Mi’kmaq Nation Chief, Tribal Council endorse Troy Jackson for Maine Governor

This week, Chief Sheila McCormack and the Tribal Council of Mi’kmaq Nation endorsed former Senate President Troy Jackson’s campaign for Maine Governor. The endorsement from the leaders of Mi’kmaq Nation, a federally recognized tribe based in northern Maine, highlights Jackson’s commitment to fully restoring tribal sovereignty and improving the relationship between the State of Maine and Tribal Nations.

“Troy Jackson has stood with the Mi’kmaq people,” said Chief McCormack along with the Tribal Council. “With his fervent support of the Mi’kmaq people, his consistent advocacy and his track record in the Legislature, there is no question that he will be a true partner to restore tribal sovereignty and improve outcomes for both the Mi’kmaq Nation and Maine people.”

“I am honored to have earned the endorsement of Chief McCormack and the Tribal Council,” saidJackson. “For too long, the state’s relationship with Mi’kmaq Nation and the three other federally recognized tribes has amounted to nothing more than symbolic gestures and empty promises — and this is at the best of times. For much longer, the state’s relationship with the Wabanaki People has been far worse. In 2026, we have a chance to change that.”

As Senate President, Jackson set up a commission to examine the 1980 Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act and convened for a Joint Convention of the Maine Legislature to hear from the Chiefs of the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, Mi’kmaq Nation, Penobscot Nation, and the Passamaquoddy Tribe. He also worked to pass laws to support economic development, improve access to clean drinking water, recognize the exclusive jurisdiction of tribal courts, and enshrine protections for Wabanaki children and their families into state law.