Jennifer Eason

Jennifer Eason was born in Omaha, Nebraska. Eason’s career experience includes working in human resources as a benefits manager and as a client engagement executive.[1][2]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a Progressive who believes that the caucus results were a clear referendum on what this district wants - universal healthcare, a level educational playing field, income equality and people in DC who are present and plugged in to the districts they were elected to represent. I am not a establishment backed career politician. I am an every day mom who knows where you're struggling because I'm struggling there too. I'm trying to navigate a broken healthcare system with a special needs child, losing insurance that should never have been tied to my employment, and wondering how I'm going to keep putting food on the table. I'm wondering why kids in inner city schools are given fewer resources and expected to learn in schools that are falling apart. I'm waiting for our historic West Side to be sold to a casino corporation for pennies on the dollar to be gentrified, and the low income residents pushed out. I want to reform the criminal justice system that is allowing POC to sit in jail for a marijuana conviction but is making another group of people legally wealthy. I have had enough of the lip service, empty promises and establishment machine back-scratching that continues to empower and enrich the corporations and casino execs - while the rest of us break ourselves every day to work harder for less. If you've had enough of the machine that doesn't listen to you, respond you you, and it feels like no one cares - you have a choice on June 9th. Send a message to the do-nothings.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Universal HealthcareIncome Inequality Criminal Justice Reform

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am most passionate about addressing the issues that lay heavy on the minds of working men and women - who are trying to fight an unfair and unbalanced system. From crumbling infrastructure all throughout District 4, to community resources being removed - D4 deserves a representative that works every day to empower its residents with additional tools, resources, and a loud voice for change. We all deserve a living wage, healthcare that we can depend on, for our families and our children to be safe and treated fairly by schools, law enforcement, and the judicial system, and to know that our elected officials care about OUR concerns. It's past time for a change in District 4.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I love strong women. From Harriet Tubman, to Erin Brockovitch, to Liz Warren, AOC and the greatest of all time - Michelle Obama. All of these incredible women have smiled in the face of adversity and have sparked revolutions, changed lives and laid the groundwork for women like me to carry the torch.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Transparency, accountability, accessibility, and integrity.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am an average every day mom who knows where people are struggling because I am struggling there too. I know what it feels like to choose between rent and a copay and some prescription for my child. I know the dread that you feel when you've lost your medical coverage because you lost your job. I know how it feels to have the conversation with your kids about how to behave should you be pulled over by the police. I vow to work every single day to help our kids in disenfranchised communities, for people in unions who pay their dues but have no voice, for younger people with insurmountable college debt living at home because there are no jobs, and for our vets active duty men and women - who are watching the military industrial complex suck the dollars that should be going to providing equipment and healthcare for the bravest among us.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To uphold the Constitution first and foremost. Secondly, to vote on legislation after listening to the opinions and concerns of the people in their district.

Country before party - without exception.

What legacy would you like to leave?

A legacy that my children can be proud of. It's that simple.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I was 10 or 11, and I remember watching the Iran-Contra events and wondering why our own Government would operate without integrity and do underhanded things. If I knew then what I know now...

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I started at a dry cleaners/laundromat on the day I turned 16. I spent Saturday afternoons washing and folding other people's laundry- which might explain why I have such an aversion to it to this day 😊 I worked there for a year, before so decided to take my newfound paycheck freedom and spent the remainder of my days in high school scooping ice cream at Maggie Moo's.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Fire and Fury - for validating what we all already knew.

Everything is on fire over there.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Wonder Woman, but I feel like her every day I get to wake up and keep fighting the good fight.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

It's a constantly rotating playlist of Biggie, Celine Dion, Frank Sinatra and Skrillex. It never ends 😊

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Getting people to put themselves in the shoes of others and view others struggles from a perspective other than their own.

If you have a voice or a platform of privilege and you choose not to use it to speak out against the injustices that are happening to people of color, to women, to immigrants and the oppressed among us - you are complicit.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

Serving just a two year term, members of the House have a unique opportunity to earn their place every day. From holding the Executive Branch accountable, to being the fiscally responsible purse for the Country - the House is uniquely positioned to work in the trenches alongside the folks living and working in their districts to make change happen.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

Not at all. In fact, I am a firm believer that we need to rid our government of the corruption that permeates it at every level, and the best way to do that is to elect people who firmly believe that they are there "by the people - FOR THE PEOPLE."

What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Cleaning up the impact that this criminal administration will have left. From an economic policy that has only served the interests of the very wealthy, to weaponizing the government and our courts, all the way down to creating divides between the people by allowing the worst traits in people to be displayed every day - people feel emboldened to openly display hate.

If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

I am most interested in the Oversight and Reform, Armed Services, Ethics and Infrastructure and Education and Workforce committees. All of these committees directly impact the folks in my district, and I want to ensure that I work every day on issues that affect them.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

I do, yes. It affords the electorate an opportunity to clean house if their representative isn't up to the task.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I 100% support them. That's all I have to say about that 😊

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

I want to be the child of Erin Brockovitch and AOC who grew up and was elected to Congress. A "take-no-prisoners" warrior for justice, who doesn't back down from a fight, but knows that it will take bi-partisan effort to get things done. We must work harder to find common ground with folks across the aisle or be more vocal in calling out specific legislative members who are are willfully working against the wishes of the people.

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