Jefferson’s name may ring a bell. He claimed fraud last February after being disqualified from the Dallas mayoral race and later sued the city over the ordeal. Right before that — as in three months prior — he lost his race for the East Texas seat once held by former U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert.
Today Jefferson is cosplaying as a hopeful congressman. And he's again crying fraud. Amid posting shirtless photos of himself to social media, he launched a primary bid to topple the Dallas Democrat lauded as a “rising political star to watch”: U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett.
Crockett has received glowing write-ups from national outlets such as People magazine. She’s scored endorsements from the likes of the late U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson and two-time presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Actor Mark Hamill, AKA Luke Skywalker, recently inquired about joining her fan club.
No matter. Jefferson was sure he had what it takes to topple Crockett.
Excellent thread!
— Mark Hamill (@MarkHamill) February 9, 2024
(also: where can I sign up for the Jasmine Crockett Fan Club?)
You may have seen the campaign signs.
In the lead-up to the March primary, Jefferson’s face and name were cropping up around Dallas. In one placard, he beams while dressed in a suit and tie, pointing at nothing in particular.
“Vote Jrmar Jefferson for US Congress,” implores the sign, which stood near The Majestic Theatre. “DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS & INDEPENDENTS UNITED FOR A BETTER AMERICA.”
Some teeny-tiny text in the display’s bottom left corner reads: “WARNING. This Sign is Freedom of Speech. Moving this sign violates a constitutional right subject to a $1,000,000 claim against you.”
Someone clearly didn’t heed the stern warning. Shortly after the Observer’s news editor took a photo of the ad, it disappeared.
Jrmar Jefferson: Déjà Vu
Jefferson is again complaining of fraud in a local election. This time around, the allegations are tied to his deflated campaign for Texas’ 30th Congressional District. In a video posted to Facebook last month, Jefferson exits the office of Clerk of the Supreme Court, documents in hand. He explains that he’s pushing for his name to be put “back on the ballot” and “to remove Jasmine Crockett’s for noncompliance with the law.” He blames others for supposedly lying about, and messing up, his paperwork.
“If JJ gets back on that ballot, I want y’all to begin to thank Yah, because there was nobody else,” Jefferson says, referring to himself in the third person and citing a sacred name of God. “Believe: Not in me, but believe in Yah. Because at the end of the day, that’s the only thing that matters.” He then walks out of frame.
Reached for comment about this latest batch of fraud claims, Jefferson emailed the Observer using the subject line: “Mr.s [sic] Crockett should not be on the ballot, she did not Comply with Texas Election Code.” He argued that Crockett hasn’t done a good enough job of representing everyone in her district and insisted that he would work for all, “not just a select few.”
Crockett did not return the Observer’s request for comment.
Jefferson’s email further insisted that he’s been a consistent victim of election deception.
“I want to address the implication that I've followed the rules but have been cheated three times since February 17, 2023, in the mayoral race, for Dallas County Democratic Chair, and now for U.S. Congress,” he wrote. “This pattern reveals a major issue within the Democratic Party that cannot be ignored. It seems in Dallas, one has to be selected, not elected.”
That characterization didn’t sit well with the Dallas County Democratic Party. A representative told the Observer that Jefferson ran for chair last May and earned “less than 2% of the vote,” adding: “The first step in a successful race is following filing guidelines prescribed in the Texas elections code.”
The bottom of Jefferson’s email, by the way, ended with a lofty sign-off: “Jrmar ‘JJ’ Jefferson, Statesman.”
But just how the “statesman” title might apply is murky. The job background on Jefferson's LinkedIn page includes a nearly five-year stint as CEO, although where remains unclear. He also listed experience as a “Natural Living & Breathing Human Being,” dated October 2012 to present.
Jrmar Jefferson: Musician, Reality TV Regular
Ah, American Idol: The reality TV engine that cemented the superstar status of crooners like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood. Well, two lesser-known singers appeared on the show, too: Jefferson and his twin brother, Lamar Jefferson, the latter of whom also sued Dallas last year after being disqualified from a bid for City Council.Jrmar Jefferson’s delivery of the classic Four Tops hit “I Can’t Help Myself” spurred his advancement on American Idol, according to the show’s Wiki fan page. He then progressed after belting “Shake,” an original cut, but fell short of the Top 24.
“The first step in a successful race is following filing guidelines prescribed in the Texas elections code.” – Dallas County Democratic Party
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The Jefferson twins later tried their luck on another show, America’s Got Talent, under the banner “Timez 2.”
Perhaps the pair also longed to appear on a certain music TV channel. The twins filmed themselves in matching muscle-baring shirts and shared the video to Facebook in August 2019.
“Me and my brother,” Jefferson wrote in the post. “VH1 style.”
Jrmar Jefferson: Perennial Political Candidate
One thing about Jefferson definitely holds true: He’s no quitter.“I am honored to announce my candidacy for Congress in Texas's 30th Congressional District,” his campaign website, voteforjj.com, states. “This marks my fourth campaign for Congress and my 15th attempt running for political office, a journey driven by unwavering passion, dedicated leadership, and a deep commitment to community service for a better future for all.”
Previous campaigns listed on his site span the past decade and include, but aren’t limited to: the mayor of Elk Grove, California, and Sacramento-based candidacies for mayor, county board of education and U.S. Congress. In 2022, Jefferson was the Democratic nominee for Texas’ 1st Congressional District.
Jrmar Jefferson: Controversial Views
Shortly after his failed bid for Big D mayor, a post about Jefferson appeared in the Reform Dallas Facebook group. Local activist Soraya Santos published screenshots from Jefferson’s social media, including messages with anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ+ views and one that rang more pornographic than political. In August 2021, Jefferson shared a post by a woman who touted the “obvious science to having the greatest orgasms” and encouraged ladies to “[b]e with a man who always speaks great affirmations about your pussy.” From there, these musings veered even more toward X-rated.
“What are your thoughts?” Jefferson asked, innocently enough.
Another post purportedly shared by Jefferson read: “No pastor can support same sex marriage, homosexuality, transgender, abortion and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Jrmar Jefferson: Vision for Sacramento
Jefferson outlined his political goals when trying for Sacramento mayor in 2020. A candidate nomination submission package began with the introduction: “I am Jrmar Jefferson Google me! Pretty Please.”Next Jefferson explains that he once fell hard for a beautiful Sacramento woman. He argues that overtaxing the working class is a major issue. He vows to serve with a “heart for all people” and waxes poetic about the “wicked” and the “righteous.”
“Please vote for me. My number 1 goal is to lower the cost of living so that the average household can afford to compete and live in this city,” Jefferson continues in the statement. “I have a plan to solve the homeliness [sic] crisis that is plaguing Sacramento.”
Sacramento’s homely residents obviously didn’t dig Jefferson’s pitch. Not even the candidate’s ripped six-pack could convince the city’s voters to let him lead.
