Douglas S. "Doug" Jackson (born July 10, 1954 in Dickson, Tennessee) is a former Tennessee state senator, and is an attorney, and executive director of the Renaissance Center. Early life Jackson is a son of Dr. Jimmy Jackson, a fixture in the Dickson medical community who operated (along with his brothers Lawerence and William) the former Goodlark Medical Center (now HCA-owned Horizon Medical Center). Most of the descendants of these three physicians and brothers entered the medical field, but Doug chose instead the study of law following his graduation from Battle Ground Academy in Franklin, Tennessee and Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. Jackson's legal studies were undertaken at the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, after which he was admitted to the Tennessee bar. In addition to the regular practice of law, Jackson often assisted his father with regard to legal issues affecting his operation of the hospital and practice of medicine. In 1986, Jackson decided to challenge long-term incumbent Walter "Buck" Work for his seat in the 69th House District of the Tennessee General Assembly. State House of Representatives Defeating Work handily in the August Democratic Party primary, Jackson coasted to election in November by a margin of roughly two to one over his Republican opponent in what was at the time still an overwhelmingly Democratic district. After this he never faced a truly well-funded or highly organized campaign against him for the next six two-year terms, never failing to receive less than 57% of the vote in any contest despite the district's increasingly Republican nature. During this period, Jackson established a fairly conservative voting record, generally being pro-business and always anti-abortion, a position at odds with the national Democratic Party but well in tune with a majority of his constituents. He has stated that his pro-life views grow naturally from his Catholic faith and were not politically motivated or in any way negotiable. It was reported that Jackson was among several Democratic House members approached by the Republican Party after they had gained temporary control of the Tennessee State Senate through party switching to take part in a similar effort in the House but that he declined to do so. In 1994 and during his House tenure, Jackson survived a very serious bout with cancer, which forced him to miss many legislative meetings. When he reappeared on the House floor, still bald