Lynn Jenkins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lynn Jenkins
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| Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference | |
| In office January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2017 |
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| Leader | John Boehner Paul Ryan |
| Preceded by | Cathy McMorris Rodgers |
| Succeeded by | Doug Collins |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kansas's 2nd district |
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| In office January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Nancy Boyda |
| Succeeded by | Steve Watkins |
| 37th Kansas State Treasurer | |
| In office January 13, 2003 – January 3, 2009 |
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| Governor | Kathleen Sebelius |
| Preceded by | Tim Shallenburger |
| Succeeded by | Dennis McKinney |
| Member of the Kansas Senate from the 20th district |
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| In office January 8, 2001 – January 13, 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Alicia Salisbury |
| Succeeded by | Bill Bunten |
| Member of the Kansas House of Representatives from the 52nd district |
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| In office January 11, 1999 – January 8, 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Vince Cook |
| Succeeded by | Lana Gordon |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Lynn Haag
June 10, 1963 Holton, Kansas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Scott Jenkins
(m. 1983; div. 2008) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Weber State University (BS) |
Lynn Haag Jenkins, born on June 10, 1963, is an American politician. She also works as a lobbyist. From 2009 to 2019, she served as a U.S. representative for Kansas. Before that, she was the Kansas State Treasurer from 2003 to 2009. She also served in the Kansas House of Representatives and the Kansas Senate. Lynn Jenkins is a member of the Republican Party.
She helped start Maggie's List. This group works to elect more conservative women to federal government jobs. In 2017, Jenkins announced she would not run for re-election. Her term in the House ended on January 3, 2019.
Contents
Early Life and Political Beginnings
Lynn Jenkins was born in Holton, Kansas. Her family has lived in Kansas for six generations. She grew up on a dairy farm in Holton and went to high school there. Later, she studied accounting and economics at Kansas State University and Weber State College. She became a Certified Public Accountant, which means she is a professional accountant.
Jenkins started her political career in the Kansas state government. She served two years in the Kansas House of Representatives. Then, she served one term in the Kansas Senate. In 2002, she was elected as the state treasurer. In this role, she joined several groups, even becoming president of the National Association of State Treasurers (NAST). Lynn has a brother named Chris Haag and a sister.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
Becoming a Representative
2008 Election Campaign
In 2007, Lynn Jenkins decided to run for the U.S. House of Representatives. She wanted to represent Kansas's 2nd congressional district. In the Republican primary election, she ran against former U.S. Representative Jim Ryun. He had lost to Nancy Boyda in 2006.
During the campaign, Ryun criticized Jenkins for voting for tax increases. Jenkins criticized Ryun for supporting special spending projects called "earmarks." Jenkins was seen as a more moderate Republican. She won the primary election by about 1,000 votes. In the main election, Jenkins defeated Nancy Boyda, winning 51% of the votes.
Winning Re-election
Lynn Jenkins was re-elected several times. In 2010, she won her second term. She defeated Democratic candidate Cheryl Hudspeth with 63% of the votes. In 2012, she won her third term. She beat Democratic candidate Tobias Schlingensiepen with 57% of the votes. She continued to serve the people of Kansas.
Key Actions and Views in Congress
In 2013, a bill about farming (the United States farm bill) failed to pass. Jenkins said she was disappointed in her fellow Republicans. She felt they couldn't agree on important issues. She believed that politics sometimes stopped progress.
An independent group ranked Jenkins as a very bipartisan member of the House. This means she often worked with members from both political parties.
In 2017, Jenkins voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. She believed this bill would help middle-class families and create jobs. She also thought it would improve the economy.
A Comment and Apology
In 2009, Lynn Jenkins made a comment at a town hall meeting. She said Republicans were looking for "the great white hope." She then named several young, white Republicans. The phrase "The Great White Hope" has a history related to boxing. It was used in the early 1900s when people hoped a white boxer would defeat the Black World Heavyweight Champion, Jack Johnson.
Jenkins later apologized for her words. She said she did not know the phrase had a negative meaning. She explained she was just trying to say there were bright young minds in Congress. She had also voted for a resolution about Jack Johnson a month earlier. This resolution explained the meaning of the phrase. Jenkins said she voted for it without reading it first.
Starting a Lobbying Firm
Before her time in Congress ended, Jenkins started a lobbying firm. It is called LJ Strategies. She registered the company in Kansas in November 2018. Her spokesperson said she would not start looking for clients until after her term in Congress was over.
Committee and Group Memberships
During her time in Congress, Lynn Jenkins served on important committees. She was on the United States House Committee on Financial Services. This committee deals with money and banking. She also joined the United States House Committee on Ways and Means. This committee handles tax laws.
Jenkins was also a member of several groups, or "caucuses," in Congress. These groups include:
- Republican Study Committee
- Republican Main Street Partnership
- Tea Party Caucus
- Congressional Cement Caucus
- Congressional Prayer Caucus
- Congressional Constitution Caucus
- Congressional Arts Caucus
- Congressional Western Caucus
- Climate Solutions Caucus
- Problem Solvers Caucus
Political Views and Stances
Lynn Jenkins generally held conservative views in Congress. She often voted in line with conservative ideas.
Energy and Environment
Jenkins supported the Keystone XL Pipeline. She believed it would create jobs and help the U.S. compete globally. She also supported government funding for renewable energy sources. However, she received a low rating from Environment America. She did not support federal rules on greenhouse gas emissions. She saw these rules as too much government control.
Gun Laws
Jenkins received a high rating from the NRA Political Victory Fund. This group supports gun rights. She supported banning the sale of some semi-automatic guns, except for hunting. She also supported background checks for gun sales at gun shows.
Health Care
Jenkins supported getting rid of and replacing the Affordable Care Act, also known as "Obamacare."
Economic Issues
Jenkins believed that cutting government spending would create more jobs. She thought it would also improve the economy. She was against raising taxes to help balance the national budget.
Immigration
Jenkins received a low rating from the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda on immigration issues. She believed that making the Mexico–United States border "better" would stop people from using fake IDs. She supported building more fences and adding technology along the border. In 2008, she said she was against giving "amnesty" to undocumented immigrants. Regarding DACA, she said she wanted to work with others to find a lasting solution for young people who came to America with their parents.
LGBT Issues
Jenkins was against same-sex marriage. She supported Kansas laws that defined marriage as only between a man and a woman. She felt states should decide on this issue. However, she did support Kansas including sexual orientation in anti-discrimination laws. She voted against repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." This was a policy that prevented openly gay people from serving in the military. She also voted against giving federal money to groups that discriminate based on sexual orientation.
However, she did vote for a bill in 2009-2010 that expanded hate crime laws to include sexual orientation. She also voted for the Violence Against Women Act in 2013. This bill prevented funds from going to groups that discriminate based on gender identity or sexual orientation. After the Supreme Court allowed a ruling against Kansas's ban on same-sex marriage, Jenkins said she would focus on other issues.
Personal Life
Lynn Jenkins has two children, Hayley and Hayden. She was married for 25 years. Her husband, Scott, filed for divorce shortly after she was elected to the U.S. House in 2008. She is a member of the United Methodist Church.
Images for kids
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Lynn Jenkins' official photo from the 115th Congress.
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Lynn Jenkins during the 113th United States Congress.
See also
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
