Wednesday, November 5, 2008
In a small corner room of the Topeka Capital Plaza Hotel, Lynn Jenkins’ family and supporters were anxiously waiting the election results for Kansas’ 2nd congressional district. When incumbent candidate Nancy Boyda conceded the race around 11:40 p.m., people in the room screamed and hugged each other. Jenkins hugged each person in the room.
Jenkins, a Topeka Republican and Kansas State Treasurer, upset incumbent candidate U.S. Rep. Nancy Boyda, (D-Kan.), in Tuesday’s election to represent Kansas’ 2nd district, which includes western Lawrence.
Jenkins defeated Boyda 51 percent to 46 percent.
Allison Koehn, Galva sophomore and vice president of KU College Republicans, said she had been a supporter of Jenkins since Jenkins spoke to the group in the fall of 2007. Koehn said she related to Jenkins, especially because of Jenkins’ leadership qualities.
Josh Hersh, communication director for Lynn Jenkins, said Jenkins would focus on keeping taxes and federal spending low. He said that Jenkins’ stance on those issues appealed to many voters in the district and that her financial background as a certified public accountant would help her in office.
“People can’t really afford for paying tax, especially in this economic situation,” Hersh said.
In her victory speech, Jenkins declared her commitment to advocate on behalf of Kansans.
“I know it won’t be easy and it won’t happen overnight, but I’m the sixth generation Kansan and I want people to know that when I’m in Washington, I’ll keep fighting,” she said.
Jenkins is a certified public accountant in her second term as state treasurer. She earned the nomination for the race by defeating former U.S. Rep. Jim Ryun during the GOP’s August primary.
Michael Lynch, assistant professor of political science, said one of focal points of the race was how the two candidates would handle the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts. The tax cuts are set to expire in 2010, but Jenkins favors continuing them.
The 2nd congressional district stretches from the northern and southern borders of Kansas and includes Leavenworth, Topeka, Manhattan and parts of Lawrence.
— — Jennifer Torline
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