Paulette Jordan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Paulette Jordan
Jordan in 2018
Member of the Idaho House of Representatives from the 5A district
In office December 1, 2014 – February 14, 2018
Preceded by	Cindy Agidius
Succeeded by	Margie Gannon
Personal details
Born	(1979-12-07) December 7, 1979 (age 45) Spokane, Washington, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Education	University of Washington (BA)

Paulette E. Jordan, born on December 7, 1979, is an American politician. She served in the Idaho House of Representatives from 2014 to 2018 as a member of the Idaho Democratic Party. Before that, she was part of the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Council, which is the governing body for her tribe. During her last term, she was the only Democrat from North Idaho in the Idaho Legislature.

In 2018, she was the Democratic candidate for Governor of Idaho. She ran against and lost to Lieutenant Governor Brad Little. Later, in 2020, she was the Democratic candidate for the United States Senate. She lost that election to the current Republican Senator Jim Risch.

Early Life and Education

Paulette Jordan grew up in a family that farmed and ranched in northern Idaho. She still owns timber and farmland there today. She is an official member of the Coeur d'Alene tribe, which has its own reservation.

She also has family roots from other Native American tribes. These include the Sinkiuse-Columbia (also known as the Moses–Columbia Band), Nez Perce, and Yakama–Palus tribes. She is a descendant of important leaders like Chief Moses and Kamiakin from the 1800s. She is also related to Lucy Friedlander Covington, a Colville leader from the 1900s.

Jordan went to Gonzaga Preparatory School and the University of Washington. She also completed special programs at the University of Idaho and the Harvard Kennedy School. These programs helped her learn about energy policy and how to lead in state and local governments.

Political Career

While living in Seattle, Paulette Jordan took on many leadership roles. She was involved in community projects and local city government. She also advised the president of her university.

After returning to her reservation, Jordan ran for the Tribal Council. She was elected to this important position. From there, she became a co-chair for gaming for the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI). This group was started in 1953 to help tribes work together on common goals. Jordan's great-grandmother, Lucy Covington, was honored by ATNI for her work. Jordan is also a leader in national Native American organizations. She serves on the board of the National Indian Gaming Association.

Serving in the Idaho House of Representatives

In 2012, a state representative named Tom Trail decided to leave his seat. Paulette Jordan then decided to run for the Idaho House of Representatives. She lost that election by a very small number of votes.

In 2014, she ran again for the same seat and won. She defeated Cindy Agidius in the general election. She ran for reelection in 2016 and won again, beating Carl Berglund.

From 2015 to 2018, Jordan served on several important committees. These included the Business Committee, the Energy, Environment and Technology Committee, and the State Affairs Committee. She was also chosen to be on the Legislative Council. This group helps manage the state Capitol building and its staff.

Running for Governor in 2018

Paulette Jordan was the Democratic candidate for Governor of Idaho in 2018. The governor is the head of the state government. Her main opponent was the Republican candidate, Brad Little, who was the current lieutenant governor.

Jordan announced she was running on December 7, 2017. She faced two other candidates in the Democratic primary election. This was the most competitive Democratic primary since 1998. Jordan chose not to accept money from large companies. Most of her campaign funds came from Native American tribes.

Jordan describes herself as "very progressive." This means she supports ideas like expanding Medicaid (a health care program) and using clean energy. Some news outlets called Jordan a new face for rural politics in America. This was because Idaho has a history of supporting both populist and progressive ideas.

In June 2018, Jordan spoke at a Democratic Party meeting in Caldwell, Idaho. She said, "We have begun the progressive movement across the country that people are believing in... The beginning of this movement starts in Idaho." In August 2018, the New York Times newspaper mentioned her as one of four candidates who could become the first female governors in their states.

A poll in August 2018 showed her opponent, Brad Little, was ahead by 8%. Expanding Medicaid was a big issue in the election. In September, problems with the state's driver's license system also became a major topic. Jordan called the $10.8 million contract for the system a "boondoggle."

Jordan received a lot of attention from across the country. Almost half of her donations came from outside Idaho. She even received support from the famous singer Cher. In the end, she lost the election to Brad Little by more than 21 percentage points.

Running for U.S. Senate in 2020

On February 7, 2020, Paulette Jordan announced she would run for the United States Senate. She ran against the current Senator Jim Risch. Jordan won the Democratic primary election on June 2, 2020. She then faced Senator Risch in the general election in November. Senator Risch won the election with 62% of the votes.

Electoral History

See Also

• List of Idaho state legislatures
• Elections in Idaho
• 2018 Idaho gubernatorial election