and
Richard Nixon) with the Congressional freshman class of 1947. Jackson was elected as a
Republican in 1946 to the
Eightieth Congress. Although the County Republican Committee's candidate, he had to stave off former Republican Rep.
Leland M. Ford in the primary. In the general election the
Democratic Party was divided between the incumbent Ellis Patterson running as a write-in and the party nominee
Harold Harby. Jackson was elected to the six succeeding Congresses and served from January 3, 1947, to January 3, 1961. Among other members of that historic 1946 congressional freshman class were future U.S. presidents
John F. Kennedy and
Richard Nixon. Jackson served all seven terms on the
Foreign Affairs Committee. He was a congressional adviser at the ninth conference of American States at Bogotá, Colombia in 1948. His one public bill enactment addressed civil service annuities, but four of his five successful resolutions commended efforts in Latin America. He was much more an initiator of successful private bills, seventeen being enacted.
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. The seat remained Republican for another eight terms. == Later career ==