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.
2020: Jo Jorgensen's 2020 Presidential Run
In 2020, Jo Jorgensen was the Libertarian Party's nominee for president of the United States, finishing third in the popular vote.
2020: Jo Jorgensen Runs for President
Jo Jorgensen ran for president in 2020.