Lynn Jenkins | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2016 | |
| Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference | |
| In office January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2017 | |
| Leader | John Boehner Paul Ryan |
| Preceded by | Cathy McMorris Rodgers |
| Succeeded by | Doug Collins |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromKansas's2nd district | |
| In office January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Nancy Boyda |
| Succeeded by | Steve Watkins |
| 37thTreasurer of Kansas | |
| In office January 13, 2003 – January 3, 2009 | |
| Governor | Kathleen Sebelius |
| Preceded by | Tim Shallenburger |
| Succeeded by | Dennis McKinney |
| Member of theKansas Senate from the20th district | |
| In office January 8, 2001 – January 13, 2003 | |
| Preceded by | Alicia Salisbury |
| Succeeded by | Bill Bunten |
| Member of theKansas House of Representatives from the 52nd district | |
| In office January 11, 1999 – January 8, 2001 | |
| Preceded by | Vince Cook |
| Succeeded by | Lana Gordon |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Lynn Haag (1963-06-10)June 10, 1963 (age 62) |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Kansas State University Weber State University (BS) |
Lynn Haag Jenkins (born June 10, 1963) is an American politician and lobbyist who served as theU.S. representative forKansas's 2nd congressional district, in office from 2009 to 2019. She previously served as Kansas State Treasurer from 2003 to 2009, in theKansas House of Representatives from 1999 to 2000 and theKansas Senate from 2000 to 2002.[1][2] She is a member of theRepublican Party.
She is a founder ofMaggie's List, apolitical action committee designed to increase the number of conservative women elected to federal public office.[3] Jenkins announced in January 2017 that she would not be running for re-election in 2018 and she left the House when her term expired on January 3, 2019.[4]
Jenkins was born inHolton, Kansas, and is a sixth-generation Kansan. She was raised on a dairy farm in Holton, where she attended high school. Later she graduated fromKansas State University andWeber State College with anaccountingmajor and aneconomicsminor. She is aCertified Public Accountant.[5]
Jenkins served for two years in theKansas House of Representatives and for one term in theKansas 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).
Lynn's brother is Chris Haag and she also has a sister.
On April 4, 2007, Jenkins announced that she had filed papers with theFederal Election Commission as a first step of running for the U.S. House of Representatives for Kansas's 2nd congressional district.[6]
Her opponent in the Republicanprimary was former U.S. RepresentativeJim Ryun, who served five terms before being defeated in 2006 by priorDemocraticincumbentNancy 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 supportedearmarks.[7] Jenkins was seen as more moderate than Ryun and received the support of theRepublican Leadership Council. The primary was held on August 5, 2008. Jenkins won the Republican nomination by approximately 1,000 votes.[8] In the general election, Jenkins went on to defeat Boyda 51%–46%.[9]
Jenkins won re-election to a second term, defeating Democratic candidate Cheryl Hudspeth, 63%–32%.[10]
Jenkins won re-election to a third term, defeating Democratic candidate Tobias Schlingensiepen, 57%–39%.[11]
In June 2013, after theUnited 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.[12]
Jenkins was ranked as the 96th most bipartisan member of the House during the114th United States Congress byThe Lugar Center and theMcCourt School of Public Policy.[13]
In December 2017, Jenkins voted in favor of theTax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.[14] Jenkins says the bill will provide tax relief to middle-class Americans and create more jobs. She also claims the bill will improve the economy and therefore will "pay down our national debt," despite the bill being anticipated to add over $1 trillion to the national debt.[15][16]
At a town hall on August 19, 2009, Jenkins commented on PresidentBarack 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 ChampionJack 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] Only one month earlier she had voted for a resolution urging President Obama to pardon black U.S. boxer Johnson, which had text that explained the meaning of the phrase "The Great White Hope".[19] Jenkins responded by saying she had voted for the resolution without reading it first.[20]
Before her tenure in Congress ended, Jenkins set up the lobbying firm LJ Strategies. She registered the firm in Kansas on November 20, 2018. Jenkins' spokesperson said that Jenkins did not intend to actively seek clients until her congressional term had ended.[21]
Jenkins was assigned to theCommittee on Financial Services including theSubcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government-Sponsored Enterprises and theSubcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity. She was named to theWays and Means Committee when the Republicans gained control of the House for the112th Congress.
Jenkins was a member of theRepublican Study Committee,[22] theRepublican Main Street Partnership,[23][24] and theTea Party Caucus.
Jenkins had a mostlyconservative voting record in Congress.[30] According to theWashington Examiner, "Jenkins, who had originally won her 2008 primary as amoderate, proved to be a fairly reliable conservative vote once she got to Congress (91 percent lifetime ACU rating and 73 percent Heritage Action in the last Congress)."[31] In 2013, the non-partisanNational Journal gave Jenkins a score of 77% conservative and 23% liberal.[32]
In a 2000 survey fromVote Smart, Jenkins indicated that if elected, she would support the use of thedeath penalty in Kansas, contracting with private sector firms to build and/or manage state prisons, and prosecuting youth accused of afelony as adults.[33]
Jenkins was in favor of theKeystone XL Pipeline, stating that it would create more jobs and enable the United States to compete against China. She supports federal funding forrenewable energy.[33]
Jenkins has a zero rating fromEnvironment America regarding her environment-related voting record. She opposes federal regulations ofgreenhouse gas emissions and considers it government overreach.[33]
Jenkins has an A rating from theNRA Political Victory Fund regarding her gun-related voting record.[34] She supports banning the sale or transfer of semi-automatic guns except those used for hunting. She supports background checks at gun shows.[33]
Jenkins supported the repeal and replacement of theAffordable Care Act ("Obamacare").[33]
Jenkins believes cutting government spending will increase job opportunities and improve the economy.[33]
Jenkins opposes increasing taxes to work towards abalanced budget.[33]
Jenkins has a zero rating from theNational Hispanic Leadership Agenda for her immigration-related voting record. Jenkins believes that by "improving" theMexico–United States border it will be "more difficult for illegal immigrants to obtain and use false identification documents." She supports installing technology and building additional fences along the border.[33] In 2008, Jenkins stated that she is against amnesty for undocumented immigrants.[35] RegardingDACA and theDreamers, Jenkins released the following statement: "These children did not come to America on their own terms, they simply followed their parents. In the coming weeks, I look forward to working with my colleagues to create a permanent solution through the legislative process with input from Kansans in the 2nd District."[36]
Jenkins described herself as "pro-choice" orpro-abortion rights while running for Congress.[37] She frequently received a zero percent score fromNARAL Pro-Choice America and a 100 percent score from theNational Right to Life Committee (NRLC) for her voting record on abortion-related legislation. She received mixed ratings fromPlanned Parenthood and NARAL.[38] Also in 2009,Population Connection, which supports family planning, gave her a 100% score.[32] Her lowest score from NRLC is an 83%, mostly earning a 100% score.[32] She supports abortion when pregnancy results from incest, rape or the woman's life is threatened; asked aboutRoe v Wade, the decision legalizing abortion, she replied that it was a "constitutional issue" on which she would not take a position.[39] She opposespartial-birth abortions and federal funding for organizations who provide abortions. She supports providing buffer zones around abortion clinics for both protesters to demonstrate and to provide security for patients.[33]
During her 2007-2008 congressional campaign, Jenkins was endorsed by and received campaign contributions from pro-abortion rights Republican PACs,The WISH List andRepublican Majority for Choice.[40] The Republican Majority for Choice was among her top 100 contributors in 2010.[41] Jenkins was referred to as "pro-choice" during the campaign and "Jenkins was endorsed by WISH List, a Republican group."[42][43] In 2014, Jenkins was endorsed by Kansans for Life, an anti-abortion PAC.[44]
Jenkins opposedsame-sex marriage and supported Kansas legislation to make marriage only between a man and a woman. She considered it government overreach and believed states should be able to decide for themselves. She did support Kansas including sexual orientation in anti-discrimination laws.[33] Jenkins voted against repealing theDon't Ask Don't Tell Policy, to prohibit funds being used against theDefense of Marriage Act, and she voted against prohibiting federal funds from being given to organizations that discriminate based on sexual orientation.[45] She did vote in favor of the2009-2010 Defense Appropriations bill that expandedhate crime laws to include sexual orientation, and she voted in favor of theViolence Against Women Act Reauthorization of 2013 which prohibited that program's funds from being given to groups that discriminate based on gender identity or sexual orientation.[46] She received a 10% from theHuman Rights Campaign, anLGBTQ PAC, in 2010, mostly receiving a 0% during her tenure.[46]
After the Supreme Court allowed a lower court ruling to stand that struck down Kansas' ban on same-sex marriage, Jenkins said that she was going to focus on other issues. "'The Supreme Court has spoken, or not spoken in this situation'", said Jenkins. "'So by default the court says it's not constitutional, so before too long, that will be a law.'"[47] She did not take a position on legislation to ban same-sex marriage as Treasurer.[47]
| Year | Republican | Party | Votes | % | Democratic | Party | Votes | % | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Lynn Jenkins | Republican | 5,550 | 63% | Fran Lee | Democratic | 3,218 | 37% |
| Year | Republican | Party | Votes | % | Democratic | Party | Votes | % | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Lynn Jenkins | Republican | 20,987 | 67% | Jim Clark | Democratic | 10,187 | 33% |
| Year | Republican | Party | Votes | % | Democratic | Party | Votes | % | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Lynn Jenkins | Republican | 457,407 | 56% | Sally Finney | Democratic | 354,157 | 44% | |||
| 2006 | Lynn Jenkins | Republican | 516,940 | 64% | Larry Wilson | Democratic | 286,148 | 36% |
| Year | Republican | Party | Votes | % | Democratic | Party | Votes | % | Third Party | Party | Votes | % | Third Party | Party | Votes | % | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Lynn Jenkins | Republican | 155,532 | 51% | Nancy Boyda | Democratic | 142,013 | 46% | Leslie Martin | Reform | 5,080 | 2% | Robert Garrard | Libertarian | 4,683 | 2% | |||||
| 2010 | Lynn Jenkins | Republican | 130,034 | 63% | Cheryl Hudspeth | Democratic | 66,588 | 32% | Robert Garrard | Libertarian | 9,353 | 5% | |||||||||
| 2012 | Lynn Jenkins | Republican | 131,950 | 61% | Tobias Schlingensiepen | Democratic | 76,249 | 35% | Dennis Hawver | Libertarian | 9,823 | 5% | |||||||||
| 2014 | Lynn Jenkins | Republican | 128,742 | 57% | Marge Wakefield | Democratic | 87,153 | 39% | Christopher Clemmons | Libertarian | 9,791 | 4% | |||||||||
| 2016 | Lynn Jenkins | Republican | 181,228 | 61% | Britani Potter | Democratic | 96,840 | 33% | James Houston Bales | Libertarian | 19,333 | 6% |
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.[52][53] She is a member of theUnited Methodist Church.[54][55]
| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Republican nominee forTreasurer of Kansas 2002, 2006 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference 2013–2017 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Treasurer of Kansas 2003–2009 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromKansas's 2nd congressional district 2009–2019 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded byas Former U.S. Representative | Order of precedence of the United States as Former U.S. Representative | Succeeded byas Former U.S. Representative |
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