Frank D. Jackson graduated from the University of Iowa Law School and practiced law in Iowa before transitioning to a leadership role in the Iowa National Guard. He established a successful business career, co-founding a life insurance company and serving as its president. Jackson's public service career included significant roles as Secretary of the Iowa Senate and Iowa Secretary of State, where he initiated the Iowa Official Register. His tenure as Governor saw efforts to enhance state agency funding, regulate alcohol sales through the Mulct Law, and improve prison conditions via the Iowa Board of Parole.

Frank D. Jackson's political identity is marked by a calculated approach to balancing progressive reforms with pragmatic concessions. His economic policies, such as advocating for better funding of state agencies and raising the inheritance tax, reflect a commitment to fiscal responsibility. Jackson's stance on alcohol regulation, through the Mulct Law, reveals a nuanced understanding of prohibition's practical limitations. His efforts to memorialize historical events and establish humanitarian criminal justice reforms further illustrate a blend of progressive ideals and strategic pragmatism.