Candidate for governor makes Silver Valley stop

KELLOGG — The race for the Idaho Governor’s seat is starting to heat up as we approach the May 15 primary election day. Candidates from both parties are in the midst of a political slugging match to see who will be on the ballot for the general election come November.

One of these candidates in particular is Democratic candidate, Paulette Jordan.

Jordan, 38, of Plummer, Idaho, made a quick stop in Shoshone County last week during her 44-county tour of the state.

During her visit, the Shoshone News-Press had a chance to speak with Jordan and ask why she believes that she is the right person for the position of Governor.

Her initial reason has a lot to do with a need for new leadership, and being raised in a community that taught her that she could be that leader.

“I know it’s needed, for one,” she said. “My grandfather would say that when there’s a lot of corruption and a lot of bad apples, he would say ‘you are the good apple of the many bad.”

In fact, Jordan explained that many of her beliefs are shaped from her North Idaho roots- a factor that may have some influence on the election.

“I’m hopeful because of the fact that it’s rare for a rural North Idahoan to be running and here we are. I think a lot of the issues that I’m able to drive home are issues that I was often faced with because I lived in a very small town where people struggle every day to make ends meet and are barely getting by with whatever the wage they are getting. The impacts are very direct, so when decisions are made at the state house in Boise so far from the north, we feel it at home.”

The former two-term State House Representative is also a member of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and has served on the Tribal council.

Although she leans to the left of the political spectrum more than the GOP candidates, Jordan thinks of herself as more of a centrist due to her upbringing. In a state where there has not been a governor from the Democratic Party since 1995, this distinction could come in handy.

Jordan is confident that she does not face an uphill battle in red-state-Idaho; a battle that many Democratic candidates have had to fight in the past.

“What’s nice about me running is I have much broader appeal,” she said. “I’m from here born and raised, I come from a heritage that’s been here for thousands of years, we are very connected to the land so we are very much good stewards, not only of the environment, but we like balance — balance with the environment and industries.”

If she is to go toe-to-toe with whomever wins the GOP primary though, Jordan must first come out on top in the Democratic primary. Her Democratic challengers include A.J. Balukoff of Boise and Peter Dill of Emmett.

Among her top issues, Jordan wants to address what she sees as big problems in Idaho’s schools.

“Let’s be cognizant of the fact that we are failing our school system. We’re barely getting by on supplemental levies and we’re hurting our kids — our future.”

Speaking of getting hurt, Jordan also places an emphasis on expanding medical care in rural areas and maintaining strong EMT services. Two points that she believes, if better supported, can make strides toward combating drug addiction and overdoses.

“They’re (the GOP candidates) focusing on the three points- healthcare, education, and our public lands. Of course we care about those things, but let’s also talk about some of the sidebar conversations that people should be thinking about,” she stated. “People die every day from an overdose on opioids, and why is that? A lot of that is due to the lack of access to rural health care. We do need more clinics, we do need more services.”

The topic of what to do with Idaho’s public lands has been an item of discussion for sometime now among local politicians (especially here in Shoshone County). The choice between keeping them federally owned and managed versus allowing the state or private entities to manage them has become a hot-topic in this latest election cycle.

Jordan stands firm to her belief that the public lands should be protected, so that they can be available for everyone to use.

“(We need to) protect it from out of state billionaires buying it up,” she said.

When it comes to federal action though, Jordan is much more hesitant on the issue of guns.

“Being a gun owner, people know that I understand how important it is to protect the second amendment, but also to be a responsible gun owner.”

Fixing a lack of broadband availability to rural areas and repairing aging roads are also top issues on her to-do list.

At the end of the day, Jordan believes that one of the many things that sets her apart from her competitors is straight-forward approach.

“You ask me where I stand on the issues and I will answer directly,” she said. “When you are direct and honest, that’s what people are attracted to.”

The winner of the democratic primary will go on to face the winner of the GOP primary in November. The three front-runners in the GOP race are Tommy Ahlquist of Eagle, Raul Labrador of Eagle, and Brad Little of Emmett.