Vance, Harris, and Obama Issue Statements After Jesse Jackson’s Death at 84 [WATCH]

Vice President JD Vance, former Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Barack Obama released statements following the death of Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., the longtime civil rights leader and two-time Democratic presidential candidate. Jackson was 84, as reported by Fox News.

Jackson, who founded the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988, remained a prominent national figure for decades.

News of his death prompted reactions from political leaders across party lines.

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Vice President Vance shared a personal reflection in a post on X, referencing a family connection to Jackson’s 1988 campaign.

“I have a close family member who voted in two presidential primaries in her entire life. Donald Trump in 2016 and Jesse Jackson in 1988,” Vance wrote in a post on X. “RIP Jesse Jackson.”

I have a close family member who voted in two presidential primaries in her entire life. Donald Trump in 2016 and Jesse Jackson in 1988.

RIP Jesse Jackson. https://t.co/R03Fmv2Gh2

— JD Vance (@JDVance) February 18, 2026

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Former Vice President Kamala Harris also posted a lengthy tribute on X, recalling her early exposure to Jackson’s presidential campaign while she was a law student in California.

“As a young law student, I would drive back and forth from Oakland, where I lived, to San Francisco, where I went to school. I had a bumper sticker in the back window of my car that read: ‘Jesse Jackson for President.’ As I would drive across the Bay Bridge, you would not believe how people from every walk of life would give me a thumbs up or honk of support. They were small interactions, but they exemplified Reverend Jackson’s life work — lifting up the dignity of working people, building community and coalitions, and strengthening our democracy and nation,” she wrote.

Harris also referenced her professional relationship with Jackson over the years.

“I was proud to partner with and learn from him on this work throughout my career, and I am so grateful for the time we spent together this January. Reverend Jackson was a selfless leader, mentor, and friend to me and so many others,” she added.

Reverend Jesse Jackson was one of America’s greatest patriots. He spent his life summoning all of us to fulfill the promise of America and building the coalitions to make that promise real.

A son of Greenville, South Carolina, Reverend Jackson first rose to the national stage as… pic.twitter.com/yLHr9N6hDy

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) February 17, 2026

Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama also issued a joint statement marking Jackson’s passing.

“Michelle and I were deeply saddened to hear about the passing of a true giant, the Reverend Jesse Jackson,” Obama said.

He reflected on Michelle Obama’s early exposure to political activism through Jackson’s family.

“Michelle got her first glimpse of political organizing at the Jacksons’ kitchen table when she was a teenager. And in his two historic runs for president, he laid the foundation for my own campaign to the highest office of the land,” Obama noted.

“Michelle and I will always be grateful for Jesse’s lifetime of service, and the friendship our families share.”

Michelle and I were deeply saddened to hear about the passing of a true giant, the Reverend Jesse Jackson. We will always be grateful for Jesse’s lifetime of service, and the friendship our families share. We stood on his shoulders. We send our deepest condolences to the Jackson… pic.twitter.com/Q68r4IJt9U

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) February 17, 2026

Jackson’s two presidential campaigns in the 1980s were widely viewed as groundbreaking efforts that expanded participation in the Democratic Party’s primary process.

His Rainbow Coalition emphasized outreach to working-class voters and minority communities.

Political leaders from both parties have continued to respond publicly as tributes are shared nationwide.

Jackson’s death closes a chapter on one of the most recognizable figures in American civil rights and presidential politics over the past half-century.

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