes

  • Democrat Dan Kleban launched his campaign for Senate in Maine, garnering positive press coverage across a range of state, national, and trade outlets.
  • The campaign earned more than 50 press hits in the first week, establishing him as serious contender and earning endorsements from key leaders.

The Client

Echo Communications Advisors led press outreach and strategy for U.S. Senate candidate Dan Kleban, a small business owner and environmental leader running in Maine.

The Challenge

The 2026 Maine Senate campaign is the most watched race in the country, with challengers lining up to take on five-term Senator Susan Collins. Kleban, a relative unknown, entered the race alongside an insurgent candidate with backing from national groups as well as ongoing speculation that the state’s popular governor would announce a run. Echo was tasked with making a positive impression in the media and helping Kleban carve out a lane as a “get things done” Democrat.

The Solution

Echo seized on the outsized interest in the Maine Senate race to secure press coverage across dozens of local, state, and national outlets, including NBC News, the New York Times, Punchbowl, Semafor, and MSNBC. To ensure that Kleban was seen as an authentic voice for Mainers, we prioritized local coverage alongside national, netting stories in the Portland Press Herald, Bangor Daily News, and several local TV stations. Echo also placed multiple stories in energy and environment publications that highlighted Kleban’s background as an environmental leader, as well as stories in craft brewing trade outlets that highlighted his leadership as a brewer.

Echo led intensive media prep sessions in the leadup to the launch, ensuring that Kleban was ready for any question that came his way. 

Sample Media Coverage: