Jesse Jackson, Jr.
Encyclopedia : J : JE : JES : Jesse Jackson, Jr.
Jesse Louis Jackson, Jr. (born March 11 1965) is a member of the United States House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Illinois ([map]). He is the son of activist, and former candidate for President, Rev. Jesse Jackson.
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.
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 after the unexpected deaths of both his wife and his 19 year old grandson. [link]
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 in Peotone, placing him at odds with Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, and many people expect him to campaign for the Mayor's office in the 2007 election.
In 2006 Jackson will face Republican Robert Belin and Libertarian Anthony W. Williams.
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.
External links
- [Jesse Jackson Jr.'s website]
- [Campaign finance]
- [Official House site]
- [Buzzflash Interview with Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr.]
- [The Right to Vote] by Jesse Jackson Jr. from The Nation Magazine.
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