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Paulette Jordan Just Got One Step Closer to Becoming the Country’s First Native American Governor

This week’s Recharge celebrates discoveries that help our world and people who want to change it for the better.

DAVID BEARD

Triumphant as the Democratic nominee in Idaho’s gubernatorial primary last week, Paulette Jordan now has an uphill ride in the general election: Her state hasn’t elected a Democratic governor since 1990.

But Jordan, 38, has bucked tough challenges before. If she wins, she’ll be the first woman to run Idaho and the first Native American governor in US history. Jordan, an enrolled member of the Coeur d’Alene tribe, is popular in the deeply red state and has drawn support from unions, liberal groups, and even, according to HuffPost, one of her mom’s favorite singers: Cher.

Jordan hopes to raise the minimum wage, expand Medicaid, and increase education funding. She draws inspiration from her ancestors, many of whom were tribal chiefs: “They taught me the way,” she said.