Fateful twist in Democrats must-win race: Candidate in love with his cousin

By BREANNE DEPPISCH, US SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER Published: 14:59, 31 July 2026 | Updated: 15:24, 31 July 2026 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 is 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. Democrat Senate nominee Troy Jackson greets people during a gathering in July Troy Jackson speaks after becoming the Maine Democratic Party's nominee in July 2026 Troy Jackson, Democratic US Senate hopeful, and his longtime partner, Lana Pelletier. The two are second cousins Jackson and Pelletier are seen in photos from the Fort Kent High School Yearbook, where they began their longtime relationship   Delegates cheer for Jackson at the Maine Democratic Nominating Convention in Bangor Troy Jackson greets supporters in Maine 'Allagash tipsters and genealogical records confirm that Jackson’s longtime significant other, Lana Pelletier — his high school sweetheart and the mother of his two adult sons, Chace and Camden — is, in fact, his second cousin by blood,' it continues. The Daily Mail has not yet independently verified those records, and neither Jackson's campaign nor the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee immediately responded to the Daily Mail's requests for comment.  Reports of their longtime love affair could be deeply politically damaging, and comes as Democrats in the state race to make up for lost time and unseat Senator Susan Collins with less than 100 days before Election Day.  But it's not, as Robinson notes, actually illegal in the state. Maine has no law that bans second cousins from getting hitched - though the two are not legally married - and the genetic risks associated with children born to first-cousin marriages are considered by genealogists as negligible.  Still, the unsettling information might do little to move the needle with voters, as early reactions on social media made clear. 'Can't wait for democrats to defend cousin marriage!' congresswoman Nancy Mace said on social media.   Can’t wait for democrats to defend cousin marriage! https://t.co/qnwFrW4cgr Sean Spicer, Trump's former White House press secretary, also weighed in.  MAINE SENATE UPDATE If you thought Platner was a freak - meet Troy Jackson Maine Dem Senate Nominee Troy Jackson Has 2 Kids With His Cousinhttps://t.co/47EvtyupxR via @dailycaller Hours after the news broke, the internet was replete with memes and puns about the unorthodox relationship. 'RELATIVE ATTRACTION,' one social media post said, sharing a link to the news. Maine DNC offices pitching the backup for Graham Planter https://t.co/eKaxLrxtRp pic.twitter.com/ddR4loRRG3 'Maine DNC offices pitching the backup for Graham Planter,' another user quipped. Others reiterated the 'legally okay' refrain - but it's unclear if those defenses will be enough to die down the uproar in the weeks and months ahead.  For Democrats, it's a nightmare scenario, and could cost them a seat that is crucial to retake the Senate this November.  And for Jackson, the news broke at a somewhat uncomfortable time - during a trip to the nation's capital, with its near-ubiquitous presence of reporters and politicos smattered across nearly every DC establishment.  It was only a matter of time before he would be spotted, and he was: At the Hamilton, a vibey, wood-paneled bar and restaurant in the heart of the city's downtown, shortly after the Maine Wire story began circulating online. Photos shared with the Daily Mail show Jackson dining at the Hamilton in Washington, DC Photos shared with the Daily Mail show Jackson dining at the Hamilton in Washington, DC Photos shared with the Daily Mail by other diners in the room appear to capture him schmoozing with fellow diners - though it's unclear who - and enjoying his time away from Bangor.