Student Voices: Attorney General Jeff Jackson Shines a Light on Communication, Leadership, and Public Service

“If I can get someone from being 100% opposed to 75% opposed…that’s a win.”

Attorney General Jackson came well-prepared for his November 12th Sanford Distinguished Lecture, considering he brought with him a book that contained addresses from the former North Carolina Governor, Senator, and Duke President Terry Sanford. He utilized the tome to point out that then-Governor Sanford was cognizant of the dangers of gerrymandering in the future, something Jackson fought to counteract while in the state Senate. In addition to the good-natured humor that he also brought into the event, his calm, honest, and down-to-earth style of speaking ensured his explanations and messages landed with the audience. As someone who hopes to enter public service, it was refreshing to see this skill that is in short supply in our charged, sound bite-reliant political discourse today. 

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During a pre-event Q&A that I was privileged to attend as a POLIS: Center for Politics Student Assistant, we got to see a live example of one of his signature direct-to-camera messages. Those social media videos earned him nationwide attention during his time as a legislator and now as Attorney General. He described how much of a time commitment those are, and how much attention to detail and preparation is involved. Despite this, he still reaffirmed his belief that quality over quantity was his preferred method of communication, expressing his distaste for today’s typical nonstop stream of what he described as “outrage delivery”. 

One of the major elements that stood out to me through the evening’s enlightening events was AG Jackson’s clear-eyed commitment to his role as Attorney General and as the leader of the North Carolina Department of Justice. He acknowledged how different of a role this position is compared to his time as a legislator, first in the state Senate, then in the U.S. House of Representatives. He repeatedly emphasized that NCDOJ is a “non-partisan, law enforcement office.” Importantly, he made sure he was upfront with voters about that view. His strength as a leader shined when he described how he spent the early days of his new position meeting and getting to know every single person in every single division in NCDOJ, a department with over a thousand employees. Additionally, he stressed the importance of meeting people one-on-one when he was a legislator, especially Republican colleagues, just trying to get them to at least be friendly, even if they will not be an ally. I could also tell how his military background blends into his leadership capabilities. He said his leadership methods were inspired by commanders he respected, and he and outlined the “missions” he would send his “army” on, such as combating robocalls, shutting down scams, mitigating the harms of fentanyl, and putting SNAP benefits back in the hands of millions of North Carolinians. 

Attorney General Jackson used the SNAP victory as a demonstration of the awesome impact civil servants can have, saying “as far as public impact, I don't think it gets any better for a public service attorney to make sure that 600,000 kids have food.” Straying from his usual plain-spoken style, he did allow himself some indulgence into soaring rhetoric throughout the night, describing NCDOJ as a “lighthouse in the dark”, when trust in institutions has never been lower. He said that his goal is for people to know that there are smart and capable people out there fighting to protect them and their families every day. 

As some closing advice to the young future leaders, policymakers, and public servants in the room during the Q&A, he implored us to find something that we think is “cool”, and stick with that for our careers. He told us, “Don’t let anxiety about the political state or a 20-year grand plan get in the way” of doing something that excites us. Later in the lecture, he encouraged us to find an organization that has “mission-driven people”, like the civil servants in his office. Those pieces of advice exemplified what he loved about working as a prosecutor in Gaston County early in his career. He also wisely made sure to remind us not to burn out, something Duke students (including me) definitely ought to listen to. 

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Despite all his sagacious career advice, brilliant explanations, and inspiring messages, one of the main moments in the event that has stuck with me was arguably the simplest. When asked about how he thinks people should best get involved in civic engagement (beyond showing up to the event that night, he remarked), he responded by suggesting that we buy a subscription to a newspaper. “If you get your news from a source that relies on ads, then you’re the product”, he said. He also added that it is perfectly okay to just browse the headlines for a few minutes and then put it away, disconnect for a while. 

I would love to get involved in my state’s politics in the future, so I was truly thrilled when I found out I would get to cover this event in particular and have the opportunity to meet someone I deeply admire. If I ever end up becoming a significant political figure or leader in the public policy sphere, I would want to emulate Attorney General Jackson: a smart, dedicated, and competent leader who can both lower the political “blood pressure” and inspire people at the same time. 

Connor Ennis is a sophomore at Duke majoring in Public Policy, pursuing a certificate in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, and minoring in Environmental Sciences & Policy. He is a POLIS: Center for Politics Student Assistant and Duke Club Triathlon’s Vice President. Connor has been a Bull City resident since 2021, and is passionate about issues of energy and environment, particularly in local and state-level politics. You can often see him on the jumbotron wearing copious amounts of Duke blue at basketball and football games, so keep an eye out!