Jackie Biskupski
Encyclopedia
Jackie Biskupski is a former member of the Utah House of Representatives
, representing the 30th District in Salt Lake County
from 1999 to 2011. She resigned in June 2011 when she moved out of the district.
of Polish-American descent, Biskupski has a criminal justice
B.S.
from Arizona State University
. She then went on to work in the auto insurance industry. She is a lesbian
and was the first openly gay member of the Utah legislature. Since her election, she has been joined by two others: Senator Scott McCoy
(appointed 2005; retired 2009) and Representative Christine Johnson
(elected 2006; retired 2010).
. Arent won election.
In 1997, she ran for Salt Lake City
Council and won the primary, but lost in the general election.
In 1998, twelve-year state Representative Gene Davis
(D) of Utah House District 30 announced his intention to run for the Utah Senate and asked Jackie Biskupski to run for his vacated seat. Biskupski announced her candidacy for the vacated district which includes parts of Sugar House and Central Salt Lake
and South Salt Lake
. In what was considered an exceptionally liberal district, Biskupski faced off against Republican
Bryan Irving, owner of a construction company.
The election attracted controversy because of an attack campaign against Biskupski led by Utah arch-conservative, Utah Eagle Forum
president Gayle Ruzicka
. The Utah County
activist sent out over 6,000 fliers making explicitly homophobic statements to the district's voters. Irving distanced himself from the tactics. Biskupski won the election by a nearly 2-to-1 margin and has been re-elected every two years since. Her campaigns have frequently won the backing of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund
.
Utah House of Representatives
The Utah House of Representatives is the lower house of the Utah State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Utah. The House is composed of 75 representatives elected from single member constituent districts. Each district contains an average population of 35,000 people...
, representing the 30th District in Salt Lake County
Salt Lake County, Utah
Salt Lake County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. It had a population of 1,029,655 at the 2010 census. Its county seat and largest city is Salt Lake City, the state capital. It occupies Salt Lake Valley, as well as parts of the surrounding mountains, the Oquirrh Mountains to the west...
from 1999 to 2011. She resigned in June 2011 when she moved out of the district.
Early life and career
Born in Hastings, MinnesotaHastings, Minnesota
Hastings is a city in Dakota counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota, near the confluence of the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers. The population was 22,172 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Dakota County. The bulk of Hastings is in Dakota County; only a small part of the city extends...
of Polish-American descent, Biskupski has a criminal justice
Criminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
from Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
. She then went on to work in the auto insurance industry. She is a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
and was the first openly gay member of the Utah legislature. Since her election, she has been joined by two others: Senator Scott McCoy
Scott McCoy
Scott Daniel McCoy is an American politician and attorney from Utah. A Democrat, he is a former member of the Utah State Senate, where he represented the state's 2nd senate district which comprises portions of Salt Lake City...
(appointed 2005; retired 2009) and Representative Christine Johnson
Christine Johnson (Utah politician)
Christine Johnson is an American politician who served as a Democratic member of the Utah House of Representatives from 2007 to 2010. She is now the executive director of South Carolina Equality, a gay rights group....
(elected 2006; retired 2010).
Political career
Biskupski's political career began in 1996 when Patrice Arent asked her to run her campaign for the Utah House of RepresentativesUtah House of Representatives
The Utah House of Representatives is the lower house of the Utah State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Utah. The House is composed of 75 representatives elected from single member constituent districts. Each district contains an average population of 35,000 people...
. Arent won election.
In 1997, she ran for Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
Council and won the primary, but lost in the general election.
In 1998, twelve-year state Representative Gene Davis
Gene Davis (politician)
Gene Davis is a Democratic member of the Utah Senate, representing the 3rd District since 1999. He currently serves as the Minority Whip. Previously he was a member of the Utah House of Representatives from 1987 to 1998....
(D) of Utah House District 30 announced his intention to run for the Utah Senate and asked Jackie Biskupski to run for his vacated seat. Biskupski announced her candidacy for the vacated district which includes parts of Sugar House and Central Salt Lake
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
and South Salt Lake
South Salt Lake, Utah
South Salt Lake is a city in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States, part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 23,617 at the 2010 census.-History:...
. In what was considered an exceptionally liberal district, Biskupski faced off against Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Bryan Irving, owner of a construction company.
The election attracted controversy because of an attack campaign against Biskupski led by Utah arch-conservative, Utah Eagle Forum
Eagle Forum
Eagle Forum is a conservative interest group in the United States founded by Phyllis Schlafly in 1972 and is the parent organization that also includes the Eagle Forum Education and Legal Defense Fund and the Eagle Forum PAC. The Eagle Forum has been primarily focused on social issues; it describes...
president Gayle Ruzicka
Gayle Ruzicka
Gayle Ruzicka is a conservative political activist, talk radio host, and leader in the Utah Eagle Forum.- Biography :Ruzicka was born in Nampa, Idaho to a father who was a labor union president active in the Democratic Party. Ruzicka has stated that her family, particularly her mother, were all...
. The Utah County
Utah County, Utah
Utah County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000, the population was 368,536 and by 2008 was estimated at 530,837. It was named for the Spanish name for the Ute Indians. The county seat and largest city is Provo...
activist sent out over 6,000 fliers making explicitly homophobic statements to the district's voters. Irving distanced himself from the tactics. Biskupski won the election by a nearly 2-to-1 margin and has been re-elected every two years since. Her campaigns have frequently won the backing of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund
Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund
The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund is an American political action committee dedicated to increasing the number of openly LGBT public officials in US political life.The Victory Fund was founded in 1991...
.