Jen Day

{{short description|American politician}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Jen Day

| image =

| state_legislature = Nebraska

| district = 49th

| term_start = January 6, 2021

| term_end = January 8, 2025

| predecessor = Andrew La Grone

| successor = Bob Andersen

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|7|28}}

| birth_place = Council Bluffs, Iowa, U.S.

| residence =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| spouse =

| children =

| profession =

| website = [https://www.jendayfornebraska.com/ Jen Day for Nebraska]

| party = Democratic

| alma_mater = University of Nebraska Omaha

}}

Jen Day (born July 28, 1981) is an American politician and weightlifter. She was a member of the Nebraska Legislature from 2021 to 2025.

Day became an activist in 2010, advocating for public education among other topics.{{cite news |last=George |first=Rachel |date=October 29, 2020 |title=Jen Day, Legislature, District 49 |url=https://omaha.com/community/gretna/jen-day-legislature-district-49/article_be7fe231-7934-566c-b6f4-d4f208065eba.html |work=Omaha World-Herald }} She participated in the IFW World Masters Championship weightlifting competition in 2016, finishing in 7th place.{{cite news |last=Blair |first=Chasity |date=Oct 25, 2016 |title=Omaha woman empowered by weightlifting, finishes 7th in worldwide competition |url=https://omaha.com/livewellnebraska/fitness/omaha-woman-empowered-by-weightlifting-finishes-7th-in-worldwide-competition/article_c3b481d2-921d-11e6-8e1d-1709a0b24748.html |work=Omaha World-Herald }}

She ran for a seat in the state's unicameral legislature in 2020, defeating incumbent Andrew La Grone. The race was marked by an incident in which La Grone's campaign mailed an attack ad flier to voters with a misidentified photograph {{emdash}} the flyer featured a volunteer on Day's campaign mislabeled as Day herself.{{cite news |last=Dunker |first=Chris |date=September 22, 2020 |title=Attack ad in District 49 race uses photo of a campaign volunteer instead of candidate |url=https://journalstar.com/legislature/attack-ad-in-district-49-race-uses-photo-of-a-campaign-volunteer-instead-of-candidate/article_0a60fc6a-0b27-5ae8-82f7-defa17bc8ef2.html |work=Lincoln Journal Star }} Day assumed office in January 2021 representing the 49th district.{{cite web |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Jen_Day_(Nebraska) |title=Jen Day (Nebraska) |author= |website=Ballotpedia |access-date=March 23, 2021}}

During her tenure she was a member of the legislature's education committee. Day advocated for school epilepsy safety{{cite web |url=http://news.legislature.ne.gov/dist49/2021/03/22/348/ |title=Senator Jen Day and advocates for school epilepsy safety to hold press conference |author= |date=March 22, 2021 |website=Nebraska Legislature }} and for freedom of the press for high school student newspapers.{{cite news |last=Dunker |first=Chris |date=March 16, 2021 |title=Nebraska senators debate extending student journalists' protections |url=https://journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/nebraska-senators-debate-extending-student-journalists-protections/article_48932a2d-105b-5860-95b0-6f9093d44bcd.html |work=Lincoln Journal Star }}

She supports legal abortion, saying "the Nebraska Legislature must reject medically unnecessary restrictions on abortion."{{cite news |newspaper=North Platte Telegraph |title=Sen. Jen Day |date=Jun 24, 2022 |url=https://nptelegraph.com/sen-jen-day/html_b968f216-4d2a-5701-bcec-3ed6b7e0cba0.html }}

Day ran for reelection in 2024. She was defeated by Bob Andersen 52.12% to 47.88%.{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Jake |date=2024-11-06 |title=2024 election results: Nebraska Legislature |url=https://www.ketv.com/article/nebraska-election-results-legislature-2024/62614608 |access-date=2025-04-04 |website=KETV |language=en}}

Day is a business owner and fitness coach. She is married to Jonathan Day; they have two children. Since 2016 Day has been president of the Nebraska Local Weightlifting Committee.{{cite web |url=http://news.legislature.ne.gov/dist49/biography/ |title=Biography |author= |website=Nebraska Legislature |access-date=March 23, 2020 }}