Jordan wants to protect humanity, environment

MOSCOW — Paulette Jordan says her campaign is “pro-people.”

“We just want to make sure that we’re protecting humanity and protecting the environment,” Jordan said.

The 40-year-old Plummer Democrat is looking to unseat longtime Idaho Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Risch in November’s election.

Jordan served two terms, 2014-18, representing District 5 in the Idaho House of Representatives and was the Democratic nominee for Idaho governor in 2018 but lost to Republican Lt. Gov. Brad Little.

Jordan, who spoke to the Daily News Saturday while in Moscow, said Idahoans are concerned about their finances and their children’s futures. Many people are living in turmoil and they should not have to struggle so hard in the 21st century, she said.

“We should have more peace,” Jordan said. “We should have more comfort and more access to prosperity.”

If she were senator, Jordan said she would have supported the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act (HEROES Act) that was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in May.

The $3 trillion coronavirus relief bill would deliver almost $1 trillion to state and local governments, another round of $1,200 payments to individuals and to help the unemployed, renters, homeowners, college debt holders and the U.S. Postal Service.

Jordan said Republicans are primarily pushing for corporate tax cuts and funding for high-income earners while Democrats are pushing for working families and small business owners.

“I would certainly want to make sure that we’re including everyone and not just doing a bunch of corporate tax cuts and giving our money away to these billionaires,” Jordan said. “I want to see that money come back home.”

She said she wants to close “offshore loopholes,” incentivize large corporations and manufacturing industries to stay in the U.S. and protect small businesses by keeping money local.

Jordan said the U.S. used to be a leader in the world but it has dropped toward the bottom on many lists. She said she knows it can do better, which is why she is running.

“We can still save our country in the ways that we should be able to,” Jordan said. “The funding is there but we have to make sure that the leadership is in the right place to position the appropriations to where they need to go.”

Jordan, a member of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, would be the first Native American woman elected to the U.S. Senate. She said it would be important to have a woman, mother and resident of rural Idaho part of national conversations.

“It does change the perspective and the outcome of policy,” she said.

Meanwhile, Jordan said no one really knows where Risch stands.

“Other than he’s very anti-woman. He’s very anti-environment. He’s very anti-working families,” Jordan said.

She said Risch rarely comes to Idaho, and when he does, he avoids people and the media.

“I would say that it’s important for us to have leadership that’s here to listen and will be fully available and accessible and is willing to maintain a good relationship with the people,” Jordan said.

Cabeza can be reached at (208) 883-4631, or by email to gcabeza@dnews.com.