History of Jo Jorgensen in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: June 3, 2024

Jo Jorgensen is an American libertarian political activist, academic, and the Libertarian Party's presidential nominee in the 2020 US election, where she secured third place with 1.9 million votes (1.2%). She previously ran as the party's vice-presidential nominee in 1996 alongside Harry Browne. Currently, she teaches psychology as a full-time lecturer at Clemson University.

May 1, 1957: Birth of Jo Jorgensen

Jo Jorgensen was born on May 1, 1957.

1979: Bachelor's Degree in Psychology

Jo Jorgensen received a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Baylor University in 1979.

1980: Master's Degree in Business Administration

Jo Jorgensen obtained a master's degree in business administration from Southern Methodist University in 1980.

1980: Libertarian Party's Best Performance Since 1980

The 1980 presidential election marked the Libertarian Party's best performance until Browne and Jorgensen's run in 1996.

1992: First Congressional Run

Jo Jorgensen ran for the United States House of Representatives in 1992 as a Libertarian, finishing third.

1996: Jo Jorgensen's Vice-Presidential Nomination

In 1996, Jo Jorgensen became the Libertarian Party's nominee for vice president.

1996: Vice-Presidential Nomination and Debate

The Libertarian Party nominated Jo Jorgensen as Harry Browne's running mate for vice president in 1996. She participated in a nationally televised vice-presidential debate on October 22.

2002: PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology

In 2002, Jo Jorgensen earned a Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Clemson University.

2006: Full-Time Lecturer at Clemson University

Jorgensen began working as a full-time lecturer at Clemson University in 2006.

2016: Hillary Clinton's "I'm With Her" Slogan

Hillary Clinton used the unofficial campaign slogan "I'm With Her" during her 2016 presidential campaign.

August 13, 2019: FEC Filing for 2020 Presidential Election

On August 13, 2019, Jo Jorgensen filed with the FEC to run for the Libertarian presidential nomination in the 2020 election.

November 2, 2019: Formal Campaign Launch and South Carolina Debate

Jo Jorgensen formally launched her presidential campaign on November 2, 2019, at the Libertarian Party of South Carolina convention and participated in the South Carolina Libertarian presidential debate that same day.

May 23, 2020: Libertarian Presidential Nomination and "I'm With Her" Slogan

Jo Jorgensen became the Libertarian presidential nominee on May 23, 2020, making her the first woman to achieve this distinction. Her supporters repurposed Hillary Clinton's 2016 slogan "I'm With Her," generating significant online attention.

September 3, 2020: Mother's Death and Campaign Pause

Jo Jorgensen briefly paused her presidential campaign following her mother's death on September 3, 2020.

September 2020: Potential Supreme Court Nominees List

In September 2020, in response to the Supreme Court vacancy arising from Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death, Jo Jorgensen released a list of potential nominees.

2020: Social Security Reform Proposal

During the 2020 primaries, Jo Jorgensen proposed replacing Social Security with individual retirement accounts, sparking debate and drawing criticism from candidate Jacob Hornberger.