Jesse Jackson, Jr.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Jesse Jackson, Jr. | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 4, 1995– |
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| Preceded by | Mel Reynolds |
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| Succeeded by | Incumbent |
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| Born | March 11, 1965 (age 42) Greenville, South Carolina |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Sandi Jackson |
| Religion | Baptist |
Jesse Louis Jackson, Jr. (born March 11, 1965) is a member of the United States House of Representatives representing Illinois's 2nd congressional district (map). He is the son of activist and former presidential candidate Jesse Jackson.
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[edit] Background
Born in Greenville, South Carolina, he was educated at St. Albans School, Le Mans Academy, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Chicago Theological Seminary and the University of Illinois. Before entering the House, he was the national field director of the National Rainbow Coalition and a member of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. He is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus. He is also a founding board member of the Apollo Alliance.
[edit] Political career
He took his seat in the House after winning a special election in December 1995, following the conviction of Representative Mel Reynolds on sex charges and his subsequent resignation.
During the 2002 Democratic primary for Jackson’s 2nd District congressional seat, Jackson claimed that Dolton, Illinois Mayor and state Sen. William Shaw and his brother, Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Robert Shaw, had planted a bogus candidate in the primary race, a 68 year old retired truck driver from Robbins, Illinois also named “Jesse L. Jackson”, in order to confuse voters, and derail Jesse Jackson Jr.’s re-election campaign. Although no criminal wrongdoing was found, the Robbins Jackson withdrew his candidacy [1] after the unexpected death of his wife was followed by his 19 year old grandson's death during football team tryouts at Northern Illinois University. [2]
He remains one of the highest vote-getters in the U.S. House of Representatives. Jackson was an early supporter of both U.S. Senator Barack Obama of Illinois and former Governor Howard Dean of Vermont. He has been an ardent backer of the long-proposed third Chicago airport, Abraham Lincoln National Airport, in Peotone, placing him at odds with Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley.
[edit] Other information
In March of 2005, he revealed that he had lost 50 pounds (23 kg) due to gastric bypass surgery.
Jackson is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
On November 8, 2006, Jackson reported that he will not seek a 2007 mayoral campaign in Chicago.
[...] as you know Democrats are now poised to take control of the Congress for the first time in my eleven year career. More than any time since I took my initial oath of office, I am excited, I am eager, and I am downright giddy about the prospects of being in Washington. Washington will be the place to be in the next two years, and maybe even the foreseeable future. For me this means an unprecedented opportunity to help lead this country in a new and a better direction and to help serve my constituents, my hometown of Chicago and my state of Illinois. So I will not be a candidate for the mayor of the city of Chicago in 2007.
In the February 27, 2007 Chicago Municipal elections, Jackson's wife, Sandi Jackson, won the election for Alderman in Chicago's 7th ward.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- U.S. Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. official House site
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Federal Election Commission - Jesse Louis Jackson Jr. campaign finance reports and data
- On the Issues - Jesse Louis Jackson issue positions and quotes
- OpenSecrets.org - Jesse Jackson Jr. campaign contributions
- Project Vote Smart - Representative Jesse Louis Jackson Jr. (IL) profile
- SourceWatch Congresspedia - Jesse Jackson Jr. profile
- Washington Post - Congress Votes Database: Jesse Jackson Jr. voting record
- Jesse Jackson, Jr. official campaign site
Articles
- Buzzflash Interview: Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. December 30, 2002
- Jackson Jr., Jesse The Right to Vote, The Nation, January 19, 2006.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Mel Reynolds |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 2nd congressional district 1995-Present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
Categories: 1965 births | Living people | African Americans in the United States Congress | Current members of the United States House of Representatives | People from Chicago | Members of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois | African American politicians | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign alumni
