Jennifer Shannon "Jenna" Jacobson (née Imsdahl; born February 4, 1982) is an American financial advisor and Democratic politician from Dane County, Wisconsin. She is a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Wisconsin's 43rd Assembly district since January 2023.
Jenna Jacobson | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly | |
| Assuming office January 6, 2025 | |
| Succeeding | Tony Kurtz |
| Constituency | 50th Assembly district |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Don Vruwink |
| Constituency | 43rd Assembly district |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jennifer Shannon Imsdahl February 4, 1982 Brenham, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Kyle |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence | Oregon, Wisconsin |
| Education | University of Wisconsin–River Falls Purdue University (BA) |
| Website | Official website Campaign website |
Biography
editJenna Jacobson was born Jennifer Shannon Imsdahl in Brenham, Texas, on February 4, 1982.[1] She was raised in Polk County, Wisconsin, and graduated in 2000 from Frederic High School, in Frederic, Wisconsin. She attended University of Wisconsin–River Falls, but transferred to Purdue University, where she completed her bachelor's degree in consumer financial planning.[2] While attending school in River Falls, she worked as a teller at the WESTconsin Credit Union. After transferring to Purdue, she worked for the Purdue Employees Federal Credit Union as a financial advisor.
In 2013, she moved back to Wisconsin with her family and settled in the village of Oregon, Wisconsin, in southern Dane County. She worked for several years as an analyst at the CUNA Mutual Group corporate headquarters and she is a long-time volunteer financial literacy coach. But she currently identifies as a stay-at-home mom.[3]
Political career
editIn 2017, she ran for and was elected to the Oregon village board, and was re-elected in 2019. Her term ended when she ran unsuccessfully for village president in 2021,[4] but she was returned to the village board in the 2022 Spring election.[5]
She has been active with the Oregon Housing Coalition, which seeks to bring affordable housing to Oregon, and, in early 2022, worked briefly for the Dane County government as a housing specialist.[5] She was also appointed to the Governor's Council on Financial Literacy and Capability.[3]
The 2022 redistricting, carried out by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, moved incumbent representative Don Vruwink into the 33rd Assembly district, creating a vacancy in the 43rd district which he had represented since 2017. Jacobson decided to enter the race for the Democratic nomination in the new 43rd district.[5] At the time, the 43rd district comprised areas of southeast Dane County and north and central Rock County, stretching from the suburbs of Janesville to the suburbs of Madison. In the Democratic primary, Jacobson soundly defeated former Edgerton, Wisconsin, mayor Matt McIntyre.[6] She went on to win the general election with 62% of the vote.[7] She took office on January 3, 2023[8]
Following the 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court election, the Wisconsin Supreme Court took up redistricting again and struck down the 2022 map, compelling the Legislature to adopt a new map in early 2024. Jacobson was significantly affected by the change, with her home, Oregon, moving from the 43rd Assembly district to the 50th Assembly district—almost none of the territory she had previously represented moved with her into her new district. Her new district comprises areas of southwest Dane County and all of neighboring Green County. In the 2024 election, Jaobson faces Republican Richard Johnson of Green County.[9]
Personal life and family
editJenna Imsdahl took the name Jacobson when she married her husband, Kyle Jacobson. The Jacobsons met when they were students at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls. They live in Oregon, Wisconsin, with their three children.[10]
Electoral history
editOregon Village President (2021)
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan Primary, February 16, 2021 (top two)[11] | |||||
| Nonpartisan | Randy Glysch | 813 | 53.00% | ||
| Nonpartisan | Jenna Jacobson | 416 | 27.12% | ||
| Nonpartisan | Jerry Bollig | 301 | 19.62% | ||
| Scattering | 4 | 0.26% | |||
| Total votes | 1,534 | 100.0% | |||
| General Election, April 6, 2021[4] | |||||
| Nonpartisan | Randy Glysch | 1,668 | 63.42% | ||
| Nonpartisan | Jenna Jacobson | 946 | 35.97% | ||
| Scattering | 16 | 0.61% | |||
| Plurality | 722 | 27.45% | |||
| Total votes | 2,630 | 100.0% | |||
Wisconsin Assembly, 43rd district (2022)
edit| Year | Election | Date | Elected | Defeated | Total | Plurality | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Primary[12] | Aug. 9 | Jenna Jacobson | Democratic | 6,015 | 82.73% | Matt McIntyre | Dem. | 1,251 | 17.21% | 7,271 | 4,764 |
| General[13] | Nov. 8 | Jenna Jacobson | Democratic | 19,681 | 62.26% | Marisa Voelkel | Rep. | 11,903 | 37.66% | 31,610 | 7,778 | |
Wisconsin Assembly, 50th district (2024)
edit| Year | Election | Date | Elected | Defeated | Total | Plurality | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | General[14] | Nov. 5 | Jenna Jacobson | Democratic | 20,418 | 56.27% | Rich Johnson | Rep. | 15,841 | 43.66% | 36,286 | 4,577 |
References
edit- ^ "Representative Jenna Jacobson". Wisconsin Legislature. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
- ^ "Jacobson campaign: Jenna Jacobson announces run for Wisconsin's 43 Assembly District". Jenna Jacobson for State Assembly (Press release). Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ^ a b "Candidate Q&A: Assembly District 43 Democratic Primary". Wisconsin State Journal. July 16, 2022. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ^ a b 2021 Spring Election - Oregon Village President - Official Canvass (Report). Dane County Clerk. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ^ a b c Jones, Tara (April 22, 2022). "Village of Oregon trustee Jenna Jacobson announces candidacy for State Assembly". The Oregon Observer. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ^ Canvass Results for 2022 Partisan Primary - 8/9/2022 (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. August 26, 2022. p. 40. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
- ^ Canvass Results for 2022 General Election - 11/8/2022 (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 21, 2022. p. 18. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
- ^ "Jacobson sworn in as 43rd Assembly District representative". Stoughton Courier Hub. March 8, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
- ^ Prestegard, Steve (October 30, 2024). "Who — and what — is on the ballot?". The Platteville Journal. Retrieved November 1, 2024 – via The Monroe Times.
- ^ "Meet Jenna". Jenna Jacobson for State Assembly. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ^ 2021 Spring Primary - Oregon Village President - Official Canvass (Report). Dane County Clerk. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ^ Canvass Results for 2022 Partisan Primary - 8/9/2022 (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. August 26, 2022. p. 40. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
- ^ Canvass Results for 2022 General Election - 11/8/2022 (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 21, 2022. p. 18. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
- ^ County by County Report - 2024 General Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 27, 2024. p. 50. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
External links
edit- Campaign website
- Jenna Jacobson at Ballotpedia
- Official website
- Jenna Jacobson at Wisconsin Vote