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Maine Senate Candidate Troy Jackson Faces Cousin Marriage Scrutiny

By Drooid · Oct 15, 2026, 4:21 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

U.S. Senate candidate Troy Jackson faces scrutiny after reports he is second cousin to partner Lana Pelletier.
The Maine Wire reported on July 30 that genealogical records link Jackson and Pelletier to the same great-grandparents.
No birth, marriage, or genealogical records were released, preventing Newsweek from independently verifying the claim.
Maine law permits marriage between second cousins but requires a physician’s certificate for first-cousin marriages.

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Story summary

U.S. Senate candidate Troy Jackson faces scrutiny after reports he is second cousin to partner Lana Pelletier.
The Maine Wire reported on July 30 that genealogical records link Jackson and Pelletier to the same great-grandparents.
No birth, marriage, or genealogical records were released, preventing Newsweek from independently verifying the claim.
Maine law permits marriage between second cousins but requires a physician’s certificate for first-cousin marriages.