E. W. Jackson

Earl Walker Jackson Sr. (born January 13, 1952) is an American Protestant minister, lawyer, and perennial candidate. He was a candidate in the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries. He was the Republican Party nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia in 2013.

Early life Jackson was born on January 13, 1952, in Chester, Pennsylvania, and he is the great-grandson of slaves from Orange County, Virginia.

Military service, education, and career Jackson joined the United States Marine Corps in 1970. He was honorably discharged as a corporal in 1973. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Boston and Harvard Law School.

He practiced law in the Boston area for 15 years. Jackson said he was asked to leave his first ministerial position in 1982, at a Baptist church in Cambridge, after two years. He said of his tenure there, "It was an older congregation, and I was a young 27-year-old firebrand. It was not a good mix." He remained in Boston until the late 1990s as a practicing attorney and preacher.

While in Boston, Jackson became involved in extended legal battles with the Federal Communications Commission while serving as the general manager of a radio station.

Ministry In 1998, Jackson and his family moved to Chesapeake, Virginia, and began holding weekly Bible studies. In 1999, Jackson and his wife founded Exodus Faith Ministries, a nondenominational church. He has also spoken in black churches on issues facing the country.

Jackson has claimed many black leaders, such as Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, as well as Barack Obama, "are telling black kids what they can't do." He opposed Obama's perceived "emphasis on race" and has said "the one thing I at least hoped for from the president—and I didn't have much hope for him—was that he'd bring us together. But he has divided us." George Allen won the June 2012 primary; Jackson received less than 5% of the vote.

2013 Lieutenant Governor candidacy

Campaign for Republican nomination

Jackson announced his candidacy for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia on December 1, 2012, at the Republican Party of Virginia Advance in Virginia Beach, Virginia. On January 10, 2013, Jackson released his "Engage and Reform Agenda" which the campaign called "commonsense reforms [that] reassert the principles of our Constitution and Let Liberty Light the Way for Virginia."

On May 18, 2013, Jackson was nominated as the Republican Party candidate for the position, at the party convention in Richmond. The nomination process took four ballots and ten hours of voting. Jackson led in each round of balloting, reaching a majority on the final ballot. Jackson had raised the least money of the seven candidates for the Republican nomination. The Richmond Times-Dispatch called his victory a "stunning upset" over the other candidates.

2013 Virginia Republican convention Lieutenant governor nomination official results 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

Controversy over past statements After his nomination, Jackson received criticism for some of his past statements that have been perceived as derogatory to the LGBTQ community, non-Christians, and Democrats. He has been criticized for alleged Islamophobia in response to his comments about House Floor rule changes to accommodate members who wear headcoverings.

In June 2013, in Manassas, Jackson held a press conference to address his past and to counter what he claimed were distortions of his past words and statements by his opponents. Jackson disputed a number of criticisms of his theology, which he had were "twisted and distorted," and said, "I'm not going to spend the campaign talking about these issues, so let's get it out of the way now."

In 2018, on December 5, on his radio show, Jackson said, "The floor of Congress is now going to look like an Islamic republic."

In April 2019, Jackson said that the United States would turn into a "homocracy" if it elects Pete Buttigieg, an openly gay candidate, for president.

General election campaign Through the second quarter of 2013 ending on June 30, 2013, Jackson raised $375,324. From July 1 through August 31, 2013, Jackson raised $303,220. Jackson spent $1.3 million throughout the campaign cycle.

Jackson's education plan included calls for school vouchers and a constitutional amendment allowing public money to help fund private schools. Republican nominee for governor Ken Cuccinelli's plan included the same proposals, and Jackson said he strongly supported Cuccinelli's plan.

Jackson has backed the Farm Freedom Act, a bill proposed by Delegate Brenda Pogge which would allow family farmers to sell their goods without having to go through state and federal regulations, which restrict direct sale of goods to consumers. He pointed to the sharp decline in farms grossing under $100,000 a year, saying it was a result of onerous bureaucracy and regulations.

Jackson's campaign launched a Women for Jackson coalition composed of women across the state supporting Jackson's aim to "fight for greater parental choice in our children's educational opportunities, stand strong for health standards that keep women's clinics safe, and help create an economic environment in Virginia that helps people from all walks of life."

Jackson was endorsed by the Virginia Fraternal Order of Police, the Virginia Police Benevolent Association, Gun Owners of America, and retired NASCAR racer Morgan Shepherd.

Northam defeated Jackson in the November 5, 2013 general election.

2018 candidacy for U.S. Senate

Jackson ran for senate again in 2018, but he only garnered 12% of the vote in the Republican Party's open primary and failed to advance in the general election.

Election box begin no change|title=Republican primary results Jackson did not make it onto the ballot in any state.