Thomas Jackson

From Usgovsimulation

Thomas Jackson
Junior Senator for the Great Lakes
In Office: 2019 - Present Serving with Daniel Morey (D-MI)
Preceded by	Luke Lockwood
Succeeded by	Incumbent
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
In Office: 2017-2019 Michigan's 15th District
Preceded by	Jay Truman
Succeeded by	Elizabeth Portland
Born	November 24, 1962 Detroit, Michigan
Political Party	Republican
Spouse	Eloise Jackson (neé Garrett)
Profession	Police officer, Attorney
Religion	Baptist

Contents 1 Early Days 2 Professional Life 2.1 Detroit Police Department 2.2 District Attorney, City of Detroit 3 Career in Politics 3.1 State Senator, Michigan's 18th State Senate District 3.2 U.S. Representative, Michigan's 15th Congressional District 3.3 United States Senator from the Great Lakes

Early Days

Thomas Jackson was born in Detroit to Frank and Amy Jackson, a welding supervisor and a nurse. As the son of working class parents, Thomas showed an early acumen for academics and sports. As a high school quarterback at John F. Kennedy High School in Detroit, Thomas set all kinds of records for passing yardage and yards gained through the run from the quarterback position. During his sophomore year, he met and fell in love with Cheryl Ann DuMont, the daughter of a pair of high profile attorneys who took an instant liking to both Thomas and his relationship with their daughter. During his senior year, however, tragedy struck as Cheryl, who Thomas was planning on marrying when both went to college at Michigan, was wounded during a drive-by shooting. Thomas never left her bedside until Cheryl died three days after the shooting. After the funeral, Thomas informed the University of Michigan that he had decided not to attend. While his own family and Cheryl's family were concerned that Thomas was going to spiral out of control with grief, it was the start of a much more targeted response on Thomas' part.

After high school, Thomas worked with a security firm until he was 21. Nearly instantly approved for entry into the police academy, Thomas would later explain that, "after we buried Cheryl, I made a choice not to play football, but to spend the rest of my life making sure that, insomuch as it was in my power to do so, I'd make sure nobody had to go through what we did". After graduating from the Academy, Thomas joined the Detroit Police Department as a street-level police officer.

Professional Life

Detroit Police Department

As a police officer, Thomas Jackson was a man possessed. Spending the first year on the street, he quickly impressed his supervisors with his thorough attention to detail and his ability to gather evidence that would help prosecutors build a winning case against some of the most notorious gangs in the city's history. Thomas quickly rose to the rank of Lieutenant, where he was given charge over a special anti-gang unit. Under Jackson's leadership, and working with prosecutors, Jackson managed to help oversee more successful convictions than the city had seen in over a decade, It was also during this time that one of Jackson's mentors came to him privately and shared with him information about corruption that was hindering the District Attorney's Office. Jackson himself had been thinking for some time about the greater work he could do as a prosecutor, and hearing the allegations of corruption sealed the deal. During his time in the Department, Jackson had also gained a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice. After taking the LSAT, Jackson was approved for entry into the J.D. program at Michigan. Graduating three years later, Jackson officially retired from the Detroit Police Department, but the crusading nature of his career had only just begun.

District Attorney, City of Detroit

After joining the District Attorney's office, Jackson put his investigative skills to work. Since the corrupt public officials who had been fleecing the public felt they had little to fear from a relative newcomer, they didn't bother covering their tracks very well. After gathering the evidence he needed, Jackson met with officials from the Mayor's Office and the Michigan Attorney General's Office. Breaking the case wide open, the Detroit District Attorney was forced to resign in disgrace. Overnight, Jackson became a local celebrity. When the Mayor, in consultation with the Attorney General, chose not to appoint an interim D.A., but instead to call a special election, Jackson became the overwhelming favorite to enter the race. Entering the race on a promise to restore public trust to the office, Jackson was elected with more than 60% of the vote.

During his first term, Jackson was also introduced to Eloise Garrett, a staff attorney with the Attorney General's office. There was an instant attraction, and the two began seeing each other. Following Jackson's successful election to a full term in office, the couple were married. At the conclusion of his second term, Jackson and his new wife now had the first of their three children. Living in Ann Arbor, local Republican officials were interested in getting Jackson to run for office in the Michigan Legislature. The deciding factor ended up being Eloise Jackson, who encouraged her husband to "do what you were born to do". Running as a law and order conservative, Jackson challenged the incumbent Democrat for his record on supporting local law enforcement officials. Strongly backed by the law enforcement community, Jackson won the race and became a member of the Michigan State Senate.

Career in Politics

State Senator, Michigan's 18th State Senate District

As a member of the State Senate, Jackson became known as someone that Republicans and Democrats could work with. Focusing first on restoring the law enforcement funding that his predecessor had cut, Jackson also became known as an advocate for fiscal responsibility and strong community investment. As a relatively non-controversial figure, Jackson won re-election easily several times over. After regionalization occured in 2010, Jackson became a regional figure respected by Republicans and Democrats on a wide range of issues for his ability to bridge the partisan divide, and reporters began circulating his name as a potential candidate for Congress. When news reports circulated that Congressman Jay Truman of Michigan's 15th district had ethical concerns that could endanger his re-election, Jackson was the one candidate who most worried the Democrats. Jackson entered the race as a bipartisan reformer who could bring people together. When the votes were counted, Jackson had won election in a race not contested by Republicans in decades.

U.S. Representative, Michigan's 15th Congressional District

As a member of Congress, Jackson quickly gained a reputation for working together with both sides of the aisle to advance what he called "shared policy concerns to deal with shared priorities". Minority Leader Steve Rayburn would soon recognize Jackson's work ethic and promoted him to Ranking Member on the House Budget, Economy, Labour and Infrastructure Committee. As Ranking Member, Jackson quickly earned a reputation for galvanizing his fellow Republicans while also finding a way to forge compromise and consensus with Democratic members of the committee. Finding a way to move forward, Jackson played a leading role on issues like the minimum wage, health care, environmental reform and education reform. His proudest moment, however, came when President Jack Pizzuto submitted the annual budget to Congress. Having worked with the White House, Jackson was crucial in working with BELI Chair Carter Everson and Senate Majority Leader Jackson Rockefeller to get the budget passed. While previous budgets had broken down in partisan acrimony, with the Federal government even shutting down during the Magruder Administration, the Jackson-supported talks helped lead to bipartisan passage of the budget.

While serving in the House, Jackson became what many friends called progressively more angry about the representation the Great Lakes had been receiving since 2017, when Minnesota Attorney General Luke Lockwood was appointed by then-Governor Angelina Stamford Rockefeller to serve in the vacant seat in the United States Senate. The breaking point, according to friends, was when Lockwood defended anti-semites on the Senate Floor. Entering the campaign to "restore trust" with the people of the Great Lakes, Jackson expected an energetic campaign fueled by Senate Democrats who wanted to keep the Senate seat from going to a Republican. The Jackson campaign had energized and galvanized conservatives and independents alike. When the organized Democratic campaign never materialized, Jackson became competitive in districts and neighborhoods that Republicans had taken for granted for years. On Election Day, Jackson received an overwhelming majority and became the next Senator for the Great Lakes.

United States Senator from the Great Lakes

Senator Jackson took the oath of office and became a member of the Senate on January 5th, 2019..

Election Result for District Attorney, City of Detroit Special Election, Detroit District Attorney, 1999
Party		Candidate	Status	%
	Republican	Thomas Jackson	Challenger	62%
	Democratic	Patricia Gilbert	Challenger	38%

Election Result for District Attorney, City of Detroit Detroit District Attorney, 2002
Party		Candidate	Status	%
	Republican	Thomas Jackson	Incumbent	65%
	Democratic	Jason McManus	Challenger	35%

Election Result for State Senator, Michigan's 18th District State Senate Seat (Special Election), 2004
Party		Candidate	Status	%
	Republican	Thomas Jackson	Challenger	52%
	Democratic	Elizabeth Brater	Incumbent	48%

Election Result for State Senator, Michigan's 18th District State Senate Seat, 2006
Party		Candidate	Status	%
	Republican	Thomas Jackson	Incumbent	55%
	Democratic	Elizabeth Brater	Challenger	45%

Election Result for State Senator, Michigan's 18th District State Senate Seat, 2010
Party		Candidate	Status	%
	Republican	Thomas Jackson	Incumbent	56%
	Democratic	Amy Jefferson	Challenger	44%

Election Result for State Senator, Michigan's 18th District State Senate Seat, 2014
Party		Candidate	Status	%
	Republican	Thomas Jackson	Incumbent	59%
	Democratic	Vincent Paretti	Challenger	41%

Election Result for Michigan's 15th District Congressional Seat, 2016
Party		Candidate	Status	%
	Republican	Thomas Jackson	Challenger	56%
	Democratic	Jay Truman	Incumbent	44%

Election Result for Great Lakes Senate Class III, 2018
Party		Candidate	Status	%
	Republican	Thomas Jackson	Challenger	59%
	Democratic	Luke Lockwood	Incumbent	41%