In 2002, Jackson commissioned in the United States Army Reserve and served in the Kandahar Province during the War in Afghanistan.

[10] Commissioned as an officer after he graduated from college and entered law school, Jackson continues to serve in the North Carolina Army National Guard as a major in the Judge Advocate General's Corps.

He resigned upon joining the Senate, as the state constitution prohibits serving as an elected official and a prosecutor simultaneously.

[25] Various news outlets mentioned Jackson as a potential candidate against Republican incumbent Richard Burr in North Carolina's 2016 U.S. Senate election.

On January 26, 2021, Jackson announced he would run to replace Burr, who was retiring, in North Carolina's 2022 United States Senate election.

[32] Following redistricting, Jackson announced his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives in the state's new 14th congressional district on February 25, 2022.

[34] During both the electoral process and his tenure as a congressman, Jackson has used his TikTok and other social media accounts to keep the public updated about policy issues and the functioning of the United States Congress.

His first video to garner national attention was an account of the January 2023 speaker of the United States House of Representatives election.

[35][36][37] In March 2024, Jackson voted in favor of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, coming as a shock to many TikTok users as he regularly used the app.

[38][39] Shortly thereafter, he posted a video on the platform explaining his rationale for supporting the bill,[40] emphasizing his belief that TikTok was not going to be banned and suggesting instead that it would likely be sold and continue operating.

[41][42] As a result, Jackson faced significant criticism from TikTok creators and users who felt betrayed and viewed his vote as hypocritical,[42][43][44] losing around 200,000 followers on the platform.

[43][44] On December 31, 2024, Jackson resigned early from Congress to assume the role of North Carolina attorney general on January 1, 2025.

[46][47] In the Armed Services committee, he served on the subcommittees for Intelligence and Special Operations[48] and Tactical Air and Land Forces.