One of the three Democrats running to be Idaho’s next governor is Paulette Jordan. The former lawmaker from Plummer served two terms in the state legislature representing a district in North Idaho.
Jordan is Native American and a member of the Coeur d’Alene tribe. If she were to become governor, she’d be Idaho’s first female executive and the nation’s first Native American governor.
The two-term lawmaker describes health care in the Gem State as “a hot button” issue. She says she believes access to health care is a basic human right. Along with wanting to expand Medicaid in Idaho, Jordan would also like to widen access to rural health clinics.
Jordan cites a shortage of teachers as one of the reasons the state is lagging when it comes to education. She thinks enticing educators to work in rural school settings and partnering with the burgeoning Idaho tech sector could help raise the state’s poor academic performance.
On the subject of Idaho’s rank as the fastest growing state in the nation, she has mixed feelings. Jordan frets about older people moving to areas and not wanting to fully invest in their communities. However, she’s optimistic about the young people of Idaho and the growing opportunities before them.
Jordan is one of three Democrats vying for her party's nomination for governor.
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