Maine Dem Senate candidate Troy Jackson's longtime lover and mother of his kids is his second cousin

Maine Democrat Senate candidate Troy Jackson has fathered two kids with his second cousin, who is also his high school sweetheart, according to a new report from the Maine Wire. The report brings controversy to the new Democrat nominee for Senate after Graham Platner dropped out of the race following numerous sexual allegations against him.

Troy Dale Jackson, 58, has found himself under similar scrutiny as Platner after the oyster farmer left the race in his bid to beat incumbent GOP Senator Susan Collins. According to Maine Wire, Jackson's longtime partner, Lana Pelletier, is his second cousin by blood.

They have been together for all 26 years of Dale's time in politics, where he began as a conservative in the late 1990s and now has turned to the left. Although Jackson has at times referred to Pelletier as his wife in press statements, they are not legally married. They have lived together and raised kids together.

According to the report, the two share common great-grandparents by the names of Thomas Pelletier and Edith Thibodeau Pelletier. Although Maine does not impose any restrictions on marriage to second cousins—only first cousins—they would have a legal, but possibly controversial marriage in the case that they ever do officially tie the knot.

Jackson and Pelletier were both from the small town of Allagash which has a population of 240—where options were apparently limited.

The Democrat candidate was nominated at a special party convention on July 25 after Platner dropped out of the race after allegations surfaced that he raped an ex-girlfriend.

“Susan Collins will do anything to distract from the fact that she votes with Trump 96% of the time and has sold out working people in Maine,” Jackson’s campaign told the New York Post. “Personal attacks on Troy’s family are shameful and desperate.”