North Carolina House Democrats selected a new minority leader on Monday. Darren Jackson was just re-elected to his fifth term, serving eastern Wake County. He’ll be the first Democratic leader who has spent most of his political career in the minority party.
Jackson also brings experience that might resonate with the North Carolina voters that Democrats need to reach. He lives in the same community where he grew up like a lot of the state’s rural residents. He attended public schools and when he returned to Knightdale after college, he became deeply involved in civic affairs. He brings a work ethic and commitment to his community to the job.
Jackson worked his way through college. He first went to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill right after high school. Instead of completing his degree in four years, though, he dropped out and returned home. Shortly afterward, he married and they started a family.
To support his young family, Jackson went to work in retail at the Baby Superstore. A year or so later, he returned to UNC, driving to Chapel Hill for classes while working full-time in the store’s warehouse. Jackson finished his degree and continued his education at Duke University School of Law while keeping his job at the Baby Superstore. Since finishing law school, he’s been a small-town lawyer serving people across eastern Wake County, including many folks he’s known his whole life.
Jackson brings experience to the job that Democrats need. He understands that his party has a long way to go before it can become the majority party again and his vocal opposition to Republican measures, especially HB2, made him a leader among his peers. After so many years as a majority party, Democrats have, at time, had difficulty finding their way as an effective minority party.
In addition, he’s got blue-collar roots with an impressive professional pedigree. Jackson grew up in eastern Wake County when places like Knightdale and Garner had as much in common with small towns in eastern North Carolina as they do with the suburban areas they’ve become today. He still speaks with a distinct Southern accent that’s heard less frequently now than a decade or so ago.
Jackson’s leadership skills will be tested quickly this year. Not only does the legislature hold its long session, North Carolina has court-ordered legislative elections. Jackson will need to show that he can play the inside game in Raleigh while leading his caucus to connect with voters across the state. Those conversations are often, if not usually, quite different.
Jackson comes with a lot of assets. He’s been in the legislature long enough to understand how it works and he’s shown that he can work with members of both parties. His history indicates the type of work ethic necessary for a legislative leader and one respected by voters in a state like North Carolina. Finally, his small-town background in a rapidly growing county might help him bridge the rural-urban/suburban divide that has frustrated Democrats in recent years.
Thomas Mills is the founder and publisher of PoliticsNC.com. Before beginning PoliticsNC, Thomas spent twenty years as a political and public affairs consultant. Learn more >
I am proud to say that I went to high school with Darren and now just as then Darren is a great asset to the community. Keep up the fight Darren!
Democrats must solidify our party and uphold our commitment to good government, fair bills, spending what is needed for the good of the state and it’s people, not handling things just to keep Republicans in power and lining the pockets of unscrupulous members. Until we do that, our state will fall into more and more hateful attitudes toward it’s citizens who do not agree with the power grabbers. This state belongs to all its people, not just a select number of the few who care only about being in charge, and taking assets away from their proper owners.
That can only happen if the Democrats remember it’s roots as a great great grand nephew to Gov Huey and on more to Gov Gardner. I have seen these two men nearly disowned by the party as have others. I have stayed away from the party for nearly a decade as have others. We don’t feel welcome but without us it’s an uphill fight.
I am looking for someone to lead the party that will fight and take it to the republicans and stand for the party just like they do and stop giving in to them or better yet just to get along. I wonder where have the fight gone in the “DEMOCRATIC PARTY” ? I am willing to give Rep Jackson a chance .
I have spoken with him at a few receptions. Very nice guy. Good luck to him!
Darren is in my district and I’ve voted for him every time. He’s a conscientious politician and takes his constituency and governance seriously. I think he has a future outside North Carolina if he’s ever willing to take his political career further. Exactly the type of person Democrats need nationally.
Couldn’t agree more! I’d support him in any race he chose to undertake. I’ve only lived in his district for a few years, but the district I was in before spoiled me a little, so I was happy to learn that in the House at least, I still had a representative who actually represented me. (The state Senate is another story.)
I’ll have to congratulate Rep. Jackson first chance I get!
Good luck to Mr. Jackson. He has his work cut out for him.