Maine Senate Race: Family Ties and Electoral Stakes
Lana Pelletier, the longtime partner of Maine Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson, is reportedly his second cousin. This relationship is drawing attention during a major Senate race. The Maine Wire reported on July 30 that genealogical records indicate Pelletier and Jackson share identical great-grandparents. The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) amplified this by republishing parts of the report.
Neither The Maine Wire nor the NRSC made any birth, marriage, or genealogical records public. Therefore, Newsweek hasn’t been able to independently confirm the claimed family connection. Newsweek reached out to Jackson’s campaign and The Maine Wire for comments and requested copies of the records.
Who Is Troy Jackson?
Troy Jackson is a fifth-generation logger from Allagash, located in northern Maine. He has also served as the president of the Maine Senate. His campaign promotes him as a dedicated advocate for workers’ rights and the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate. He became the Democratic nominee following the July 25 nominating convention for the 2026 Senate race. He aims to unseat Republican Senator Susan Collins in the upcoming November election.
Who Is Lana Pelletier?
For decades, Pelletier has been Jackson’s partner, and within this time the couple has raised two adult sons, Chace and Camden. The Maine Wire depicted them as high-school sweethearts from Fort Kent High School. Jackson included Pelletier in a 2019 financial disclosure filed with the Maine Ethics Commission. This form requires the reporting of certain income from a spouse or domestic partner.
In a testimony to the Maine Legislature in April 2023, Pelletier stated she was a social worker living in Allagash and quit smoking in her 20s after becoming a mother. She supported a ban on flavored tobacco products, citing the impact of addiction on families. Though some documents refer to Pelletier as Jackson’s wife, The Maine Wire did not find a marriage license.
What Do the Genealogical Records Say?
The Maine Wire reported that Jackson and Pelletier have the same great-grandparents, Thomas Pelletier and Edith Thibodeau Pelletier. Their daughter, Albertine Pelletier O’Leary, was Jackson’s grandmother, while their son, Louis A. Pelletier Sr., was Pelletier’s grandfather. This family structure indicates Jackson and Pelletier as second cousins.
Maine law permits marriage between second cousins. It restricts marriages among closer relatives, such as parents and siblings. First cousins require a physician’s certificate for genetic counseling to marry.
How Close Is the Maine Electoral Race?
The Senate race is competitive. The RealClearPolitics polling average places Jackson at 48.6 percent against Collins at 47.3 percent, marking a 1.3-point lead for Jackson. Nationally, this race is pivotal, as the U.S. Senate’s control could hinge on key contests. Jackson focuses his campaign on his logging background, support for labor unions, and criticism of federal policies favoring the wealthy over working families.