Jeff Jackson (politician)

Raised in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Jackson earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in philosophy from Emory University. He also earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law.[7]

Jackson served as a Specialist (E-4) during his year-long deployment to Afghanistan. After returning home from his deployment, Jackson entered the ROTC program to become a commissioned officer. Jackson currently works as a business litigator at Womble Bond Dickinson in Charlotte.[8] Jackson also continues to serve in the North Carolina Army National Guard as a captain in the Judge Advocate General's Corps.[2][9]

Prior to joining the state Senate, Jackson worked as a prosecutor in Gaston County, North Carolina. He was forced to resign upon joining the senate, as the state constitution prohibits serving as an elected official and a prosecutor simultaneously.[10]

When Sen. Dan Clodfelter resigned to become Mayor of Charlotte in 2014, his vacancy in the state Senate had to be filled by local Democratic precinct members. Jackson sought the office, along with three other candidates. On the day of the election, one of the candidates failed to secure someone to nominate him for consideration. Jackson stepped forward to personally nominate his opponent, thereby allowing the candidate to formally oppose Jackson in the election.[11] Of 49 votes, Jackson received 25, officially winning by one vote. Jackson was also chosen to replace Clodfelter as the Democratic nominee on the November 2014 general election ballot. Because no other person had filed to run against Clodfelter for the seat, Jackson ran unopposed for a full two-year term.[12] Jackson was re-elected to his second full term in 2016, winning with 68% of the vote against Bob Diamond.[13]

In 2014, Jackson's speech on the budget process gained national attention.[14] Jackson gained national attention again when he was the only legislator to show up for work on a snow day in February 2015.[15][16][17] The episode earned him a featured segment on The Rachel Maddow Show.[18]

Jackson has repeatedly introduced legislation to end gerrymandering by implementing independent redistricting.[19] He also supports significantly expanding pre-K education programs.[20] In 2017, Jackson introduced a bill to repeal the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, also known as HB2.[21]

Jackson is also known for his fight to close the consent loophole.[22] Under previous North Carolina law, women could not legally revoke their consent to engage in sexual intercourse once that act has consensually begun, meaning that, according to Jackson, North Carolina was "the only state in the country where no doesn't really mean no".[23] After several years of introducing the bill to close the consent loophole, it finally passed unanimously in 2019.[24][25]

Jackson faced his first competitive race in 2020.[26] His district had been significantly redrawn and was now a D+2 district, in which a Democratic candidate would only be expected to win by two points.[26] His Republican challenger was Sonja Nichols, a well-known philanthropist and wealthy businesswoman. Jackson pledged to run a 100% positive campaign and refrain from any attacks on his opponent.[27] He even complimented his opponent in a campaign ad.[28] In the final weeks of the campaign, Jackson was called up for National Guard service, preventing him from doing any campaigning during that time.[29] Jackson responded by handing his campaign over to his wife, Marisa, who became the face of the campaign for the closing weeks.[30] Jackson beat Nichols 55% to 41%.[31]

Various news outlets mentioned Jackson as a potential candidate against Republican incumbent Richard Burr in North Carolina's 2016 U.S. Senate election. Jackson declined to run and Burr won re-election.[32][33] He was also mentioned as a top potential challenger to North Carolina's other Republican Senator, Thom Tillis in 2020. Before his announcement, Jackson was widely considered to be a potential candidate for 2022 and has been described as the "early frontrunner to replace Sen. Burr."[34] On January 26, 2021, Jackson announced he would be running to replace retiring U.S. Senator Richard Burr in the 2022 United States Senate election.[35] He announced in his campaign announcement video that he would be running a "100 county campaign" in which he would visit each of North Carolina's 100 counties.[6] It was reported that his campaign had raised over $500 thousand within 48 hours of his announcement.[36]

In 2020, Jackson was named one of Charlotte Magazine's Charlotteans of the Year.[37]

Jackson is married to Marisa, a marketing director, with two young sons and a daughter.[38]

• Official website
• Profile, ncleg.net; accessed January 22, 2017.