Democratic Maine U.S. Senate candidate Troy Jackson is facing political scrutiny and debate after reports revealed he and his longtime partner, Lana Pelletier, are second cousins who share two adult sons. The relationship is legal under Maine law, but the disclosure has sparked sharp reactions ahead of the November general election.
Genealogical Discovery and Family History in the North Maine Woods
The couple grew up in the rural North Maine Woods region near the Canadian border, attending Fort Kent High School together in the early 1980s.
Genealogical findings detailed by the independent reporter trace the family lineage through Jackson’s maternal grandmother, Albertine Pelletier O’Leary, and Pelletier’s paternal grandfather, Louis A. Pelletier Sr., who were siblings. This familial connection makes Jackson’s mother, Colleen McBreairty, and Pelletier’s father, Louis Jr., first cousins. While Jackson has previously described Pelletier as his wife, locals note the couple has never legally married, and campaign materials now identify her as his partner.
Maine Legal Standards on Relatives and Marriage
State law in Maine prohibits marriages between close relatives, including parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews, aunts, and uncles, under statutes established in 1985. An amendment passed two years later permits first-cousin marriages only if the couple presents a certificate of genetic counseling signed by a physician certifying that potential children face an acceptably low risk of physical deformity or cognitive impairment.
Because Jackson and Pelletier are second cousins rather than first cousins, their relationship does not violate Maine law, which leaves marriages between second cousins fully legal.
Political Fallout and Campaign Responses
The revelation arrived shortly after Jackson was selected by Democratic delegates on July 25, 2026, at a special party convention in Bangor, Maine, to replace Graham Platner as the party’s U.S. Senate nominee. Platner had previously withdrawn from the race following allegations of rape made by an ex-girlfriend.
Republican figures quickly seized on the news of Jackson’s family background. South Carolina Republican Representative Nancy Mace added on social media, Can’t wait for Democrats to defend cousin marriage!
Jackson’s campaign pushed back firmly against the criticism, arguing that the reports are a deliberate diversion from the voting record of his opponent, longtime incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins.
The campaign added in an emailed statement that New York Post will do anything to distract from the fact that she votes with Trump 96% of the time and has sold out working people in Maine.
The Road to the November General Election
With the Democratic nomination secured at the July convention, Jackson is preparing to challenge Collins in the November general election. Neither the Maine Democratic Party nor the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee immediately returned requests for comment following the release of the genealogical report.
