Miss Maine USA Runner-Up Mara Carpenter Breaks Silence on Media Bias Amid Jordon Hudson Spotlight
Mara Carpenter calls out media for overlooking her runner-up placement at Miss Maine USA 2025, urging recognition for all contestants beyond headline-driven coverage.
After finishing second at the 2025 Miss Maine USA pageant, Mara Carpenter addresses being overlooked in the press coverage dominated by Jordon Hudson and applauds all contestants for their hard work and unity.
Mara Carpenter, the newly crowned runner-up at the 2025 Miss Maine USA pageant, is speaking out after media coverage surrounding the event focused heavily on fellow contestant Jordon Hudson — girlfriend of NFL legend Bill Belichick — while largely ignoring her own accomplishment.
Carpenter, who represented Cumberland County and placed second in the statewide competition, took to Instagram Stories on Monday, May 12, to express both gratitude and frustration. Her comments came just a day after Shelby Howell was crowned Miss Maine USA 2025 at the finals held at the Holiday Inn in Portland.
In a candid message posted alongside a smiling selfie, Carpenter wrote:
“I appreciate all of the media reaching out and congratulating me on my placement… But at the same time fails to even mention my placement in any article, and still continues to ask for my input on the other ladies.”
Carpenter continued, highlighting a key irony in the situation:
“I loved all of the contestants, and I’m the mystery person that your [sic] fail to mention in between winner and 2nd [runner-up]!”
Her statement addressed the noticeable gap in coverage that skipped over her own achievement while elevating Hudson, who placed third, and other headline-generating contestants.
A Pageant Under the Spotlight
Much of the media frenzy surrounding this year’s pageant stemmed from the high-profile presence of Jordon Hudson and her 73-year-old boyfriend, six-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick, who was seated front row during both the preliminary and final events. Cameras and headlines swarmed around the couple, overshadowing other contestants, including Carpenter and another history-making competitor — Isabelle St. Cyr, the first transgender woman to compete in Miss Maine USA.
St. Cyr also weighed in on the media narrative, revealing in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE that she and Hudson bonded backstage over the scrutiny they faced.
“We had a conversation backstage and we were like, ‘You know, the media hasn’t necessarily been kind to us,’” St. Cyr shared. “We just kind of talked about how we’ve dealt with it, how to move forward, how to remain positive and when to comment and not to comment.”
Their mutual understanding helped ease tensions during the competition, ensuring that the backstage environment remained supportive.
“I think we both wanted to make it clear that we had nothing to do with it and that we were just happy to be competing,” said St. Cyr, who made the top 10. “So I was very thankful for that.”
“We ALL Worked Incredibly Hard”
Carpenter’s remarks struck a chord among followers and fellow pageant fans, offering a powerful reminder that every contestant brings dedication and heart to the stage — not just those with headlines attached to their names. She concluded her Instagram post with a pointed but graceful message:
“We ALL worked incredibly hard. Put that in your article!”
As the dust settles on this year’s Miss Maine USA pageant, Carpenter’s voice stands as a call for fair recognition — one that celebrates effort and excellence over celebrity status. Her message is a timely reminder of what pageantry is truly about: empowerment, integrity, and the celebration of every woman’s journey.
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