Troy Jackson, the Democratic candidate and US Senate hopeful tapped to replace the scandal-ridden Graham Platner, has already managed to find himself smack-dab in the middle of his own controversy.
Jackson, a fifth-generation logger and politician who has played up his family’s longtime roots in the state, has an unusual significant other – one who is, allegedly, his second cousin.
The news could be a devastating twist for Democrats in one of the most critically important Senate races this fall.
Though Jackson and his partner, Lana Pelletier, do not appear to be officially married, Jackson has referred to Pelletier as his wife on various occasions.
The two have dated since high school, live together, and share two adult children.
They also, allegedly, share the same great-grandparents.
News of their shared ancestry was first reported by the Maine Wire’s chief editor, Steve Robinson, who cited tipsters and genealogical records that linked the two to a shared set of great-grandparents, Thomas Pelletier and Edith Thibodeau.
‘Jackson, a 26-year politician and lobbyist, has made a career of bragging that he’s a a fifth-generation logger, but you don’t have to go far back the generational line to find where it crosses paths with the ancestors of his significant other Lana M. Pelletier,’ writes the publication.
Jackson’s campaign blasted the flurry of headlines about Jackson as ‘shameful’ and a politically motivated attempt to help the Republican incumbent retain her seat this fall.
‘Susan Collins will do anything to distract from the fact that she votes with Trump 96 percent of the time and has sold out working people in Maine,’ a campaign official told the Daily Mail in response to a request for comment.
‘Personal attacks on Troy’s family are shameful and desperate,’ the campaign spokesman added.
In some social groups, marrying a second cousin is almost like marrying out of the family.