Democratic U.S. Rep. Tom Allen today blasted his opponent in the U.S. Senate race, incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins, for questioning his congressional attendance record in her campaign ads.

Allen, in a news conference in his Portland living room, said Collins offended him and his family by failing to account for votes he missed to be with his dying parents, his wife during a battle with breast cancer and his daughter at her wedding.

"What she is doing is deceptive and misleading, as well as offensive," Allen said, as his wife, Diana, and daughter, Gwen, stood at his side.

Allen charged that Collins was using attendance as a smokescreen to distract voters from focusing on her position on issues of importance to Maine voters.

A spokesman for the Collins campaign said Collins has never intended to criticize Allen for missing votes to be with his family on urgent business.

Felicia Knight said Allen had missed 41 votes even while he was in Washington, and had also missed votes to attend a Major League baseball all-star game and a pharmaceutical conference in Miami.

"I think people are entitled to an explanation for that," Knight said.