Jesse Jackson’s presidential campaigns in 1984 and 1988, though unsuccessful, played a significant role in shaping progressive politics in the United States. Jackson, who passed away on February 17, 2026, is credited with helping to lay the groundwork for later political figures such as Barack Obama and Bernie Sanders.
Jackson’s approach was notable for energizing a diverse coalition of voters, which included Black, Latino, working-class white, and young people. This “Rainbow Coalition” became a model for future progressive movements within the Democratic Party and beyond.
Vermont provides an example of Jackson’s impact. Despite being one of the most homogeneous states in the country at the time, Jackson campaigned there twice during his first presidential run. In Montpelier in 1984, he told supporters: “If I win Vermont, the nation will never be the same again.” Although he received only 8% of the Democratic primary vote that year—later increasing to 26% in 1988—his presence helped spark lasting organizational change among Vermont progressives.
The Vermont Rainbow Coalition formed during Jackson’s campaign continued its activities after the election by endorsing candidates at various levels of government over several election cycles. The group also supported Bernie Sanders’ congressional campaign in 1988. Sanders had previously served as mayor of Burlington and worked closely with local activists known as the Progressive Coalition.
In 1992, these two groups merged to create a statewide Progressive Coalition. This organization eventually evolved into today’s Vermont Progressive Party, which has become one of the most successful third parties in the United States by winning major party status shortly after its founding in 2000 and electing members to state legislature and city councils.
Sanders acknowledged Jackson’s influence on his own political trajectory. At the 2024 Democratic National Convention, Sanders said: “Jesse Jackson is one of the very most significant political leaders in this country in the last 100 years. Jesse’s contribution to modern history is not just bringing us together – it is bringing us together around a progressive agenda.”
Jackson’s campaigns also mobilized Black voters nationwide and inspired similar coalitions elsewhere. For instance, Washington state saw its own Rainbow Coalition emerge from Seattle between 1984 and 1996; New Jersey and Pennsylvania had their own versions; and Massachusetts’ Rainbow Coalition Party later joined forces with the Green Party to form what is now known as the Green Rainbow Party.
Research has shown that towns in Vermont where Jackson performed well in past elections later tended to support progressive candidates like David Zuckerman over mainstream Democrats—a pattern that persisted even when accounting for other factors such as population size or partisanship.
While Bernie Sanders remains a prominent figure associated with Vermont’s progressive movement—and has maintained close ties with allies like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez—many observers note that both Sanders and today’s progressives have built upon foundations laid by Jesse Jackson decades earlier.
