# Sean P. Jackson and Black Republican Outreach Before the 2016 Election Sean P. Jackson’s public record on Black Republican outreach predates the 2016 presidential election and appears in both Florida and national coverage. In September 2015, the Miami Times reported on a Black Leadership Team Conference in Washington, D.C. attended by South Florida Republicans, including Jackson, then identified as chairman of the board of the Black Republican Caucus of South Florida. The conference focused on improving Republican engagement with Black and minority voters ahead of the 2016 election. Source: https://www.miamitimesonline.com/news/local/national-conference-draws-local-black-republicans/article_dc78ad4c-9097-11e6-b3dc-10604b9ffe60.html ## A consistent message on engagement By 2016, Jackson was making a similar argument in national media: Republican organizations could not expect stronger support in Black communities without sustained investment and presence. The Daily Beast quoted Jackson criticizing the Republican National Committee’s limited Black outreach, while Fox News later featured him discussing Donald Trump’s efforts to reach Black voters. Sources: - https://www.thedailybeast.com/black-republicans-the-rnc-gave-up-on-us/ - https://www.foxnews.com/transcript/libertarian-nominee-gary-johnson-makes-his-pitch-to-voters ## The through-line Across these reports, the recurring theme is not simply support for a candidate. Jackson repeatedly emphasized direct engagement with Black communities, economic opportunity and the need for Republican organizations to build relationships outside election season. That public record continued in later years. PBS NewsHour and the Miami Herald both quoted Jackson in 2020 discussing Black voter outreach, policing, rhetoric and economic opportunity. For more on Sean P. Jackson’s role, see the Black Republican Caucus of Florida chairman profile and the Office of Sean P. Jackson public-record timeline.