Denim Landon

    

Denim Joseph Landon (born October 10, 1974) is a Sierran lawyer, community organizer, and politician who served as a Member of Parliament representing Central Incline (Tahoe's 6th district) in the House of Commons from 2016 to 2022. Prior to being elected to Parliament, Landon had served as a lawyer and was part of the People's Law Firm, a progressive legal firm known for representing clients in lawsuits and cases against major businesses and supporting organized labor in legal efforts against corporations and other businesses guilty of union busting and other anti-labor efforts. He is a member of the Social Democrats and garnered attention in 2018 for his public support for Susan Kwon.

Denim Landon
Member of the K.S. House of Commons for Central Incline (Tahoe's 6th district)
In office December 16, 2016 – November 28, 2022
Preceded by	Michael Kubrick
Succeeded by	Tracy Olson
Personal details
Born	Denim Joseph Landon (1974-10-20) October 20, 1974 Porciúncula, Gold Coast, Sierra
Nationality	Sierran
Political party	Social Democrats
Spouse(s)	Danielle Landon
Children	3
Relatives	Landon family
Residence	Sacramento, Tahoe
Education	Sierra National University, Sacramento (B.A.)

After several years as a lawyer, Landon ran for the House of Commons in 2016 against then Royalist incumbent Michael Kubrick. Despite the district's traditionally Royalist political leanings, Landon emerged victorious and was sworn in on December 16 following his high profile victory. As an MP, he supported Susan Kwon and supported several progressive policy proposals and initiatives, both during and after the premierships of Royalist prime ministers Daniel McComb and Nemesis Heartwell, and backed the Kwon coalition with the Democratic-Republicans. During the Kwon years, Landon would advance several progressive policy proposals, including expanding the rights for workers and empowering unions as well as pushing for electoral reform, though would criticize the Democratic-Republicans for their proposed amendments to the latter, accusing them of trying to hold onto power and maintain an unjust system. In 2022 he was defeated by Royalist candidate Tracy Olson due to his support for Kwon during the 2022 Kingdom of Sierra government crisis and denial of interence by the United Commonwealth in the 2021 Sierran federal election, both of which costed the Social Democrats popular support.

Following his departure from the House of Commons, Denim continued to remain politically active and a supporter of Susan Kwon, remaining a close ally of hers despite no longer being in parliament and campaigning for the Social Democrats in Tahoe. On August 13, 2023, Landon announced his candidacy for the 2024 Sierran Senate election in Tahoe against incumbent Democratic-Republican senator Gary Newsom. He would secure the party's nomination on November 10.

Early life, education, and career

Denim Joseph Landon was born on October 20, 1974, in the Sierran capital of Porciúncula, the Gold Coast. He was born to James Landon, a construction worker and second-generation immigrant from France, and Jennie Landon, a nurse working at a local hospital in the city. He was born into the Landon family and is a direct descendant of Sierran revolutionary and republican leader Isaiah Landon.

After graduating high school, Denim attended the Sierra National University campus in Sacramento, moving to the city when he was 19. He would attend the university for four years and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and later attended law school. Before becoming a lawyer, he was an aid to Social Democrat MP Harold Sherman between 1997 and 2003.

Member of Parliament

Elections

Denim announced his candidacy for the House of Commons on September 1, 2016, shortly after the snap election was announced where he was seeking the Social Democratic nomination against the Royalist incumbent Michael Kubrick. Kubrick had represented the district since 2004 and had become a controversial figure due to his support for contentious and often unpopular policies along with the increasing change in the district from a Royalist district to a swing one. Viewing this as an opportunity, Denim would secure the Social Democrats' nomination on November 1 and would face off against Kubrick a month later on December 9 where he defeated him by a margin of 3.2%. His victory was considered a major upset due to the district's previous leanings and the Social Democrats previously garnering marginal support in the district.

Landon would the re-elected in the elections of 2020 and 2021 by margins of 5.7% and 6.4% respectively. His wins lead many experts to believe that Central Incline now had a slight Social Democrat leaning and had argued that Tahoe would eventually shift into Social Democratic hands, costing the Democratic-Republicans their historic support base from the solid valley in the Styxie in June 2022. A few months later in November 2022, Denim was defeated by Tracy Olson by a margin of 3.4% and flipped the district back to Royalist control. Denim's defeat was largely attributed to his denial of Continental interference in the previous election and continued support for Kwon even in the face of declining public support and credible evidence of foreign interference.

Committee assignments

• Committee on Agriculture
  • Subcommittee on Nutrition and Health
  • Subcommittee on Water Allocation and Management
  • Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade
• Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Family
  • Subcommittee on Labor Rights and Unions (Chair, 2021–2022)
  • Subcommittee on Health and Medical Services

Caucus memberships

• New Democratic Alliance
• National Healthcare Coalition
• Parliamentary Progressive Caucus

2024 Senate campaign

Further information: 2024 Sierran Senate election in Tahoe

On August 13, 2023, Denim Landon formally announced his candidacy for the K.S. Senate, seeking the Social Democratic nomination and to unseat the incumbent Democratic-Republican senator Gary Newsom. Landon's announcement came in the form of a video posted to social media where he laid out his reasons for getting involved in politics, support for labor and progressive causes, and achievements while in parliament. He later aired his first ad nearly a month later on September 8 where he accused Newsom of being a corrupt politician subservient to corporate interests due to taking dominations from businesses and lobbying groups in the past since being elected to the Senate in 2018. Landon's main opponent was progressive activist and community organizer Tommy Gatto and would emerge victorious in a moderately competitive primary which took place on November 10.

Both before and after securing the nominations, Landon received the endorsement of Susan Kwon and former House Speaker Ian Calderon along with several former cabinet members such as Orenda Bernard and Roxanne Chavis. Denim is the first member of the Landon family to run for federal office in Tahoe. Landon's campaign would garner attention for his usage of left-wing populist and anti-establishment rhetoric, denouncing the "Neo-liberal right-wing corporate alliance" in reference to the Chan ministry and often using the image of his great grandfather, Isaiah Landon, in several ads online leading to some controversy.

Personal life

Denim Landon is a Roman Catholic, converting to the religion when he was a child, and has remained a practicing Catholic since his youth. The reason for being a Catholic in a traditionally Protestant family is mainly due to his father being a Roman Catholic before marrying into the family along with political reasons, mainly his support for Christian socialism. He is a staunch critic of the Avignonese Catholic Church, accusing the latter of being a right-wing and reactionary institution and has accused it of influencing modern right-wing and reactionary movements due to both sentiments being insert to its theology and beliefs.

Due to his family background, Denim has significant knowledge of the Sierran Civil War and is a self-identified lifelong Civil War buff, being a passionate interest of his since his childhood. During his 20s, he joined a Sierran Civil War reenactment group located in Sacramento and has participated in several reenactment events from the battles of the Styxie campaign to the Capitulation of Isaiah Landon at war's end. In a 2022 interview, Denim revealed that he still owns reenactment gear from his college years, mainly recreated uniforms of the Bear Flag Movement and model muskets from the time period in his personal residence and kept the head hap from said uniform in his office while serving as an MP.