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Paulette Jordan: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

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It’s not even close some pundits have said. Idaho is a solidly red state. So to say Paulette Jordan is a long shot would be a vast understatement. But underdogs are often the ones many root for. Whether rooting will translate to votes remains to be seen, but the idea that a woman has a chance to be elected governor of Idaho, and a Native American woman at that has many excited about her campaign. And, she both has unlikely support and endorsements and some not surprising blessings as well.

Democrat Jordan’s running against Republican Lt. Gov. Brad Little in a red state.

On Tuesday morning, some were reporting what they saw at the polls. And if the tweets and Facebook shares were any indication, perhaps this one-in-a-million is more like a hundred-to-one. Or better.

By late Tuesday night, there was excitement. Initially she commanded an early lead but Little caught up. And while many were disappointed, there was still a sense that what she’d accomplished was game-changing.

Jordan rides a horse. She carries a gun. Her ancestors include influential and consequential tribal leaders Chief Moses of the Sinkiuse-Columbia tribe and Chief Kamiakin of the Yakama, Palouse and Klickitat tribes. She’s a college-educated state representative and mother. And she’s hoping to make history.

Conservatives voted for her, one of whom told her daughter she was sure Jordan would be good for the state.

Here’s what you need to know about Jordan:

1. Jordan, a Member of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Embraced Activism & Politics in College & Then Was Elected to the Tribal Council. She’s a Mother of Two

Jordan was raised on a northern Idaho farm where she says she “developed a strong connection to our state’s land and the people who share it.” She’s a “proud member of the Coeur d’Alene tribe” and says she was “raised to fight for the needs of my community and to protect our priceless natural resources.”

Jordan attended the University of Washington and there says she “discovered a love of local politics and grassroots activism.” She worked with the Seattle City Council and the university’s administration on behalf of fellow students and, after she graduated, returned to Idaho and became the youngest person elected to the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Council. She worked as a business development strategist and served as Finance Chair on the Executive Board of the National Indian Gaming Association.

At the University of Washington she earned a bachelor’s degree in Comparative Literature and American Indian Studies. She received a Conflict Resolutions and Strategic Negotiations certificate from the Washington Center, was certified a Senior Executives in State and Local Government from Harvard University and the John F. Kennedy School of Government in 2016, and was certified in Energy Policy Planning from the University of Idaho in 2015. She was named 2015 Woman of the Year by the National Congress of American Indians. She served in the Idaho State House of Representatives for District 5A since 2014.

She lives in Plummer, Idaho with her two sons.

2. Jordan Was Elected to the Idaho House of Representatives in 2014 Beating an Incumbent Republican & Served Two Terms & Has Been Endorsed by Conservative Republicans & by Famous Idahoans

Jordan said she “felt compelled to serve a broader circle of Idahoans” beyond her tribe and so ran to represent her home district in the Idaho House of Representatives.

“I won against tough odds, beating an incumbent Republican, and successfully ran for a second term two years later. Throughout my tenure in the Idaho legislature, I have promoted progressive policy, like the teacher loan forgiveness bill, and held the line against harmful and unjust legislation. I fight for better rural education, wider access to healthcare, and stronger economic development and opportunity in Idaho’s struggling communities.”

“I’ve lived in Idaho for 41 years, most of them in Custer County. Many of my neighbors were Trump voters in 2016. We were on different sides of the political line, but we’ve always had things in common, for example, caring for and about each other. When my car ran out of gas, no one asked how I voted, a couple in a white truck stopped and drove me to get gas. When a man got burned out of his trailer, the community came together. People who had only $2 in their pocket gave $1 to help out.

Whatever our party affiliation, we are united by common goals. We all need affordable health care. We all want our children and grandchildren to have the best possible education. And we all want to be able to put food on the table.

That’s why I’m asking folks to come together as “One” and vote for the woman will work tirelessly as your governor to ensure that all Idahoans have affordable health care, the best public schools, and work at a decent living wage.

You can count on Paulette Jordan to bring leadership, strength, kindness, compassion, and civil discourse to the governor’s office. Will you stand up for Paulette so she can stand up for you? Go to your polling place on Tuesday, November 6th, and vote for Paulette Jordan for Governor of Idaho. ” — Carole King

3. Jordan Advocates Health Care for All, Land Protection & a ‘Prosperous Idaho’

She says public lands should be in public hands, believes in “science”and has plans to combat climate change and advocates for conservation cleanup.

“Here in Idaho, our land is not only our heritage, but also the source of our livelihood. It serves as a valuable asset to our state – one that should be shared by everyone, not auctioned off to wealthy individuals and big corporations for private profit. As an asset, it must be protected and preserved for Idaho’s future generations. Idaho is not for sale, but it is for Idahoans to enjoy. As Governor, I will support a prescriptive roads statute that will ensure Idahoans access to their public places, and I will work together with land owners, the Federal government, and the State Land Board to listen to our people’s voices and not let private interests block us from our greatest shared resource.

Jordan believes heath care is a right and not a privilege.

“In Idaho, we are committed to taking care of one another, regardless of our differing circumstances. That’s why I believe that affordable and accessible healthcare is a basic human right. For too long, too many Idahoans have struggled without sufficient access to healthcare across our state. Idahoans deserve access to healthcare that is affordable, easy to find, and doesn’t cost us a fortune.” And she has very specific and data-driven plans. Read more about them here.

Jordan advocates for a livable wage of Idahoans, proposes equity in taxation, and encourages tourism, “innovation” and “internet equality.”

“It’s a simple fact that Idaho’s economy is suffering. Local businesses struggle to keep doors open and many workers cannot provide for their families on a full-time salary. These economic realities hit our rural towns the hardest. As Governor, I will revitalize our economy in every part of our state by investing in innovation and expanding opportunity, especially in rural areas. We must invest in our future. If we don’t, thousands of jobs will go unfilled, training programs will go underfunded, education goals will continue to go unmet, and we will lose our workforce to states that align more with their personal values. I will not only build a culture of innovation, I will build a culture of acceptance to go alongside it.”

She says “proportionately, Idaho’s poorest families are paying the most in taxes and I don’t think this is right. As Governor, my goal is to cut the sales tax in half and eliminate the tax on groceries, which will help our citizens who need it the most. We will incentivize small business over big business and fill the empty store fronts on our rural main streets. In evaluating policies that will come across my desk as the Governor of Idaho, I will always ask these questions: Does it help Idaho families? Does it help our towns and cities, our kids, and our future? If the answer is yes, those are the policies I will support.”

4. Jordan Supports Marijuana & Hemp Legalization For Both Healthcare & Economic Reasons

Jordan says legalizing hemp and medical cannabis will be benefit the entire state.

“The cannabis industry is proven to bring an economic boost of millions of dollars, while offering a natural alternative to people in pain and fighting the opioid crisis.”

Jordan has promised that should she be elected as governor she would “decriminalize cannabis use and industrial hemp production in my first 100 days in office, and will work with the legislature to implement smart, compassionate, and revenue-positive access to cannabis for medical use.”

She has said that “decriminalizing cannabis use and industrial hemp production is very good for the overall health of our state.”

“Through the legalization of cannabis, Washington State generated $306 million last year, and Colorado accrues an average of $140 million annually. Colorado dedicates its first $40 million in revenue to ‘BEST’, their state’s public education fund from Colorado’s 15% excise tax on wholesale marijuana. These funds are dedicated to the renewal and construction of Colorado schools, along with bullying prevention programs, suicide prevention (Idaho has one of the highest in the nation), dropout prevention, and early literacy programs (which is similar to my Universal Pre-K Plan).”

5. Jordan Was Featured in Harper’s Bazaar Feature on Women Running in the 2018 Midterm Election & She’s Been Endorsed by Cher & Demi Moore

Jordan told Harper’s Bazaar she’s an “…Idahoan, through and through, born and raised. The people, the land … it’s my home. Career politicians have failed us, we are 49th in education and 50th in average weekly wages. When I took a long hard look at the person to my left, then to the person to my right, and the community right in front of me, it didn’t take much for all of us to see that I did not have a choice. All of us across Idaho can come together—we are ready for change.”

Jordan told the magazine that whether she can win, while under debate until all the ballots are counted Tuesday, she nonetheless believes she’s running for something bigger than she.

“Being a woman of color and potentially the first Native American governor in this country would be a statement to all young Americans of color that there is a pathway toward success, toward having a responsible way to be involved in this great country of ours. For all those reasons, I don’t feel like I’m only running for myself, but for a new and sorely needed infusion of something new into our government,” Jordan was quoted as saying.

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