Maine Democratic Senate nominee Troy Jackson is facing renewed scrutiny after investigators linked him to an anonymous online account that posed as a Canadian logger to attack then-Gov. Paul LePage and other Republicans during a bitter political feud over a decade ago.

CNN analysis of Disqus comment data and campaign records connected Jackson to dozens of posts made under the alias "Canadians for LePage" on the Bangor Daily News website in 2012 and 2013. The revelations come as Jackson challenges incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins in one of the most closely watched Senate races of 2026.

Fake Canadian Persona

Using the pseudonymous account, Jackson routinely mocked and criticized LePage at a time when the two were locked in intense political battles in the Maine legislature. Jackson served as Senate Majority Leader during the period while LePage occupied the governor's mansion, creating regular clashes over state policy.

The account presented itself as representing Canadian loggers who supposedly supported LePage, an ironic framing given the posts' consistently negative tone toward the governor and Maine Republicans. According to the Washington Examiner's review of the comments, Jackson used the alias to post negative statements about LePage and the state GOP.

Data Trail Links Jackson

Investigators traced the account to Jackson through a combination of Disqus platform data and records from his political campaigns. The Bangor Daily News reported that the connection emerged from technical records showing the account's activity patterns and associated information.

Jackson had called Governor LePage in June 2013, around the time many of the anonymous posts appeared. The timeline suggests the online trolling occurred during some of the most contentious moments of their political relationship, when Jackson was wielding power as the Senate's top Democrat and LePage was pushing a conservative agenda.

Replacement Nominee Controversy

Jackson became the Democratic nominee through an unusual process after the original candidate withdrew. Ballotpedia reports he is the first replacement nominee for U.S. Senate in Maine since 1918 and the 28th nationwide since that year.

The year 2026 is now tied with 1936 and 2002 for the second-most Senate nominee withdrawals in a single cycle, with three candidates stepping aside. Only 2014 saw more withdrawals, with five that year.

Collins Race Intensifies

The anonymous account controversy adds a new dimension to Jackson's uphill battle against Collins, who is seeking her sixth term. Collins remains one of the few Republican senators representing a state that voted for Joe Biden in 2020, though Trump's 2024 victory in Maine has improved GOP prospects.

Jackson participated in a crowded Democratic primary field that also included Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, former Maine CDC Director Dr. Nirav Shah, and others. He secured the nomination after a contentious process and now faces the challenge of defeating a well-funded incumbent while managing questions about his past online behavior.

The revelations about "Canadians for LePage" provide Republicans ammunition to portray Jackson as engaging in deceptive political tactics. Collins' campaign has not yet commented on whether it plans to make the anonymous posting history a central attack line, but the opposition research now sits in the public record for voters to weigh as the general election approaches.