AUGUSTA -- One week prior to the election, a photo of state Senate candidate Troy Jackson (D-Fort Kent) sleeping in the House chamber appeared in the Caribou weekly newspaper as an advertisement.

The ad was reportedly paid for by a Frank Weatherhead of Caribou. However, Jackson was convinced that the Senate Republicans were behind it. Jackson, previously a state representative, won his race against Danny Deveau (R-Cyr Plantation) with about 65 percent of the vote.

On Monday, he brought Senate Republican Leader Carol Weston (R-Montville) a gift: A bottle of "NoDoz," and a card thanking her for her "help" during the final week of the election.

"It wasn't a joke to me," Jackson said of the photo. He wrote that the NoDoz was a token of appreciation for the "17... no wait, 16... no wait, 15, or however many Republicans are left" in the Senate, he said.

Weston could not be reached immediately for comment. Jackson said she reacted to the gift by saying she appreciated his sense of humor.