Maine Democrats selected former state Senate President Troy Jackson as their new U.S. Senate nominee after their previous candidate, Graham Platner, withdrew from the race amid several controversies.
Now, Jackson is drawing attention following a report that he and his longtime partner, Lana Pelletier, are second cousins and share two children.
According to The Maine Wire, the pair are related through their family lines, with the outlet reporting that Jackson and Pelletier are second cousins.
The outlet said the relationship can be traced through Jackson’s mother and Pelletier’s father. The report has circulated widely online as voters learn more about the Democrat chosen to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
Jackson and Pelletier have two children together, according to biographical information released by his campaign.
The reported family connection has prompted questions online as Jackson prepares for one of the nation’s most closely watched Senate races.
Jackson became the Democratic nominee after Platner withdrew from the race following a sexual assault allegation, which Platner denied.
Maine Democrats moved quickly to select a replacement, and Jackson won the party’s nomination at a special convention in Bangor.
A fifth-generation logger from Allagash, Jackson has spent much of his political career presenting himself as a working-class advocate and supporter of organized labor.
He was elected to the Maine Legislature in 2002 and later became president of the state Senate, serving in that leadership role until leaving office because of term limits in 2024.
Jackson’s political history is more complicated than his current Democratic affiliation may suggest.
He was previously affiliated with the Republican Party and later served as an independent before becoming a Democrat in 2004, according to the Associated Press.
Over time, Jackson aligned himself with the Democratic Party’s more progressive faction.
He backed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I) 2016 presidential campaign and has supported policies including Medicare for All, expanded government-run health care proposals, stronger labor regulations, and calls to abolish ICE.
Jackson has centered his political career around his background in Maine’s logging industry and his support for organized labor.
His allies argue that his rural upbringing and working-class ties could help him reach voters who have supported both Collins and President Donald Trump.
Critics, however, are expected to argue that Jackson’s progressive agenda could put him out of step with many of the independent and conservative-leaning voters he would need to win statewide.
However, Jackson’s leadership style has also received renewed scrutiny.
The Washington Post and CNN reported that former lawmakers described several heated confrontations involving Jackson during his time as state Senate president, including an incident in which he threw a plastic water bottle during a private meeting.
Accounts differed over the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Jackson’s campaign has emphasized his working-class background and progressive platform as he prepares to take on Collins.
The Senate race is expected to play a significant role in the battle for control of the chamber, placing Jackson’s political record and personal background under increased scrutiny.
The Maine Wire’s report about Jackson and Pelletier adds another unusual development to a race already reshaped by the withdrawal of the Democratic Party’s original nominee.
The reported relationship does not itself establish criminal conduct or disqualify Jackson from holding office.
However, it has generated widespread discussion as voters examine the background of Maine Democrats’ new Senate candidate.
Jackson will face Collins in November.
As the campaign moves forward, both candidates are expected to face continued scrutiny over their records, policy positions and backgrounds in a race that could help determine control of the U.S. Senate.
