Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Troy Jackson has two children with his second cousin — longtime partner Lana Pelletier — according to genealogical records first <a href="https://x.com/SteveRob/status/2082913987633848818">reported</a> by journalist Steve Robinson. 
Jackson, a former Maine Senate president, became the Democrats&#8217; nominee after the party&#8217;s previous candidate, Graham Platner, withdrew from the race amid rape allegations, forcing Democrats to replace their Senate standard-bearer in one of the nation&#8217;s most closely watched contests. Jackson now faces incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in a race viewed as critical to the battle for Senate control.
According to genealogical records, Jackson and Pelletier share the same great-grandparents, Thomas Pelletier and Edith Thibodeau. Their daughter, Albertine Pelletier, was Jackson&#8217;s grandmother, while their son, Louis Pelletier Sr., was Pelletier&#8217;s grandfather, making the couple second cousins. 
Jackson and Pelletier have been together since high school and are the parents — and simultaneously third cousins — of two adult sons.
The relationship is legal under Maine law. While state law prohibits marriages between first cousins without additional statutory requirements, it places no restrictions on second cousins marrying or having children. Genetic experts generally consider second-cousin relationships as presenting no meaningful increase in the risk of inherited disorders compared with the general population.
Throughout his political career, Jackson has generally referred to Pelletier as his &#8220;partner.&#8221; The couple has never legally married, although some older official biographies referred to Pelletier as Jackson&#8217;s wife. 
Jackson has built his political image around his upbringing in the rural St. John Valley, frequently describing himself as a fifth-generation logger from Allagash before rising through organized labor and Democratic politics to become president of the Maine Senate.
The revelation comes as Jackson prepares for a high-profile general election against Collins, one of the Senate&#8217;s most vulnerable Republican incumbents. National Democrats view the race as a key pickup opportunity as they attempt to regain control of the Senate.
Neither Jackson&#8217;s campaign nor Pelletier has publicly addressed the genealogical reporting.

Maine Democrats Hold Senate Nominating Convention

Graham Platner’s Replacement Accused Of Having Kids With Cousin

2026 elections

2026 Midterms

family

Family Values

Maine

Maine Democrats

Politics

Troy Jackson

Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills on Tuesday refused to endorse Troy Jackson, the last-minute candidate party elites chose to replace accused rapist Graham Platner on the November ballot. 
In an interview with local outlet <a href="https://www.wmtw.com/article/mills-calls-collins-vulnerable-but-stops-short-of-endorsing-troy-jackson/73292374">WMTW</a>, Mills said she has not spoken with Jackson and stopped short of endorsing him, adding that she still wants to see Republican Senator Susan Collins go down in November. 
“We haven’t spoken, but clearly Susan Collins is vulnerable, and she should be — she should be defeated,” Mills said. She did not comment on whether the process her party had used to coronate Jackson as the nominee would alienate voters. 
It&#8217;s unusual for a sitting Democratic governor to withhold an endorsement from her party&#8217;s U.S. Senate nominee. Perhaps the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/maine-democrats-choose-nazi-tatted-graham-platner-in-senate-primary?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=125&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Dems+Pick+Nazi-Tatted+Graham+Platner+Even+After+%E2%80%98Predator%E2%80%99s+Paradise%E2%80%99+Photos+Surface">lingering resentment</a> stems from Mills spending months crisscrossing Maine, warning party activists and voters that Platner&#8217;s baggage would be too heavy to carry — even in a blue-leaning state. Voters, along with much of the Democratic establishment, ignored her warnings. 
The Democratic establishment viewed Mills, who was recruited and backed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), as the strongest candidate to defeat Collins. However, Socialist Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) had different plans. 
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/graham-platner-was-really-lefts-2nd-choice-for-maine-senate-option-1-had-a-big-skeleton?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Graham+Platner+Was+Really+Left%E2%80%99s+2nd+Choice+For+Maine+Senate+%E2%80%94+Option+1+Had+A+Big+%E2%80%98Skeleton%E2%80%99">The Daily Wire previously reported</a> that leftists turned to the embattled Platner after their initial choice was found to have a major “skeleton” in his closet. In July 2025, two Bernie Sanders-aligned political operatives hunted for a Democrat to challenge Collins, ultimately landing on and recruiting Platner. The oyster farmer launched his campaign a month later <a href="https://x.com/grahamformaine/status/1957780836062826868?s=20">with a viral video</a> that quickly attracted national attention from leftist activists and Democratic donors. 
Trying to stop his momentum, Mills went on the attack against Platner in commercials, highlighting his scandals and running with the tagline, &#8220;<a href="https://x.com/AdImpact_Pol/status/2033915569401958580?s=20">Graham Platner: The closer you look, the worse it gets</a>.&#8221; One advertisement in particular featured older women expressing disgust. 
Ultimately, her strategy failed to gain traction with an increasingly restless base eager to buck their party’s establishment. On April 30, Mills suspended her campaign. 
“While I have the drive and passion, commitment and experience, and above all else — the fight — to continue on, I very simply do not have the one thing that political campaigns unfortunately require today: the financial resources,” <a href="https://x.com/JanetMillsforME/status/2049832653189152925?s=20">Mills said in a statement</a>. 
Now that Platner is off the ballot, Democrats face a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/likely-platner-replacement-used-to-be-normal-before-the-activists-got-to-him?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=27&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Likely+Platner+Replacement+Used+To+Be+Normal%2C+Before+The+Activists+Got+To+Him">new challenge</a>: rallying their base behind a nominee who previously opposed abortion and same-sex marriage and is known for a history of public outbursts.
Republicans hope to use Jackson&#8217;s conservative past and his new leftward platform as a wedge issue, arguing the shift will alienate voters across the political spectrum and help propel Collins to victory in November.
“He’s a Bernie Bro,” Collins <a href="https://x.com/mkraju/status/2080406319870230991?s=20">told</a> reporters in the halls of the U.S. Senate. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Susan Collins on Troy Jackson: “He’s a Bernie Bro.” <a href="https://t.co/qzt63Y3phE">pic.twitter.com/qzt63Y3phE</a>
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) <a href="https://x.com/mkraju/status/2080406319870230991?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2026</a></blockquote>

President Trump Meets With Governors At The White House

Maine Democratic Governor Refuses To Endorse Platner Replacement

Democrats

graham platner

janet mills

Midterms

News

Republicans

Susan Collins

U.S. Senate

Socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has no regrets about aggressively campaigning for Graham Platner, who later dropped out of Maine&#8217;s U.S. Senate race following explosive rape allegations.
CBS anchor Margaret Brennan pressed Sanders over his support for Platner, whose failed candidacy upended the Democratic establishment and sent the party scrambling to find a new nominee just months before the November election.
“You were an early supporter in Maine of Graham Platner. You helped him rise. Do you regret not acting earlier to call for him to drop out, given the warning signs?” Brennan asked.
In a defiant reply, Sanders said: “No, I don&#8217;t think so. When we heard the serious allegations made against him, I wanted to get on the phone. I wanted to talk to him. I did. I asked, along with virtually all his supporters, that he should get out of the race, and he did.” 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
CBS: “You were an early supporter in Maine of Graham Platner, you helped him rise. Do you regret not acting earlier…given the warning signs?”
BERNIE SANDERS: “No, I don’t think so.” <a href="https://t.co/oImvb4luHc">pic.twitter.com/oImvb4luHc</a>
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://x.com/RNCResearch/status/2081396620545921295?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/graham-platner-was-really-lefts-2nd-choice-for-maine-senate-option-1-had-a-big-skeleton?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Graham+Platner+Was+Really+Left%E2%80%99s+2nd+Choice+For+Maine+Senate+%E2%80%94+Option+1+Had+A+Big+%E2%80%98Skeleton%E2%80%99">The Daily Wire previously reported</a> that leftists hand-picked Platner after their initial choice was found to have a major “skeleton” in his closet. Last July, two Bernie Sanders-aligned political operatives hunted for a Democrat to challenge Republican Senator Susan Collins, ultimately landing on and recruiting Platner. After a meteoric rise, Platner suspended his Senate campaign on July 8 after Democrats mounted a pressure campaign to force him out of the race following rape and sexual harassment allegations that he denies.
Over the weekend, Maine Democrats <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-party-bosses-crown-new-nominee-to-replace-graham-platner?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Democrat+Party+Bosses+Crown+New+Nominee+To+Replace+Graham+Platner">hand-selected a new nominee</a> to replace the disgraced oyster farmer: Troy Jackson.
The party announced the decision on Saturday, saying that Jackson had been “formally” selected by the Maine Democratic State Committee — meaning that not a single Maine Democrat had cast a vote for him to be their nominee in that race.
Maine Democrats’ Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson praised the move, claiming that it was just one more example of “democracy” working exactly as it should.
“Democracy, while sometimes really messy, is always, always worth fighting for … doing what is right is what us Maine Democrats will choose every damn time,” she said.
Kristen Cianci, the Republican Party&#8217;s New England communications director, blasted the move on X, drawing comparisons to Kamala Harris&#8217; coronation as the Democrats&#8217; 2024 presidential nominee.
“History is repeating itself in Maine. Troy Jackson will be crowned by @MaineDems this weekend without a single vote being cast. Just like Kamala, voters will reject him when they finally get their say in November,” she said.

GettyImages-2278039744

Bernie Sanders Doesn’t Regret Supporting Accused Rapist Graham Platner

Bernie Sanders

In a move that bore striking similarities to the 2024 emergency coronation of former Vice President Kamala Harris, Democrat Party bosses in Maine hand-selected a new nominee to replace disgraced former U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner: Troy Jackson.
The party announced the decision on Saturday, saying that Jackson had been &#8220;formally&#8221; selected by the Maine Democratic State Committee — meaning that not a single Maine Democrat had cast a vote for him to be their nominee in that race.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Maine Democrats officially handpick socialist Troy Jackson to replace Graham Platner.
&#8220;The Maine Democratic State Committee formally selects Troy Jackson as the replacement nominee for&#8230;U.S. Senate.&#8221;
Troy Jackson received zero votes from Mainers. <a href="https://t.co/x7ddUTQT8V">pic.twitter.com/x7ddUTQT8V</a>
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://x.com/RNCResearch/status/2081044514672689368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 25, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;The Maine Democratic State Committee formally selects Troy Jackson as the replacement nominee for the Maine Democratic Party&#8217;s candidate for U.S. Senate n the 2026 general election ballot.&#8221;
Maine Democrats&#8217; Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson praised the move, claiming that it was just one more example of &#8220;democracy&#8221; working exactly as it should.
&#8220;Democracy, while sometimes really messy, is always, always worth fighting for…doing what is right is what us Maine Democrats will choose every damn time,&#8221; she said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Maine Democrats’ Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson: “Democracy, while sometimes really messy, is always, always worth fighting for…doing what is right is what us Maine Democrats will choose every damn time.”
Not a single Mainer voted for Graham Platner’s replacement. <a href="https://t.co/jgAoNJQcGG">pic.twitter.com/jgAoNJQcGG</a>
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://x.com/RNCResearch/status/2081041462746026306?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 25, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
A number of critics pointed out the similarities between Jackson&#8217;s rapid ascent and the vote-free installation of Harris as the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee, arguing that the party with an often-stated goal of &#8220;saving democracy&#8221; had very little interest in putting it into practice.
The Republican Party&#8217;s New England communications director Kristen Cianci called them out on X, sharing a post from Thursday marking two years from the day from that Harris had been gifted the presidential nomination.
&#8220;History is repeating itself in Maine. Troy Jackson will be crowned by @MaineDems this weekend without a single vote being cast. Just like Kamala, voters will reject him when they finally get their say in November,&#8221; she said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
History is repeating itself in Maine.
Troy Jackson will be crowned by <a href="https://x.com/MaineDems?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MaineDems</a> this weekend without a single vote being cast.
Just like Kamala, voters will reject him when they finally get their say in November. <a href="https://t.co/HcSEHJja12">https://t.co/HcSEHJja12</a>
— Kristen Cianci (@kristencianci) <a href="https://x.com/kristencianci/status/2080425105046282380?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Others, like the National Democratic Senatorial Committee, argued that Jackson offered little to no substantive difference compared to Platner.
&#8220;No tattoo. Same crazy,&#8221; the NRSC posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
No tattoo, same crazy. <a href="https://t.co/jfgTxXUNO7">pic.twitter.com/jfgTxXUNO7</a>
— Senate Republicans (@NRSC) <a href="https://x.com/NRSC/status/2081045608316436705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 25, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Maine Democrats Pick Ex-GOP Logger In Must-Win Senate Race

Democrat Party Bosses Crown New Nominee To Replace Graham Platner

Kamala Harris

Troy Jackson, the Maine Democrat who appears poised to replace accused rapist Graham Platner as the Democrats&#8217; U.S. Senate nominee, used to be a staunch social conservative, a record Republicans could exploit to divide the party&#8217;s left-wing base.
Jackson, a logger and former president of the Maine State Senate, is the overwhelming favorite to win the Democratic nomination. Over the weekend, he secured the backing of hundreds of delegates pledged to support him at the party&#8217;s upcoming state convention, while two other top contenders, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and former Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah, dropped out of the race.
Platner, who decisively won the Democratic primary, dropped out following an explosive rape allegation that surfaced against him, which he has denied.
Jackson&#8217;s ascent, however, does not come without real risks for a candidate who remains largely unvetted and untested on the national political stage. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/us/politics/troy-jackson-maine-senate.html?unlocked_article_code=1.zVA.SiBi.ysg7LTNX8Jxr&amp;amp;smid=url-share">A New York Times report </a>dove into Jackson&#8217;s political record, which includes conservative positions on issues ranging from abortion and same-sex marriage — stances he is now working overtime to scrub from the minds of leftist Maine Democrats.
Before earning a 100% rating from Planned Parenthood, Jackson received a perfect rating from the pro-life group Maine Right to Life, according to the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130515043228/https://www.votesmart.org/candidate/evaluations/36809/troy-jackson#.U3TNuYFdXYS#.U3TNuYFdXYS">nonpartisan Project Vote Smart.</a>
Now, he’s trying to walk that record back, telling the New York Times: “I’ve made mistakes early on in understanding” around the issue of abortion. “Regardless of this U.S. Senate race, I’m really, really proud of how I’ve turned that around and, you know, done the right thing. I mean, I was wrong.”
“I was always conflicted,” Jackson, who grew up Catholic, told the outlet. “I had a hard time getting to a place I felt comfortable. But as time went on, I had a lot of conversations with people.”
In 2022, he <a href="https://www.mainesenate.org/president-jackson-senate-majority-leaders-vitelli-and-daughtry-react-to-supreme-court-opinion-overturning-roe-v-wade/">condemned</a> the overturning of Roe v. Wade but admitted to a <a href="https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2022-10-24/maines-senate-president-battles-for-his-job-and-potentially-democratic-control-of-the-chamber">local Maine news outlet</a> that he struggled to embrace abortion. Jackson has since introduced and helped enact some of the most <a href="https://www.maine.gov/governor/mills/news/governor-mills-signs-legislation-empowering-women-doctors-make-reproductive-health-care">extreme pro-abortion legislation</a> in the country, which allows, at a doctor’s discretion, abortion at any stage of pregnancy. 
Jackson is also under fire for voting against a bill in 2009 that would have legalized same-sex marriage in Maine. He’s walking back that position, too, telling the Times it was his “worst vote ever.”
Jackson first ran for the Maine House of Representatives as a Republican in 2000 but lost. Two years later, he won the seat as an independent, defeating an incumbent Democrat. He sought re-election as a Democrat in 2004 and won. Then, he was elected to the Maine Senate in 2008 and served until 2024, except for a two-year hiatus following a failed U.S. House campaign. 
During that tenure, the self-described populist has shown a tendency to lose his temper and burst out in public settings. <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/07/20/democrat-set-replace-platner-maine-led-state-senate-with-temper/">A Washington Post</a> story published Monday revealed that Jackson once hurled a water bottle in a meeting after failing to persuade a colleague to vote his way.
In another incident, Jackson is said to have screamed at another lawmaker, who then took to social media to complain that straight men were “too emotional” to work in politics, according to the Post. 
Responding to the report, BJ McCollister, a campaign adviser, admitted that the Senate hopeful has had “moments when he let his frustration get the better of him.”
“Troy regrets the moments when disagreements became too heated,” McCollister told the Post, “but passion for the issues he advocates for should not be confused with physical intimidation or bullying.”
If officially nominated, Jackson, who has vowed to carry on Platner&#8217;s agenda, will face incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins in the general election.

Senator Bernie Sanders Holds Fighting Oligarchy Event With Senate Candidate Graham Platner

Likely Platner Replacement Used To Be Normal, Before The Activists Got To Him

Elections

Platner

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin won&#8217;t say whether he briefed President Donald Trump before briefly pausing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) traffic stops in the wake of two recent fatal shootings.
During a Friday briefing on the department&#8217;s efforts to clean up the voter rolls of noncitizens, Daily Wire White House Correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan asked Mullin to clarify if he informed Trump before suspending ICE traffic stops.
&#8220;The president and I are very close. I was texting with him this morning,&#8221; Mullin said. &#8220;There&#8217;s no daylight between us and the enforcement. In fact, we have ramped up our enforcement in our arresting illegals.&#8221;
Mullin then redirected the conversation to arrest and deportation data.
&#8220;Our arrests are up, we&#8217;re hitting single-day records every single day, but what we’ve done is I’ve turned down the temperature of the stove to try to get it correct without boiling over,&#8221; he said.
The decision to pause vehicle stops followed two recent fatal shootings of migrants by ICE officers trying to pull over vehicles in Houston and Biddeford, Maine. In the Houston case, ICE said Mexican illegal immigrant Lorenzo Salgado Araujo &#8220;attempted to evade arrest&#8221; and &#8220;rammed&#8221; an ICE vehicle before he &#8220;weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer resulting in our officer firing his weapon in self-defense.&#8221;
In the Biddeford shooting, which occurred last week, an ICE officer fatally shot a Colombian man who “attempted to flee the scene” of a traffic stop, the agency said.
The morning after vehicle stops were paused, Trump posted on Truth Social that he opposed the change and viewed it as capitulating to criminals and anti-ICE Democrats.
“The Open Border Policy of Sleepy Joe Biden allowed 25,000,000 people to pour into our Country, unchecked and unvetted,” the president said. “Many were Criminals, and we have to get them out. In order to do this, we must be strong, tough, and smart, and we CANNOT give up one of I.C.E.’s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools, THE TRAFFIC STOP! Once we do, we are playing right into the criminal’s hands.”
“The Radical Left Dumocrats would like to see this done, but it won’t happen on my watch. I.C.E., be judicious, fair and smart, and go back and do your very important job,” he said. “Keep those Crime Stat Records coming! Remember, you are loved and respected in America.”
ICE sources also questioned whether Mullin informed Trump before enacting the pause.
“Not sure how they don’t consult Trump about this before they send out guidance to every field office,” one agency source said.
White House border czar Tom Homan on Tuesday credited Mullin with deciding to cease the tactic, emphasizing that it was a &#8220;temporary&#8221; measure, not &#8220;a policy change.&#8221;
ICE officers across the country received orders to resume vehicle stops on Thursday, with some new changes, including a requirement that at least one agent on the team have a body camera, sources said. There is concern within ICE that not all officers have received body cameras, making it impossible to resume traffic stops in some parts of the country.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the concerns during her Thursday briefing, saying all ICE body cameras will be distributed within the next 60 days.
“It’s been a slower rollout than we would have hoped, but that’s because [of] the Democrats’ decision to shut down DHS for several weeks. So, we expect to fully execute on the promise of body cams to all field offices across the country very soon,” she said.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin Discuses Trump Administration’s Efforts To Secure Elections

Mullin Won’t Say Whether He Briefed Trump Before Pausing ICE Traffic Stops

Donald Trump

Houston

Immigration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Markwayne Mullin

Texas

The high-stakes debate over who should replace alleged rapist Graham Platner on the Maine ballot took a bizarre turn when a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/eight-dems-including-a-logger-and-transgender-songwriter-face-off-in-maine-senate-debate?author=Brecca+Stoll&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Eight+Dems%2C+Including+A+Logger+And+Transgender+Songwriter%2C+Face+Off+In+Maine+Senate+Debate">transgender-identifying man</a> was asked to explain qualifications for serving in Congress.
With the clock ticking to find a nominee, eight candidates vying to become Maine&#8217;s Democratic Senate nominee took the debate stage Thursday night, including transgender activist Ashley Webb.
“What qualifications do you have to serve in the U.S. Senate?” the debate moderator asked the Senate hopeful.
That’s when things got weird. 
“Oh, I ran for office several times. Didn&#8217;t win, but did run,” Webb said with a chuckle. “Then, I&#8217;m a songwriter, and then I write my own books, and then I suppose my transparency… I wouldn&#8217;t lie to the people, and I wouldn&#8217;t deceive the people like we&#8217;re being deceived right now.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
MODERATOR: &#8220;What qualifications do you have to serve in the U.S. Senate?&#8221;
Maine Democrat Ashley Webb: &#8220;I&#8217;m a songwriter and I write my own books.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/csMIFkmt4Q">pic.twitter.com/csMIFkmt4Q</a>
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://x.com/RNCResearch/status/2077912498087289214?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
On the Maine Democratic Party’s <a href="https://mainedems.org/ashley-webb/">website</a>, Webb pledges to build on Platner’s grassroots campaign.
“As an openly trans and intersex woman, I know what it means to be told to wait, to be quieter, to let someone else speak for you. I won’t do that in this campaign, and I won’t do it in the Senate,” Webb’s platform reads.  
During the televised debate, Webb expressed fear of being assaulted if biological males were fully removed from women’s spaces, including bathrooms, locker rooms, and sports.
&#8220;We’re being dehumanized. They say we want to hurt people. I don&#8217;t want to hurt anybody. I just want to use the bathroom,” Webb said on the debate stage. “If they want me to use the men&#8217;s room, I will, but I don&#8217;t want to be assaulted.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Ashley Webb &#8211; a Democrat contender to replace Graham Platner for U.S. Senate:
&#8220;I don&#8217;t want to hurt anybody, I just want to use the bathroom&#8230;if they want me to use the men&#8217;s room I will but I don&#8217;t want to be assaulted.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/ckiNs08hi9">pic.twitter.com/ckiNs08hi9</a>
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://x.com/RNCResearch/status/2077913037005099366?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2026</a></blockquote>
Republicans pounced. 
Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro <a href="https://x.com/benshapiro/status/2078105996451344810?s=20">posted</a>, “‘I wouldn&#8217;t lie to the people, and I wouldn&#8217;t deceive the people,’ said the man dressed as a woman.”
“I think the Democrats must nominate Ashley. No question about it,” <a href="https://x.com/tylerbowyer/status/2077981912715661766?s=20">said</a> Tyler Bowyer, COO of Turning Point Action. 
“Ashley is an incredible woman,” <a href="https://x.com/JackPosobiec/status/2078034305796690397?s=20">joked</a> conservative commentator Jack Posobiec.  “The Democrats would be doubling down on Platner’s misogyny if they refuse to support Ashley.” 
News Center Maine, the debate host, split the candidates into two sessions. Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, former Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah, and former congressional candidate Jordan Wood participated in the first hour. 
The second featured David Costello, Dan Kleban, Elizabeth Dickerson, and Ashley Webb. Prediction Market giant Kalshi <a href="https://news.kalshi.com/p/graham-platner-suspends-campaign-kalshi-odds-maine-senate-nominee">currently lists</a> Jackson as the frontrunner to become the Democratic nominee. Traders give him an 89% chance of winning. 
Facing a July 27 deadline, the Maine Democratic Party will <a href="https://mainedems.org/advisory-mdp-to-host-u-s-senate-nominating-convention/">hold</a> a nominating convention on July 25 in Bangor, where 601 voting delegates – not Democratic primary voters – will choose the party&#8217;s nominee.
Despite decisively winning the nomination, Platner was forced off the ballot by Democrats following explosive allegations of rape and sexual harassment, which he denies.
The winner of the pop-up Democratic convention will advance to the Nov. 3 general election against incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins.

Trans Songwriter

Trans-Identifying Songwriter Wants To Replace Platner On Maine Ballot

Primary

As Graham Platner crashed out of the Maine Senate race over rape accusations, a nebulous group stepped out of the shadows with millions of dollars to boost Democrats in the state. In the immediate aftermath of the scandal, a 30-second $2.5 million <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UkhcVm6Hx8">TV spot</a> popped up <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/07/10/congress/dem-ad-blitz-collins-abortion-record-00992630">attacking</a> Republican Susan Collins for her vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
The ad was paid for by a group called “Affordable Maine,” which records show is a creation of the Opportunity Action Fund, a Washington, D.C.-based dark money group run by well-connected activists poised to spend millions of dollars backing Democrats in the midterm elections. The group&#8217;s sudden injection into the race provides a clue about how a powerful dark money entity will spend its money ahead of the midterm elections. 
Affordable Maine is just one of the dozens of trade names registered by the Opportunity Action Fund, including multiple other “affordable” state-focused groups. The trade names shed light on where Democrats may pour untraceable money next — even as many of the party’s candidates denounce dark money and corporate PACs. 
<a href="https://corponline.dlcp.dc.gov/business/info">Corporate filings</a> show all of the trade names registered by the Opportunity Action Fund are competitive politically: Affordable Virginia, Affordable Pennsylvania, Affordable Georgia, Affordable Iowa, Affordable Alaska, Affordable Maine, Affordable Ohio, Affordable Michigan, and Affordable North Carolina. 
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Caitlin Sutherland, the executive director of Americans for Public Trust, a watchdog group that first flagged the corporate filings, told the Daily Wire that these trade names are used to disguise the fact that groups dumping into races aren’t as local as they claim to be. She said that trade names should be viewed as a &#8220;costume&#8221; to hide the true nature of where the spending originates.  
“What they are doing is co-opting this process to make it seem like it&#8217;s a local mom and pop grassroots group that can then run ads to support a specific candidate in a state,” Sutherland told The Daily Wire. “We just saw this last week with attacking Susan Collins under the group Affordable Maine. It&#8217;s very important to know it&#8217;s not a Maine group.”
All of the groups appear to be moving in concert with each other. The trade names for “affordable” Maine, Michigan, Alaska, Ohio, and North Carolina, for example, were identically registered on April 23, 2026. All of these states have competitive Senate or House races. 
Sutherland expects to see more &#8220;affordable&#8221; attacks on Republican Dan Sullivan in Alaska as well as on Republican candidates in North Carolina, Michigan, Ohio, and Iowa. Spending allocation will likely depend on fundraising numbers and polling. She added that it was telling to see where no trade names had yet been created. For example, no name has been registered for Texas, where Democratic candidate James Talarico is facing off against Attorney General Ken Paxton.
The trade names allow outside groups to “sneak in and sneak out of these competitive districts or these competitive states and make it sound like it is a local group,&#8221; Sutherland said. 
The Opportunity Action Fund was first registered in Washington, D.C. on February 20, 2025, and its listed corporate email address is affiliated with Elias Law, the law firm of powerful Democrat lawyer Marc Elias. Elias has made a name for himself by challenging voter integrity laws and representing Democratic candidates.  
The group&#8217;s corporate filings list its directors as Mike Russell, Larry Lopez, and Christopher Rackens, who previously worked <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-rackens-95396150/">several Capitol Hill jobs</a> for House Democrats.
Another one of the Opportunity Action Fund’s trade names is Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy, which used to be a project of the Democrat aligned Forward Action Fund. The group&#8217;s affiliated PAC <a href="https://www.familyfriendlyeconomy.org/news-/new%3A-campaign-for-a-family-friendly-economy-pac-announces-%2450-million-midterm-electoral-program">announced</a> plans to spend $50 million backing Democrats in the midterm elections. The organization and its PAC share the same <a href="https://www.familyfriendlyeconomy.org/">website</a> and describes itself as a “project” of the Opportunity Action Fund. 
The $50 million campaign said its<a href="https://apnews.com/article/daycare-child-care-assistance-midterm-elections-1a006de0d9e0557370958e482d6f51f4"> focus</a> would be on Senate races in North Carolina, Georgia, Michigan, Maine, and Ohio, and on Iowa and Pennsylvania House races, all states with Opportunity Action Fund “affordable” trade names. 
The group is led by Sondra Goldschein, who previously worked for the far-left ACLU as the deputy national political director. Its goals include pushing paid medical leave and “affordable child care.” 
The Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy PAC <a href="https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00744920/?cycle=2024">reported</a> raising $22 million for the 2024 election cycle. Its current <a href="https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/fecimg/?202601309795136179">reported</a> receipts from January 2025 to May 2026 sit at over $2.8 million. About $2 million of these funds were from Pivotal Ventures, a group tied to Melinda French Gates, the ex-wife of billionaire Bill Gates. Those funds were <a href="https://docquery.fec.gov/cgi-bin/fecimg/?202601309795136179">marked</a> for the PAC&#8217;s non-contribution account, meaning they cannot directly go toward candidates.  
Two of the <a href="https://www.familyfriendlyeconomy.org/accountability">projects</a> of the Campaign For a Family Friendly Economy include Affordable Virginia and Affordable Pennsylvania, both trade names of the Opportunity Action Fund that were previously housed by the Forward Action Fund. 
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Affordable Pennsylvania has <a href="https://www.affordablepennsylvania.org/">focused</a> its attention on attacking Republican lawmakers including Reps Ryan Mackenzie, Rob Bresnahan, and Scott Perry. The group attacked the trio for voting for more accountability for welfare benefits. 
One upcoming <a href="https://www.mobilize.us/affordablepennsylvania/event/969389/">event</a> sponsored by Affordable Pennsylvania bills itself as a “town hall” that “will put people as the center of the affordability crisis and hold Congressman Mackenzie accountable to us — not his billionaire buddies on their yachts.”
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Affordable Virginia <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20260224002131/https://www.affordablevirginia.org/">focused</a> much of its attention on going after GOP Rep. Jen Kiggans. The group no longer appears to have an active website, but is still listed as an active trade name of the Opportunity Action Fund. 
Other of the “affordable” trade names don’t yet appear to have active websites. Going to a <a href="https://affordableiowa.org/">webpage</a> for AffordableIowa.org ends up on a page announcing that it will be “launching soon.” 
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Sutherland said that voters in these states should carefully scrutinize the groups behind the ads they see.
“They really need to question why is this group not being transparent about who they actually are,&#8221; she said. &#8220;It&#8217;s important to take a step back and to scrutinize where that message is coming from before it impacts your vote.&#8221;
In addition to the &#8220;affordable&#8221; trade names, the Opportunity Action fund registered groups like &#8220;The Rural Path&#8221; and &#8220;Astronauts for America Action Fund&#8221; as trade names. A <a href="https://www.theruralpath.com/">website</a> for The Rural Path has expired, but The Rural Path PAC has an <a href="https://www.rppac.com/">active website</a> that states its goal is to improve Democrat performance among rural voters. The Astronauts for America Action Fund has <a href="https://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/pdfs/Space-Community-Letter-on-FY-2027-NASA-Budget.pdf">signed</a> its name to a letter complaining about funding cuts. 
With the failure of the Democratic Party in the 2024 election and the growing toxicity of dark money groups like the Sixteen Thirty Fund, there is an opening for groups to assert themselves as the top outside spender ahead of the next presidential election.
&#8220;All these groups on the left are going to be jockeying for who is going to be the main outside group that is going to have all the money, and the infrastructure ahead of a presidential year, that&#8217;s really not that far away,&#8221; Sutherland said. &#8220;Time and time again, we see Democrats decry dark money, but the Left is the one benefiting the most from dark money.&#8221;

MixCollage-16-Jul-2026-12-56-PM-6658

Where A Secretive Dem Dark Money Network May Strike Next

Dark Money

Eight Democrats are vying to replace former Senate nominee Graham Platner after he withdrew from the race last week following a string of scandals involving rape allegations, a Nazi tattoo, and controversial online posts that plagued his campaign. They will gather to debate on Thursday evening.
Wednesday was the deadline to file with the Maine Democratic Party. Delegates will choose the party&#8217;s replacement nominee from the field of eight at a July 25 convention, with the winner advancing to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins. The candidates are scheduled to take the debate stage on Thursday night. 
Maine state Sen. Troy Jackson was the first Democrat to jump into the race. A former Republican and fifth-generation logger, Jackson became active in politics while advocating for American loggers competing with lower-paid Canadians. He has since embraced economically leftist policies, including support for organized labor, and has been endorsed by far-left Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). Jackson came in third place for Maine’s gubernatorial race behind Nirav Shah who also tossed his hat into the Senatorial race. Jackson <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TroyJacksonmaine/posts/im-ready-to-take-the-stage-thursday-and-make-my-case-to-mainers-but-nobody-shoul/1572391381559583/">asked</a> News Center Maine, Thursday’s debate host, to allow every candidate to participate in the debate who has filed their candidacy. 
Former CDC Deputy Director Nirav Shah says Platner <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6401125610112">supporters</a>  ‘have a home’ in his campaign. Shah practiced as an attorney for six years before going back to school to the University of Chicago to get his doctorate in medicine. He served as Illinois’s Director of Public Health and even served as the Deputy Director of the CDC. Shah left the CDC in 2025 where he serves as a visiting professor at Colby College, a position he held while running his gubernatorial campaign. Shah says he’s running on the grassroots movement he created during his last race. He says his goal is simple, “We must defeat Susan Collins.” Collins, although a Republican, is arguably the most progressive Republican in the Senate. Collins supports abortion rights, opposed the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, and voted against the 2017 partial appeal of the Affordable Care Act. Shah attacks her platform for voting to support an additional $70 billion to fund the Department of Homeland Security and ICE. 
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows will be making her second attempt to unseat Collins after losing to the Republican incumbent in 2014. Collins beat Bellows, taking about two thirds of the vote, in 2014. Bellows claims she’ll have better results this go around because she “learned how to bring people together, how to assemble a professional campaign, and really learned a lot about the stakes” through running for Governor. Bellows, who currently serves as Maine’s Secretary of State, took fourth place in the gubernatorial campaign falling behind Shah and Jackson. 
Former Rep. Katie Porter&#8217;s chief of staff Jordan Wood was in a Senate campaign last year. Wood ultimately pivoted his campaign to a spot in the House after Democratic Representative Jared Golden announced he wouldn’t be running for re-election. Wood is a former congressional chief of state for Katie Porter who was known for harsh interactions with her staff and reporters. Wood’s campaign website attributes his campaign mission to “fighting back” against Trump after he was “barricaded at the Capitol on January 6th.” 
David Costello is making another run for the Democratic Senate nomination after receiving about 8% of the vote in the primary. Governor Janet Mills and Platner split the other 92%. A longtime public servant, Costello has held positions in city, state, and federal government and has also worked as a climate activist.  
Businessman Dan Kleban dropped out of the Senatorial race before the primary, endorsed Mills over Plattner. Kleban told NBC, “ICE needs to be ‘dismantled’ after a shooting occurred on Tuesday. Kleban is a businessman who founded Maine Beer Company. He says, “I’ve spent years talking to Mainers over a beer in our taproom and throughout the community. We’re all sick and tired of a system that’s been rigged by corporate interests.” 
Former state Rep. Elizabeth Dickerson, a teacher, says she wants to make “compassion our guiding principle.” Her campaign has focused on opposing war with Iran, addressing climate change, and resisting Trump’s agenda. 
Paige Loud, 29, is the youngest hopeful candidate. &#8220;A lot of young people and students are disconnected from politics,” she <a href="https://mainecampus.com/category/news/2026/03/umaine-graduate-student-paige-loud-runs-for-maines-2nd-congressional-district-shares-insight-on-campaign/">said</a>. “ I remind students that I think our voices need to be in those big rooms where decisions are being made.” Loud is currently a social worker. She spent the last eight years in school starting at Tulsa Community College in Maine before obtaining both her bachelor&#8217;s and master’s degree in social work from the University of Maine. Loud says if she wins she will serve but ultimately leave the senate to become a hospice social worker. 
Thursday’s debate will begin at 7 pm ET and last 90 minutes, wrapping up half an hour before President Donald Trump is scheduled to address the nation.

Democratic Candidate Graham Platner Holds A Town Hall As He Campaigns for Senate In Maine

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released new details after a federal immigration agent fatally shot a man in Biddeford, Maine, on Monday.
The agency, which waited nearly 12 hours after the shooting to release any details, said that the incident took place around 7 a.m. local time when agents were &#8220;conducting targeted surveillance on the last known address of an illegal alien with a final order of removal.&#8221;
An illegal immigrant left the residence in a vehicle before ICE agents &#8220;attempted to conduct a vehicle stop.&#8221; When the driver &#8220;attempted to flee,&#8221; an officer &#8220;fearing for public safety&#8221; then fired his weapon, ICE said.
“The driver of the vehicle was struck, and emergency services were immediately contacted. He passed away from his injuries,&#8221; ICE said.
The Biddeford Police Department and the FBI responded to the scene, ICE said. The Department of Homeland Security&#8217;s Office of Inspector General was also &#8220;notified,&#8221; and an investigation is pending.
&#8220;This is a developing situation, and we will update the public when more information is available,&#8221; ICE said.
Initial statements claimed that the Colombian man was trying to flee “in the direction of the officer” when he was shot, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/13/us/live-news/maine-ice-shooting-houston-minnesota?post-id=cmrjogyat000s3b6rgpi7yzfs&amp;Date=20260713&amp;Profile=CNN&amp;utm_content=1783977613&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=facebook&amp;fbclid=IwY2xjawTCP05leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFPMXJFNlhEQUtXRmpMOWJLc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhDS0XLdKqzqlYB8r4wZ-avawpm35RaBxDdWUenrt9ftx4Z6gSJ4ozyGQoH0_aem_3hFv0S0OP2ukdeGhT5Cr_g" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to CNN, citing the Office of the Maine Attorney General.
ICE&#8217;s statement did not allege that the man shot and killed by officers tried to hit them with his vehicle.
Local officials earlier identified the suspect as a 26-year-old Colombian man, but did not reveal his name.
Maine Sen. Angus King (I-ME) said Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told him that the man who was shot was not their intended target, according to CNN. King made the statement while walking back an earlier claim he said Mullin made that the deceased man was the intended target.
“Senator King continued to emphasize the need for a full, comprehensive, and transparent investigation,” his office said in a statement.
The shooting comes just days after an ICE officer fatally shot a Mexican illegal immigrant, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, in Houston.
Both shootings have sparked protests in both Texas and Maine. Anti-ICE demonstrators quickly assembled at Republican Maine Sen. Susan Collins&#8217; office Monday, shouting “Vote her out.”

Fatal ICE shooting in Biddeford

What Happened During The Latest ICE-Involved Shooting

I wanted to open this piece by drawing a parallel between Graham Platner and someone from my personal life.
I thought of an acquaintance I knew who once had an abusive, manipulative, serially adulterous boyfriend, but that didn&#8217;t quite fit. I thought of another acquaintance born into immense family wealth who oozes charisma but just can&#8217;t seem to get their scattered life together. That didn&#8217;t quite fit either. I even considered a high school burnout from my youth, who joined the military and remained rough around the edges after.
The reality is that Graham Platner is like a composite character of some of the most frustrating people I&#8217;ve ever encountered, all mixed into one singular disaster. I couldn&#8217;t hone in on any one example to properly make the point.
Much ink has been spilled about Mr. Platner, and I myself had about five different columns from every different angle I considered writing about him. But I think the thing that stands out to me the most is how the fail-son liberal class tried to pawn him off as an everyman.
Democrats claimed we all know a Graham Platner. They&#8217;re exactly right, actually. There are just two problems.
The first is that nobody likes Graham Platner. We all loathe the sh*tty excuse for a man that our female friend or sister or daughter dates. The one that we can all spot from a mile away, who lies as easily as he speaks, who you know ends in disaster but somehow has the charm to prolong the trainwreck as long as possible.
We&#8217;re all annoyed by that friend who may be good at heart but is a serial bullsh*tter, always with some new scheme they&#8217;re working on or hustle that&#8217;s going to change the world, but never has the follow-through to do anything with their life. It&#8217;s especially annoying if that person doesn&#8217;t have to succeed because they&#8217;ve got dad&#8217;s money to fall back on.
We&#8217;re all uncomfortable around that edgelord friend who takes every joke too far, who can&#8217;t speak like a normal person around women, who still makes quips at age 33 that the rest of us left in the middle school bathroom. By a certain age, he becomes less of a friend and more of a nuisance.
Nobody likes this guy, including the Democrats who endlessly excused Graham Platner&#8217;s behavior and pretended they do.
That leads us to their second mistake: they pretended they liked this guy because they think you like this guy.
The Ro Khannas and Morris Katzs of the world are not regular, everyday Americans, and have limited contact with them. In their warped head, they think Graham Platner is the everyman. He&#8217;s a vulgar brute, just like the middle-American truck driver. He treats women badly? Well so do all those religious husbands down south Democrats need to try to win over, don&#8217;t they? Oyster farming? The fellas down at the John Deere dealership will love this guy!
Being so out of touch with reality is what allowed the elite liberal class to make this second mistake. While normal people saw immediately what Graham Platner is, his backers projected all of his flaws onto their fellow Americans.
&#8220;He was in the military! Of course he jokes about veterans deserving to die and has a few screws loose!&#8221;
&#8220;He isn&#8217;t a career politician! Of course his entire digital footprint is filled with heinous comments!&#8221;
&#8220;He&#8217;s working class! Of course he does a little rape and woman-shaking!&#8221;
I&#8217;ve known plenty of military veterans. Most of my family is what you would call the &#8220;rural working class.&#8221; I&#8217;ve got friends from back home who aren&#8217;t involved in politics. Newsflash: none of them behave the way Graham Platner does. That progressive elites think they do exposes a deep contempt in their souls.
And just as an aside, I don&#8217;t think any of those people I know, despite being much better humans than Graham Platner, belong in the United States Senate. The body that was once home to our most impressive intellectuals and statesmen is not where broken people go to heal on their journey to find themselves, as Democrats tried to argue with the absurd Platner redemption-arc storyline. Take that nonsense to your priest or your therapist.
The Platdenburg&#8217;s mid-air implosion was entirely foreseeable months ago, but somehow Democrats&#8217; elite class fell into a trance of their own making. Despite the death rattle we are currently witnessing in Maine, his time is over. It remains to be seen if there will be any course correction from the menaces who tried to foist him upon our body politic.

Everybody Knows This Guy, And We Don’t Like Him

DW Opinion

“Grey’s Anatomy” star Patrick Dempsey addressed speculation that he could replace disgraced Maine Democrat Graham Platner in the U.S. Senate race, revealing that he seriously considered a run before deciding against it. 
The former “Sexiest Man Alive,” 60, said he gave the idea &#8220;real thought&#8221; before concluding he could make a greater impact outside elected office. 
“Over the past several days, I’ve been asked a question more than once: Would you ever run for the United States Senate?” Dempsey <a href="https://www.pressherald.com/2026/07/08/why-im-not-running-for-us-senate-patrick-dempsey/">wrote</a> in an op-ed published in the Portland Press Herald earlier this week.
Ultimately, he decided to stick to his day job. 
“As I reflected on all of this, I kept coming back to one question: Do I truly want to serve in Congress?” he wrote.
“After a lot of thought, I realized the answer is no. Not because public service isn’t honorable — it absolutely is. But because I believe I can contribute more effectively through the life I’ve already built,” Dempsey said.
He ended the piece by encouraging fans to help others no matter what.
 “That’s the work I want to keep doing. So no, I’m not running for office. But I am asking something of the people who do,” he wrote, encouraging the community to “Lead with humility. Tell the truth. Put people before party.”
Dempsey&#8217;s comments come as Democrats search for a replacement after Platner <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-video-shows-disgraced-graham-platner-doing-house-chores-after-campaign-imploded">suspended his campaign</a> for the U.S. Senate after a series of scandals — ranging from his Nazi-themed tattoo and raunchy social media posts to allegations of troubling behavior, sexual assault, and even rape.
Several names have since been floated online as potential replacements, including anti-ICE children’s content creator Rachel Accurso, known as “Ms. Rachel.&#8221;

Patrick Dempsey

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Star Makes Decision On Maine Senate Run

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