E. W. Jackson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
E. W. Jackson
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Jackson in 2023
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Earl Walker Jackson
January 13, 1952 Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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| Education | University of Massachusetts Boston (BA) Harvard University (JD) |
| Political party | Democratic (Before 1980s) Republican (1980s–present) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |
 United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1970–1973 |
| Rank | Corporal |
Earl Walker Jackson Sr. (born January 13, 1952) is an American politician, minister, and lawyer from Virginia. He is known for his conservative views. Jackson has run for several important political positions, including Lieutenant Governor of Virginia in 2013. He also sought to become a United States Senator for Virginia in 2012 and 2018. In 2023, he ran for President of the United States.
Jackson is also the head pastor at Exodus Faith Ministries in Chesapeake, Virginia. He founded Staying True to America's National Destiny, which is a Christian political group.
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Early Life and Background
Earl Walker Jackson was born on January 13, 1952, in Chester, Pennsylvania. His great-grandparents were slaves from Orange County, Virginia. When he was a child, his parents separated, and he spent much of his childhood living in a foster home.
Military Service and Education
Jackson joined the United States Marine Corps in 1970. He served for three years and was honorably discharged as a corporal in 1973. After his military service, he went to college. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts Boston. Later, he studied law and earned a law degree from Harvard Law School.
Career as a Lawyer and Teacher
After finishing law school, Jackson worked as a lawyer in the Boston area for 15 years. He also taught commercial law at Strayer University campuses in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach. While in Boston, he hosted a radio talk show called Earl Jackson Across America.
Ministry and Community Work
In 1998, Jackson became a Bishop. Later that year, he and his family moved to Chesapeake, Virginia. They started holding weekly Bible studies, which led to the founding of Exodus Faith Ministries in 1999. This is a church that welcomes people from different Christian backgrounds. The church first rented a space in a store, but they had to move because of local rules. Now, the church holds its services in a hotel in Chesapeake.
Jackson also started the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast in Chesapeake. This event helps the community remember and celebrate Dr. King's work.
Views on Community and Unity
In 2012, Jackson spoke about his views on the black community and political parties. He encouraged black people to consider if the Democratic Party still represented their values. He believes that people should focus on unity as Americans. He has said that he wants to help young people see all the good things they can achieve in life.
Jackson prefers to be called "an American of African descent" instead of "African-American." He feels this helps emphasize that everyone should come together as one family in America.
Changing Political Parties
Jackson was a member of the Democratic Party for most of his life. However, in the 1980s, he became a conservative. He decided to join the Republican Party. He explained that his personal beliefs, especially his Christian faith, did not align with some of the positions the Democratic Party had taken. He believes his ideas are closer to what many everyday Virginians think.
Running for U.S. Senate in 2012
In May 2011, Jackson announced he would run for a United States Senate seat in Virginia. The election was in 2012. He sought the Republican nomination, but George Allen won the primary election in June 2012. Jackson received 5% of the votes.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | George Allen | 167,607 | 65.5 | |
| Republican | Jamie Radtke | 59,005 | 23.0 | |
| Republican | Bob Marshall | 17,302 | 6.8 | |
| Republican | E. W. Jackson | 12,083 | 4.7 | |
| Total votes | 255,997 | 100 | ||
Campaign for Lieutenant Governor in 2013
On December 1, 2012, Jackson announced he would run for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. This position is like a vice-governor for the state. He released his "Engage and Reform Agenda," which focused on common-sense changes and following the principles of the U.S. Constitution.
Winning the Republican Nomination
On May 18, 2013, Jackson was chosen as the Republican Party candidate for Lieutenant Governor. This happened at the party's meeting in Richmond. It took four rounds of voting and ten hours for him to win. Jackson had raised the least amount of money compared to the other candidates, so his win was a big surprise. He was the first non-white person to be nominated for a statewide office by Virginia Republicans since 1988.
| 2013 Virginia Republican convention Lieutenant governor nomination official results |
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| Candidate | Weighted votes | Percentage |
| E.W. Jackson | 3,732 | 31.3% |
| Susan Stimpson | 1,798 | 15.1% |
| Corey Stewart | 1,769 | 14.8% |
| Pete Snyder | 1,739 | 14.6% |
| Scott Lingamfelter | 1,375 | 11.5% |
| Jeannemarie Devolites Davis | 861 | 7.2% |
| Steve Martin | 662 | 5.5% |
| Total weighted votes cast: 11,936 | ||
Campaign for the General Election
During his campaign, Jackson raised over $375,000. Most of this money came from many small donations, showing he had a lot of support from everyday people.
Jackson's education plan included ideas for school vouchers. This would allow public money to help fund private schools, giving parents more choices for their children's education. He also supported a plan by Ken Cuccinelli, the Republican candidate for governor, which included similar ideas. Jackson also wanted to make sure that homeschooled students received equal resources.
He also supported the Farm Freedom Act. This bill would allow family farmers to sell their products directly to customers without as many government rules. He believed this would help small farms grow.
Jackson's campaign also started a "Women for Jackson" group. This group supported his goals to help families with school choices, keep health standards safe, and create a better economy in Virginia for everyone.
Several groups supported Jackson, including the Virginia Fraternal Order of Police, the Virginia Police Benevolent Association, and Gun Owners of America. Retired NASCAR racer Morgan Shepherd also endorsed him.
In the general election on November 5, 2013, Jackson was defeated by Ralph Northam.
| Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2013 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Democratic | Ralph Northam | 1,213,155 | 55.12% | +11.72 | |
| Republican | E. W. Jackson | 980,257 | 44.54% | -11.97 | |
| Write-ins | 7,472 | 0.34% | +0.26 | ||
| Majority | 232,898 | 10.58% | |||
| Total votes | 2,200,884 | 100.0% | |||
Running for U.S. Senate in 2018
Jackson ran for the U.S. Senate again in 2018. He participated in the Republican primary election. However, he received 12% of the votes and did not win the nomination to move on to the general election.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Corey Stewart | 136,610 | 44.87% | |
| Republican | Nick Freitas | 131,321 | 43.14% | |
| Republican | E.W. Jackson | 36,508 | 11.99% | |
| Total votes | 304,439 | 100.00% | ||
Presidential Campaign in 2024
On July 14, 2023, Jackson announced he would run for President of the United States as a Republican. His campaign focused on Christian conservatism. He suggested four new changes to the United States Constitution if he became president. These changes included:
- Defining when human life begins.
- Stating that there are only two genders, male and female.
- Limiting marriage to only between a man and a woman.
- Limiting U.S. citizenship at birth to those who have at least one American parent.
Jackson did not get enough support to be listed on the ballot in any state for the 2024 election.
