Kaylah Walton
Jordon Hudson has gained media attention due to her relationship with ex-NFL coach Bill Belichick, but the 24-year-old pageant hopeful is discovering that fame doesn’t automatically garner local support.
Competing among 17 contestants in the Miss Maine USA 2025 pageant this weekend, Hudson currently holds seventh place in the People’s Choice Award voting.
The public online voting, which costs $1 per vote, guarantees the winner a spot in the semifinals. Recently, Hudson claimed only 146 votes.
In contrast, Lexi Bjork, a student at the University of Southern Maine, leads with a significant 1,381 votes, followed by Isabelle St. Cyr, the first transgender contestant in the Miss Maine event, with 447 votes.
Despite her frequent appearances in the media, Hudson’s low vote count indicates that her notoriety may not resonate with Maine voters.
Pageant experience and personal branding fail to sway the electorate
Hudson is not new to pageants; she previously secured the runner-up position in the 2024 Miss Maine USA contest and ranked third at the Miss Massachusetts Teen USA pageant in 2020.
Last year, she aimed to enter two state competitions but only participated in one.
According to a fellow contestant, “The Miss USA rule allows competition in two states per year. Hudson chose Maine but backed out of Alaska.”
Besides her pageant history, Hudson is also an ambitious entrepreneur, reportedly owning $8 million in real estate by her mid-20s. Her business acumen, alongside her media presence, has crafted a persona that blends luxury and entrepreneurship.
However, not all attention has been positive. Hudson encountered an awkward moment during Belichick‘s “CBS Sunday Morning” interview and reportedly cannot enter the University of North Carolina’s football facility, where he currently works.
Nevertheless, Hudson is determined in her current campaign, having announced her participation in the pageant via an Instagram post last month.
“Happy International Pageant Day! I couldn’t have chosen a better day to tell everyone that I’m competing for Miss Maine USA 2025, representing my hometown, Hancock,” she shared.
The Miss Maine USA competition kicks off Saturday, featuring three main categories: interview, swimsuit, and evening gown. The winner will be crowned on Sunday evening, while the People’s Choice Award victor will have already secured a semifinalist spot.
Whether Hudson‘s media visibility will help her compete against more locally favored contestants remains to be seen. Despite her recognition and pageantry skills, the initial voting indicates that success in Maine’s premier beauty contest is not guaranteed.
