Lynn Jenkins
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kansas's 2nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 3, 2009
Preceded by	Nancy Boyda
37th Kansas State Treasurer
In office January 03, 2003 – November 20, 2008
Preceded by	Tim Shallenburger
Succeeded by	Dennis McKinney
Born	June 10, 1963 Holton, Kansas
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Scott Jenkins, 1984-2009
Children	Hayley and Hayden
Residence	Topeka, Kansas
Alma mater	Kansas State University and Weber State College
Occupation	Certified Public Accountant
Religion	Methodist
Website	www.lynnjenkins.com www.lynnjenkins.house.gov

Lynn Jenkins (born June 10, 1963) is an American politician and Certified Public Accountant from the state of Kansas. A Republican, Jenkins is the Congresswoman from Kansas's 2nd congressional district and former Kansas State Treasurer. Jenkins was sworn in on January 6, 2009 to the US House of Representatives. Previously, she served as Treasurer of the state of Kansas from 2002- 2008, she served in the Kansas House of Representatives and the Kansas Senate, from 1999 to 2002. She was the Republican nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives in Kansas's 2nd congressional district, earning the nomination by defeating former U.S. Representative Jim Ryun in the Republican primary on August 5, 2008.^[1] She defeated Democratic incumbent Nancy Boyda on November 5, 2008.^[2]

[edit] Early life and education

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.

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.^[3][4]

[edit] Accounting career

Jenkins is a Certified Public Accountant.^[5]

[edit] 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, some of which include:

She served as president of the National Association of State Treasurers (NAST).

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.^[6]

Her opponent in the Republican primary was former U.S. Representative Jim Ryun, who served five terms before being defeated in 2006 by the current Representative, 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.^[7]

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 by a 51% to 46% margin.

[edit] Congressional committee assignments

• Committee on Financial Services
  • Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government-Sponsored Enterprises
  • Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity

[edit] Political positions

Jenkins favors making the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts permanent. She also favors eliminating the federal estate tax and the Alternative Minimum Tax.^[9] She is a current signer of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.^[10] Jenkins has been critical of "wasteful pork-barrel projects" and earmarks. Jenkins has labeled Democrats as "tax and spend."^[9]

Jenkins has denounced "unchecked illegal immigration" that "is wreaking havoc on our economic, legal, and national security interests."^[9] 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."^[9]

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.^[9]

Like her opponent in the 2008 general election, Jenkins is considered pro-choice. She accepted contributions from pro-choice groups including the Wish List^[11] Republicans for Choice and Republican Majority for Choice PACs. ^[12]. Jenkins also accepted money from Judy Biggert for Congress a fellow pro-choice Republican.

In January 2009, Jenkins 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."

[edit] "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.^[13] "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."^[13][14] Despite Jenkins's claim to have been unaware of the racial history of the phrase, she had voted for a resolution in July 2009, only one month earlier, that had text that explained it.^[15] Jenkins responded by saying she had voted for the resolution without reading it first.^[16]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins official U.S. House website

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• Staff salaries, trips and personal finance at LegiStorm.com
• Congressional profile at GovTrack.us
• Profile at SourceWatch Congresspedia