On the eve of voting, red paint spelling “blood on her hands” turned a Maine sidewalk into a message aimed at Senator Susan Collins’s Biddeford office.
Story Snapshot
- Police received a late-night vandalism call outside Collins’s Biddeford office.
- Red paint and “blood on her hands” appeared on the sidewalk near the entrance.
- The incident happened hours before Election Day polls opened.
- Collins said the site is a constituent-service office and remained open.
What Happened, Where, and When
Biddeford police received a call just before 11 p.m. Monday about vandalism at 160 Main Street, the site of Senator Susan Collins’s office. Photos showed red paint on the sidewalk, a pool that looked like blood, and the phrase “blood on her hands” near the entrance. Staff found the scene Tuesday morning as Election Day began, with the sidewalk covered in red paint. Reports placed the incident overnight into Tuesday, tightening the political timing to the final hours before voting.
Police said the case was under investigation as of Tuesday. No suspect name, arrest, or motive had been made public in the cited reporting. Accounts varied slightly on whether paint hit the front doors, but all documented the red paint on the sidewalk and the written phrase visible in photographs provided to media outlets. That core physical description appeared in multiple reports and aligned on address, wording, and timing.
How Collins’s Office Described the Site
Senator Collins stated the targeted site is a federal constituent-service office, not a campaign headquarters, and said the office stayed open and continued business on Tuesday. Some coverage described it as a campaign office, but Collins’s on-record statement drew the line: this is where staff handle casework for Mainers seeking help with federal agencies. That distinction matters because it frames the act not as a campaign scuffle, but as a hit on a public-facing service location that residents use to solve problems.
The act sent an obvious message, even as the messenger remains unknown. Election-eve vandalism outside a federal office telegraphs anger in big red letters. As a matter of common sense and conservative values, the line between protest and property crime is bright. Peaceful speech builds a case. Graffiti aims to damage, shock, and distract. It tells staff to look over their shoulders when they should be answering phones and fixing benefits issues for veterans and seniors.
The Police Picture So Far
Biddeford police responded quickly after the late-night call and began an investigation. Reports did not cite a finished police finding or a stated motive. The Bangor Daily News and WMTW locked in the core facts: same address, same wording, same paint on the sidewalk, same pre-dawn timeline before polls opened. Boston.com placed the incident “hours before Election Day,” underlining how close this was to voters lining up to cast ballots. One clear takeaway remains: someone chose both a location and a clock that would draw attention.
A fair read also separates what is known from what is guessed. The reports do not name a perpetrator, describe an arrest, or tie the act to a group. That single caveat does not change the scene on the ground: visible damage and a message on the pavement that staff had to step around to open the doors.
Why This Hits Hard Beyond One Sidewalk
This incident lands in a time when harassment of public officials has climbed nationwide. Research tracking cases and surveys shows threats against officeholders and staff have risen in recent years, even as physical attacks remain far less common. A study of mayors documented widespread exposure to nonphysical violence and its real costs, including stress and distraction from public work. These patterns explain why a single act of vandalism can ripple far beyond a stain on concrete.
READ NOW: Susan Collins' Maine Senate office vandalized with 'disturbing' graffiti on night before Election Day — Susan Collins' Biddeford, Maine, office was hit with red paint and the message "BLOOD on her HANDS," marking the second vandalism…https://t.co/CvKzNAybyb
— Top News by CPAC (@TopNewsbyCPAC) November 4, 2026
Americans disagree on policy, but they agree on this: you fix a bad idea with a better idea, not with paint at midnight. Elections are the place to settle arguments. Smearing a public office that exists to help constituents — as Collins emphasized — undercuts the very service most citizens want more of, not less. The responsible path is simple, even if the issues are not. Say your piece. Cast your vote. Leave the sidewalks clean for the next Mainer who needs help at that door.
Sources:
foxnews.com, newscentermaine.com, boston.com, abc6onyourside.com, wsj.com, lamag.com
