By Mark Tanos
A Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate has fathered two children with a blood relative, according to a new report.
Maine nominee Troy Jackson and his longtime partner, Lana Pelletier, are second cousins who descend from the same great-grandparents, Thomas Pelletier and Edith Thibodeau, The Maine Wire reported. The couple raised two sons, Chace and Camden, though they never legally wed, and Maine grants no recognition to common-law unions, the outlet reported. Jackson labeled Pelletier his “wife” in earlier biographies but now calls her his partner, according to The Maine Wire.
Jackson secired the Democratic nomination on July 25 and will challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
He took over for Graham Platner, who won the June primary but abandoned his campaign after being accused of sexual assault, NPR reported. Platner denied the accusation, but still exited the race. (RELATED: ‘Like Graham Platner But Worse’: GOP Group Vows $42,000,000 Against Last-Minute Replacement Democrat)
The contest could decide control of the Senate, and Republicans have already committed more than $42 million to defeat Jackson through the Senate Leadership Fund, the AP reported. Collins, 73, has branded her opponent’s agenda as socialist, according to the outlet.
Whether the second-cousin arrangement carries real consequences may hinge on Senate financial disclosure rules, according to The Maine Wire. Because the pair never married and Maine recognizes no common-law status, it remains unclear whether Jackson must report Pelletier’s finances the way a spouse’s would be reported, the outlet reported.
Second cousins can legally engage in sex and marry under Maine law.
Jackson built his brand as a fifth-generation logger from Allagash and rose through Maine politics as a former Republican who entered the state House as an independent in 2002 before joining the Democrats and rose to become president of the state Senate from 2018 to 2024, The Hill reported.
The Washington Post reported that Jackson behaved abrasively toward colleagues during his tenure, including allegedly throwing a water bottle in a meeting and clashing with female leaders, according to The Hill.
Jackson has not spoken publicly about the family connection, and his campaign continues to describe Pelletier as his partner, The Maine Wire reported.
