Jaime Harrison facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jaime Harrison
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Harrison in 2019
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| Chair of the Democratic National Committee | |
| Assumed office January 21, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Tom Perez |
| Chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party | |
| In office May 4, 2013 – April 29, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Dick Harpootlian |
| Succeeded by | Trav Robertson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 5, 1976 Orangeburg, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Marie Boyd |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Yale University (BA) Georgetown University (JD) |
Jaime R. Harrison (born February 5, 1976) is an American lawyer and politician. He is currently the leader, or "chair," of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). The DNC is a big group that helps guide the Democratic Party in the United States.
Before leading the DNC, Harrison was the chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party from 2013 to 2017. In 2020, he ran for a seat in the U.S. Senate in South Carolina. He ran against Senator Lindsey Graham but did not win the election.
Jaime Harrison grew up in South Carolina. He went to Yale University for college. After that, he worked for a group that helped students go to college and find jobs. He also earned a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. Later, he worked for a congressman and became a "lobbyist," which means he tried to influence lawmakers. He then became the leader of the South Carolina Democratic Party.
After the Democratic Party lost some important elections in 2024, Harrison decided he would not try to be the DNC chair again in 2025.
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Early Life and Education
Jaime Harrison was born and grew up in Orangeburg, South Carolina. His mother and grandparents raised him. When he was young, he went to a Baptist church.
In 1994, he was chosen for the United States Senate Youth Program. This program helps young people learn about the U.S. government. He went to Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School. He then received a scholarship to attend Yale University, where he studied political science.
After finishing college in 1998, Harrison taught for a year at his old high school. In 1999, he became a leader at College Summit. This group helps young people from low-income families get into college and start their careers. He earned his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 2004.
Political Career
After working at College Summit, Harrison started working in politics. He worked for Congressman Jim Clyburn. Clyburn was a very important leader in the United States House of Representatives. Harrison helped him manage his work.
Harrison also served as a leader for the House Democratic Caucus. He was also a vice chair for the South Carolina Democratic Party. Later, he worked as a lobbyist. A lobbyist tries to convince lawmakers to support certain ideas or groups. He worked for different companies and organizations.
In May 2013, Harrison became the chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party. He was the first African American person to hold this important position.
In 2018, Harrison wrote a book called Climbing the Hill: How to Build a Career in Politics and Make a Difference. He wrote it with journalist Amos Snead.
Leading the Democratic National Committee
In 2017, Harrison wanted to become the chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). He explained that his work as a lobbyist helped him pay off his student loans. He later decided not to run for the DNC chair that year. Instead, he supported Tom Perez, who won.
Harrison then took a job as an associate chairman for the DNC. He started a program called "Every ZIP Code Counts." This program gave money to each state's Democratic Party. It helped them figure out their strengths and weaknesses.
After Joe Biden won the 2020 United States presidential election, he chose Harrison to be the next DNC chair. Harrison took over from Tom Perez. DNC members officially elected him on January 21, 2021.
After the 2024 presidential election, news reports said that Harrison would not seek another term as DNC Chair in 2025.
Running for U.S. Senate in 2020
On February 7, 2019, Jaime Harrison announced he would run for the U.S. Senate. He wanted to challenge Senator Lindsey Graham in the 2020 election. No Democrat had won a statewide election in South Carolina since 2006. Harrison officially started his campaign on May 29, 2019. He won the Democratic nomination without anyone running against him on June 9, 2020.
Harrison and Graham had a debate on October 3, 2020. There was no audience watching in person. Another debate was planned, but it changed to separate interviews. This happened because Senator Graham did not want to be tested for COVID-19 before the debate.
In the fall of 2020, Harrison raised a lot of money for his campaign. He collected $57 million in three months. This was the most money ever raised by a U.S. Senate candidate in one quarter. He also raised the most money ever for a U.S. Senate campaign overall.
Harrison wanted to expand Medicaid. Medicaid is a program that helps people get healthcare. He also wanted more help for people during the coronavirus pandemic. During the election, he criticized Lindsey Graham for trying to change the Affordable Care Act.
Harrison lost the election to Graham. Graham won with 54.5% of the votes, while Harrison received 44.2%. Even though he lost, Harrison ran a strong campaign. He raised a record-breaking $109 million for his Senate campaign.
Personal Life
Jaime Harrison is friends with Matt Moore. Moore used to be the chair of the South Carolina Republican Party. Even though they are from different political parties, they are friends. They even taught a class together at the University of South Carolina in 2015.
Harrison met his wife, Marie Boyd, in Washington, D.C. She is a law professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law. They live in Columbia, South Carolina, with their two sons.
See also
- List of African-American United States Senate candidates
- Democratic Party (United States)
Images for kids
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Harrison in 2019
