Inside the Office of…Rep. Gregg Harper (R-Miss.): Jordan Downs

Jordan Downs

Title: Legislative assistant

Age: 24

{mosads}Hometown: Pearl, Miss.

Education: Bachelor of Arts, University of Mississippi

Last job: I was privileged to work on Rep. Harper’s 2008 campaign for Congress.

Legislative specialty: Judiciary Committee, energy, education, telecommunications

Favorite bill or law: H.R. 808 — 111th Congress (If people are really interested, they’ll look it up.)

If you could create a new committee or subcommittee, what would it be?  I think we’ve got plenty.

Most embarrassing moment on Capitol Hill: I once found myself in an elevator engaged in a one-on-one conversation with a congressman. He politely asked who I worked for, where I was from, etc. We started out in the basement. He was headed to the fifth floor; I was getting off on the third. It wasn’t until he asked if I was getting off on the fifth floor that I realized I didn’t get off on the third. He gave me a very confused look and walked off.

Interests outside of work:  Spending time with friends and family, cooking out, reading, boating, the beach and anything to do with history.

Jordan Downs’ involvement in politics is a family heirloom of sorts. His grandfather, Ray Rogers, has been a member of the Mississippi state House of Representatives since Downs was a child, and his grandmother made several runs at public office.

“I’ve got T-shirts this big that say, ‘Ray Rogers for representative,’ ” he says, holding his hands to the size of children’s clothing.

Downs, now a legislative assistant for Rep. Gregg Harper (R-Miss.), followed suit early. In high school, he reached the level of state officeholder in the National Teen Age Republicans organization, and he also led the University of Mississippi’s College Republicans his senior year as executive director. During that time, Harper announced his run for Congress, and Downs, who knew the candidate because their families are from the same neighborhood, asked Harper to visit campus to speak to his group. Downs volunteered for Harper’s campaign during winter break that year and joined the operation full-time after graduation.

Now in Washington, Downs indulges his interest in Civil War history by visiting nearby battle sites like Gettysburg, Pa., and Fredericksburg, Va., in his free time.

{mosads}Considering his own history, one might think a future campaign for public office is inevitable for Downs — but he has yet to commit.

“Yes, I think … someday I’d be interested in doing it,” he says, “but I don’t know exactly what that would be.”

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