Jump to content

Lynn Jenkins

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Romeisburning (talk | contribs) at 06:39, 13 January 2011 (2008 Congressional campaign). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Lynn Jenkins
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Kansas's 2nd district
Assumed office
January 3, 2009
Preceded byNancy Boyda
37th Kansas State Treasurer
In office
January 03, 2003 – November 20, 2008
Preceded byTim Shallenburger
Succeeded byDennis McKinney
Member of the Kansas Senate from the 20th District
In office
2000–2002
Preceded byAlicia Salisbury[1]
Succeeded byVicki Schmidt[2]
Member of the Kansas House of Representatives from the 52nd District[3]
In office
1998–2000
Preceded byTom Bradley [4]
Succeeded byLana Gordon[5]
Personal details
Born (1963-06-10) June 10, 1963 (age 61)
Holton, Kansas
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Scott Jenkins, (1984-2009; divorced)
ChildrenHayley and Hayden
ResidenceTopeka, Kansas
Alma materKansas State University and Weber State College
OccupationCertified Public Accountant
Websitewww.lynnjenkins.com www.lynnjenkins.house.gov

Lynn Jenkins (born June 10, 1963) is the U.S. Representative for Kansas's 2nd congressional district, serving since 2009. She is a member of the Republican Party. As of the 112th Congress, she is the senior member of Kansas' House delegation.

She previously served as Kansas State Treasurer from 2002–2008, and in the Kansas House of Representatives and the Kansas Senate, from 1999 to 2002.[6][7]

Early life

Jenkins was born in Holton, Kansas, and is a sixth-generation Kansan. She was raised on a dairy farm in Holton, where she attended high school. Later she graduated from Kansas State University and Weber State College with an accounting major and an economics minor. She is a Certified Public Accountant.[8]

Early political career

Jenkins served for two years in the Kansas House of Representatives and for one term in the Kansas State Senate. She was elected State Treasurer in 2002 at which time she began serving in a number of organizations, including as president of the National Association of State Treasurers (NAST).

2008 Congressional campaign

On April 4, 2007, Jenkins announced that she had filed papers with the Federal Election Commission as a first step of running for the U.S. House of Representatives for Kansas's 2nd congressional district.[9]

Her opponent in the Republican primary was former U.S. Representative Jim Ryun, who served five terms before being defeated in 2006 by Democrat Nancy Boyda, who ran for reelection. In the campaign between Jenkins and Ryun, he criticized her for having voted for tax increases while a state legislator, and she criticized him for having supported earmarks.[10] Jenkins was seen as more moderate than Ryun and received the support of the Republican Leadership Council. The primary was held on August 5, 2008. Jenkins won the Republican nomination by approximately 1,000 votes.[11] In the general election, Jenkins went on to defeat Boyda by a 51% to 46% margin.

U.S. House of Representatives

Committees

She was assigned to the Committee on Financial Services including the Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government-Sponsored Enterprises and the Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity.

Tenure

Jenkins was sworn in to Congress in January 2009. During her first month in office, she introduced a bill that would "prohibit the use of funds to transfer enemy combatants [in] Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the United States Disciplinary Barracks, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas."

Jenkins favors making the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts permanent. She also favors eliminating the federal estate tax and the Alternative Minimum Tax.[12] She is a current signer of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.[13] Jenkins has been critical of "wasteful pork-barrel projects" and earmarks. Jenkins has labeled Democrats as "tax and spend."[12]

Jenkins has denounced "unchecked illegal immigration" that "is wreaking havoc on our economic, legal, and national security interests."[12] She opposes "amnesty" (allowing illegal immigrants to become legal residents) and has called for an increase in border security " through increasing border agents, building additional fences, and utilizing technology."[12]

Jenkins claims that the oil price increases since 2003 are the result of "of excess regulation." She supports drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and increased offshore drilling.[12]

"The Great White Hope"

At a town hall on August 19, 2009, Jenkins commented on President Obama's policies, saying, "Republicans are struggling right now to find the great white hope." Jenkins said to the crowd. "I suggest to any of you who are concerned about that, who are Republican, there are some great young Republican minds in Washington." Jenkins then gave the names of several young, white Republicans.[14] "The Great White Hope," a phrase that originated in the early 1900s, was a reference to any boxer whites hoped would finally defeat the World Heavyweight Champion Jack Johnson, who was black. Jenkins apologized, clarifying her remarks and saying that "I was explaining that there are some bright lights in the House, and I was unaware of any negative connotation. If I offended somebody, obviously I apologize."[14][15] She had voted for a resolution urging President Obama to pardon black U.S. boxer Jack Johnson who was the target of an early 1900s racist plot and convicted in 1913 of transporting a white woman across state lines for immoral reasons, in July 2009, only one month earlier, that had text that explained it.[16] Jenkins responded by saying she had voted for the resolution without reading it first.[17]

Personal life

Jenkins has two children, Hayley and Hayden, and was married for 25 years. Her husband Scott filed for divorce on Friday, November 7, 2008, shortly after her election to the U.S. House.[18][19]

References

  1. ^ "1996Kansas Senate Summary". Kssos.org. Retrieved 2010-11-12.
  2. ^ "KS State Senate 20 Race - Nov 07, 2000". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2010-11-12.
  3. ^ http://www.kssos.org/elections/98elec/98elm/98gen1.html
  4. ^ "1996 KansasHouse Summary". Kssos.org. Retrieved 2010-11-12.
  5. ^ http://www.kssos.org/elections/02elec/2002GeneralOfficialResults.pdf
  6. ^ "2008 Unofficial Kansas Election Results". Secretary of State. State of Kansas. August 5, 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
  7. ^ Klepper, David (November 4, 2008). "Jenkins unseats Boyda; Moore, Roberts re-elected". Kansas City Star. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ "The Law and Lawmakers". Canadafreepress.com. Retrieved 2010-01-29.
  9. ^ Tim Carpenter (2007-04-04). "Treasurer plans run at Boyda in '08". CJOnline. Retrieved 2010-11-12.
  10. ^ "Jenkins foils comeback bid by former Rep. Ryun"
  11. ^ http://www.kssos.org/ent/kssos_ent.html
  12. ^ a b c d e "Issues." Lynn Jenkins for U.S. Congress.
  13. ^ "Current Taxpayer Protection Pledge Signers". Atr.org. Retrieved 2010-11-12.
  14. ^ a b Carpenter, Tim (26 August 2009 (updated 27 August 2009)). "Jenkins' remark raises eyebrows". Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved 28 August 2009. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ Kornreich, Lauren (28 August 2009). "Congresswoman apologizes for 'great white hope' comment". CNN. Retrieved 28 August 2009.
  16. ^ Tommie Felts and Vickie Moss, "Jenkins vote may contradict 'great white hope' claim", Ottawa Herald, 28 August 2009. Accessed 16 September 2009.
  17. ^ Biles, Jan (2009-08-31). "Jenkins didn't read resolution". Topeka Capital-Journal. Topeka, KS. Retrieved 2009-09-01. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  18. ^ "Third Judicial District Court Public Access". Shawneecourt.org. Retrieved 2010-01-29.
  19. ^ Barbara Hollingsworth, "Lynn Jenkins' husband files for divorce," Topeka Capital-Journal, November 10, 2008.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Kansas's 2nd congressional district

2009–present
Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States Representatives by seniority
316th
Succeeded by

Template:Persondata