Lynn Jenkins

Lynn Jenkins
Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2013
Leader	Paul Ryan
Preceded by	Cathy McMorris Rodgers
Succeeded by	Doug Collins (Designate)
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kansas's 2nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2009
Preceded by	Nancy Boyda
Treasurer of Kansas
In office January 13, 2003 – November 20, 2008
Governor	Kathleen Sebelius
Preceded by	Tim Shallenburger
Succeeded by	Dennis McKinney
Member of the Kansas Senate from the 20th district
In office 2000–2002
Preceded by	Alicia Salisbury
Succeeded by	Vicki Schmidt
Member of the Kansas House of Representatives from the 52nd district
In office 1998–2000
Preceded by	Tom Bradley
Succeeded by	Lana Gordon
Personal details
Born	June 10, 1963 Holton, Kansas, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Scott Jenkins (1983–2009)
Children	2
Alma mater	Kansas State University, Manhattan Weber State University (BS)
Website	lynnjenkins.com lynnjenkins.house.gov

Lynn Haag Jenkins (born June 10, 1963) is an American politician and member of the Republican Party who serves as the U.S. Representative for Kansas's 2nd congressional district, in office since 2009. As of the 114th Congress, she is the senior member of Kansas's House delegation and the Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference. She previously served as Kansas State Treasurer from 2003 to 2008, in the Kansas House of Representatives from 1999 to 2000 and the Kansas Senate from 2000 to 2002.^[1][2] She is a founder of Maggie's List, a political action committee designed to increase the number of conservative women elected to federal public office.^[3]

Early life, education, and early political career

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.^[4]

Jenkins served for two years in the Kansas House of Representatives and for one term in the Kansas 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).

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2008

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.^[5]

Her opponent in the Republican primary was former U.S. Representative Jim Ryun, who served five terms before being defeated in 2006 by prior Democratic incumbent 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.^[6] 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.^[7] In the general election, Jenkins went on to defeat Boyda 51%–46%.^[8]

2010

Jenkins won re-election to a second term, defeating Democratic candidate Cheryl Hudspeth, 63%–32%.^[9]

2012

Jenkins won re-election to a third term, defeating Democratic candidate Tobias Schlingensiepen, 57%–39%.^[10]

Tenure

Jenkins was sworn into 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.^[11] She is a current signer of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.^[12] Jenkins has been critical of "wasteful pork-barrel projects" and earmarks. Jenkins has claimed that Democratic representatives "tax and spend."^[11]

Jenkins has denounced "unchecked illegal immigration" that "is wreaking havoc on our economic, legal, and national security interests."^[11] 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."^[11]

Jenkins claims that the oil price increases since 2003 are the result of "excess regulation." She supports drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and increased offshore drilling.^[11]

In June 2013, after the United States farm bill failed again, Jenkins claimed she was disappointed in House Republicans, who were divided over the issue. She blamed the failure in the House on the inability to find common ground, stating that there are still too many Democratic and Republican members who allowed politics to trump progress.^[13]

On February 28, 2014, Jenkins introduced the Suspending the Individual Mandate Penalty Law Equals Fairness Act (H.R. 4118; 113th Congress) into the House.^[14] The bill would delay for one year the Affordable Care Act's penalty for not having insurance.^[15]

On June 23, 2014, Jenkins introduced the Child Tax Credit Improvement Act of 2014 (H.R. 4935; 113th Congress), a bill that would amend the Internal Revenue Code with respect to the child tax credit.^[16]

"The Great White Hope"

At a town hall on August 19, 2009, Jenkins commented on President Barack 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.^[17] "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 later 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."^[17][18] 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.^[19] Jenkins responded by saying she had voted for the resolution without reading it first.^[20]

Committee assignments

Jenkins 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. She was named to the Ways and Means Committee when the Republicans gained control of the House for the 112th Congress.

Jenkins is a member of the Republican Study Committee, the Republican Main Street Partnership, and the Tea Party Caucus.

Caucus memberships

• Congressional Cement Caucus
• Tea Party Caucus

Electoral history

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.^[25][26]

References

1. "2008 Unofficial Kansas Election Results". Secretary of State. State of Kansas. August 5, 2008. Retrieved August 6, 2008.
2. Klepper, David; Sullinger, Jim; Bormann, Dawn (November 4, 2008). "Jenkins unseats Boyda; Moore, Roberts re-elected". Kansas City Star.
3. "Maggie's List. Women's Political Action Committee. Who is Maggie's List?". MaggiesList.org. Retrieved 2015-06-13.
4. "The Law and Lawmakers". CanadaFreePress.com. Retrieved January 29, 2010.
5. Tim Carpenter (April 4, 2007). "Treasurer plans run at Boyda in '08". CJOnline.com. Retrieved November 12, 2010.
6. "Jenkins foils comeback bid by former Rep. Ryun"
7. "2014 Unofficial Kansas General Election Results". 2014-11-06. Retrieved 2016-07-24.
8. "KS District 02 - 2008". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
9. "KS - District 02 Race - Nov 02, 2010". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2016-07-24.
10. "KS - District 02 Race - Nov 06, 2012". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2016-07-24.
11. "Issues." Lynn Jenkins for U.S. Congress.
12. "Current Taxpayer Protection Pledge Signers". ATR.org. Retrieved November 12, 2010.
13. Rothschild, Scott (June 21, 2013). "Kansas representatives illustrate divide over farm bill". Lawrence Journal-World. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
14. "H.R. 4118 – Summary". United States Congress. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
15. "H.R. 4118 – CBO". Congressional Budget Office. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
16. "H.R. 4935 – Summary". United States Congress. Retrieved July 25, 2014.
17. Carpenter, Tim (August 27, 2009). "Jenkins' remark raises eyebrows". Topeka Capital-Journal (published August 26, 2009). Retrieved August 28, 2009.
18. Kornreich, Lauren (August 28, 2009). "Congresswoman apologizes for 'great white hope' comment". CNN. Retrieved August 28, 2009.
19. Tommie Felts and Vickie Moss, "Jenkins vote may contradict 'great white hope' claim", Ottawa Herald, August 28, 2009. Accessed September 16, 2009.
20. Biles, Jan (August 31, 2009). "Jenkins didn't read resolution". Topeka Capital-Journal. Topeka, KS. Retrieved September 1, 2009.
21. "Official 1998 Kansas General Election Results". 1998-12-01. Retrieved 2016-07-24.
22. "2000 Kansas Official General Election Results". Retrieved 2016-07-24.
23. "2002 General Election Official Vote Totals" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-07-24.
24. "Kansas Secretary of State - Election Statistics". KSSOS.org. Retrieved 2016-07-24.
25. "Third Judicial District Court Public Access". ShawneeCourt.org. Retrieved January 29, 2010.
26. Barbara Hollingsworth, "Lynn Jenkins' husband files for divorce," Topeka Capital-Journal, November 10, 2008. Archived November 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.

External links

• Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins official U.S. House site
• Lynn Jenkins for Congress
• Lynn Jenkins at DMOZ
• Appearances on C-SPAN
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Profile at Project Vote Smart
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at The Library of Congress