Who is Jeff Jackson, 14th Congressional District candidate?
Political party: Democrat
Age as of Nov. 8, 2022: 40
Campaign website:JeffJacksonNC.com
Email:jeff@jeffjacksonnc.com
Occupation: State Senator (Mecklenburg), Major (Army National Guard), Attorney
Education: B.A./M.A. - Emory University; JD - University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill School of Law
Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought): I am currently serving my fourth term in the North Carolina Senate. I was a candidate for US Senate last year until I withdrew and endorsed Cheri Beasley.
What do you think the root causes of inflation in 2022 are and what further steps can Congress take?
I do a lot of the grocery shopping for our family and you can see the higher prices of everyday stuff families need. This largely stems from the end of the pandemic which triggered an increase in global demand for goods and labor - and an international supply chain shock that occurred as a result. In addition to action by the Federal Reserve, we can strengthen our supply chain and ramp up domestic manufacturing (as we did with the CHIPS Act) to be less dependent on critical supplies from abroad.
Would you support either a national abortion ban or codifying Roe v. Wade? Why?
I support codifying the constitutional freedom that was protected by Roe and has now been stripped away. Roe established a minimum level of reproductive freedom that all states had to respect. Now some states are passing total abortion bans and we’ve even seen a national ban proposed at the federal level. This is not just another political issue — it goes to the core of a person’s bodily autonomy. It’s personal, it’s fundamental, and it’s the single biggest choice facing voters this election.
Should the U.S. intervene militarily if Taiwan is invaded by China? Why or why not?
The invasion of Taiwan by China would be a catastrophic mistake by Chinese leadership that would lead to a strong, multilateral response by the United States and our allies. In accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act, the United States would - at minimum - provide defensive military equipment for the purpose of resisting an invasion. I support similar measures with respect to Ukraine and am encouraged by their recent battlefield achievements in resisting Putin’s brutal invasion.
What do you see as the biggest threat to American stability?
The most serious threat to American stability is the threat to our democracy. It is genuinely alarming that more than half of Americans will have an election denier on their ballot in November. We need to elect more members of Congress who are willing to draw a clear line when a leader of their party engages in conspiracy theories to deny the outcome of an election. I commend Rep. Liz Cheney for her willingness to sacrifice her seat in Congress to speak the truth on this crucial issue.
Tell us your biggest, boldest idea for a bill you’d introduce in Congress if elected/reelected.
The core of this political moment is the need to defend our democracy and strengthen the power of voters. To that end, we must end gerrymandering. Gerrymandering has been an incredibly harmful practice in our state for a long time. Both parties have participated. It exacerbates political and racial divides while insulating politicians from their voters. It is plainly unethical. The first bill I ever filed in the North Carolina State Senate was to end it. I will continue that mission in Congress.
This story was originally published October 13, 2022 at 11:19 AM.
.jpg)