# Donald L. Jackson

Donald Lester Jackson (January 23, 1910 – May 27, 1981) was an American military veteran, public relations executive and politician who served seven terms as a U.S. Representative from California from 1947 to 1961.

## Early life and career

Born in Ipswich, Edmunds County, South Dakota, Jackson attended the public schools of South Dakota and California.

### Military

He served as a private in the United States Marine Corps from 1927 to 1931 and again from 1940 until discharged as a colonel in 1945 with two years' combat service overseas during World War II.

### Public relations

He engaged in public relations, and worked as a reporter and editor in Santa Monica, California, from 1938 to 1940. He served as director of publicity for the city of Santa Monica, in 1939 and 1940.

## Congress

Jackson was elected as a Republican to the Eightieth and to the six succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1961). Among other members of that historic 1946 congressional freshman class were future U.S. presidents John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon.
He was a congressional adviser at the ninth conference of American States at Bogotá, Colombia in 1948 and

### House Un-American Activities Committee

His congressional service included the House Un-American Activities Committee, and a notable role in accusing Methodist Bishop G. Bromley Oxnam of engaging in communist activities. He was appointed to the committee to replace future president Richard Nixon, who had just been elected to the United States Senate.

### Civil Rights votes

Jackson voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957, but did not vote on the Civil Rights Act of 1960.
He was not a candidate for renomination in 1960.

## Later career

He worked as a radio and television commentator from 1960 to 1968, and was appointed by President Nixon as a commissioner on Interstate Commerce Commission in 1969.

## Death and burial

Jackson resided in Sosua, Dominican Republic, West Indies, until his death in Bethesda, Maryland, May 27, 1981. He was interred in Arlington National Cemetery.

## Electoral history

United States House of Representatives elections, 1946 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Donald L. Jackson | 78,264 | 53.9 |
| | Democratic | Harold Harby | 45,951 | 31.7 |
| | Democratic | Ellis E. Patterson (write-in) | 20,945 | 14.4 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 145,160 | 100.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |
United States House of Representatives elections, 1948 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Donald L. Jackson (inc.) | 121,198 | 57 |
| | Democratic | Ellis E. Patterson | 91,268 | 43 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 212,466 | 100 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |
United States House of Representatives elections, 1950 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Donald L. Jackson (inc.) | 115,970 | 59.3 |
| | Democratic | S. Mark Hogue | 79,744 | 40.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 195,714 | 100.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |
United States House of Representatives elections, 1952 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Donald L. Jackson (inc.) | 79,127 | 59.7 |
| | Democratic | S. Mark Hogue | 53,337 | 40.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 132,464 | 100.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |
United States House of Representatives elections, 1954 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Donald L. Jackson (inc.) | 63,124 | 60.8 |
| | Democratic | S. Mark Hogue | 40,659 | 39.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 103,783 | 100.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |
United States House of Representatives elections, 1956 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Donald L. Jackson (inc.) | 84,050 | 60.8 |
| | Democratic | G. Robert "Bob" Fleming | 53,624 | 39.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 137,674 | 100.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |
United States House of Representatives elections, 1958 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Donald L. Jackson (inc.) | 70,724 | 57.8 |
| | Democratic | Melvin Lennard | 51,616 | 42.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 122,340 | 100.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |