Jamie Jackson was selected by a Democratic vacancy committee to represent House District 41 in the Colorado Legislature, on Jan. 22, 2025. (Courtesy of Jamie Jackson)
A group of Arapahoe County Democrats picked Jamie Jackson to replace Sen. Iman Jodeh in the Colorado House of Representatives during a vacancy committee election on Wednesday night.
Jackson won on the first round of voting with 10 votes.
Aurora Public School Board President Anne Keke received seven votes and housing advocate Aly DeWills-Marcano received two votes. All 19 members of the vacancy committee were present and voted on Wednesday, and the winner needed a simple majority.
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Jackson will replace Jodeh to represent House District 41 in Aurora. Jodeh was picked earlier this month to fill a Senate seat left vacant by former Sen. Janet Buckner’s resignation, leaving her House seat empty.
“When I think about the values that guide me — equity, opportunity, justice and service — I see them reflected in the work I’ve done and the priorities I’ll champion as your representative,” Jackson said ahead of the vote.
She had the support of 11 sitting lawmakers, including Jodeh, according to her campaign website.
She emphasized her commitment to health care affordability and criminal justice reform on Wednesday. She also said she stands “firmly” with unions. A contentious labor bill that would alter union formation laws in the state is currently working its way through the Legislature.
“I will fight to make it easier for workers to unionize, eliminating barriers to ensure fair wages and dignity in the workplace,” she said.
Jackson is the chief operating officer of The Naloxone Project, which works with hospitals to provide opiate overdose reversal medication to patients. She previously worked at the Colorado Children’s Campaign and as a probation officer in Denver. Jackson also worked at The GEO Group, which operates private prisons including the Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Aurora, in their re-entry services program.
“Let me clarify any misconceptions: I worked to help formerly incarcerated individuals reintegrate successfully, reducing recidivism,” she said. “As a single mom, I provided for my child while serving others. My values guided me then, and they guide me now.”
Jackson is the vice president of Colorado Women for Political Action and the criminal justice chair for the Aurora NAACP.
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