Maine Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson is facing a wave of criticism from conservatives following a report that he fathered two children with his second cousin. Jackson was selected as the Democratic nominee after the previous candidate, Graham Platner, withdrew his bid.
The report from Maine Wire Editor-in-Chief Steve Robinson details that Jackson shares two adult sons with Lana Pelletier, his second cousin, with whom he shares the same great-grandparents. The report notes that such relationships are not uncommon in the rural northern region of Maine where Jackson originates and that the relationship is not illegal.
Conservative figures on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) reacted strongly to the news. U.S. Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina questioned, "Can’t wait for Democrats to defend cousin marriage!". Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer commented, "If you thought Platner was a freak - meet Troy Jackson." Conservative influencer Nick Sortor posted, "🚨 WTF?! Maine’s new Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson is in a ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP with his COUSIN, and has TWO CHILDREN with her. THIS is the guy the Democrat Party swapped Graham Platner out for🤣."
Drew Berkemeyer, a writer for the Daily Wire, stated, "Troy Jackson's 'partner' is his second cousin, according to genealogical records found in Maine. Which means his kids are also his third cousins. Who said Democrats were anti-family?"
Inez Stepman, Senior Policy Analyst at the Independent Women's Forum, remarked, "Second cousins seem like relevant information here. But it is funny that Dems keep selecting candidates who fit the vicious stereotypes they hold about rural or working-class people: beats women, hooks up with cousin, etc."
Jackson, a former state senator, ran unsuccessfully in the Democratic Maine gubernatorial primary earlier this year. He was chosen as the U.S. Senate nominee at the Maine Democratic Party's U.S. Senate Nominating Convention. He will face incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins in the general election on November 3.
Platner, who had won the Democratic primary, withdrew from the race after facing an allegation of rape, which he has denied, stating that "Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically false."