© 2026 ABC News

As a student at the University of Washington, she said on her campaign website that she discovered a love of politics and grassroots activism. After graduation, she moved home to Idaho and became the youngest person elected to the Coeur d'Alene tribal council.

In 2014, she ran for the Idaho House of Representatives and defeated an incumbent Republican. In her two terms, she promoted progressive policies, such as a teacher loan forgiveness bill. Among her campaign issues are better rural education, wider access to healthcare and stronger economic development and opportunity in the state’s struggling communities, according to her website.

Jordan said “she was birthed into politics” and her upbringing helped pave the way for her political quest to be governor. Her grandfather was a chief of their tribe and her Toop’ya (grandmother) was a prominent figure in their community.

“It’s like I inherited a legacy of leadership because of my lineage,” she said. “My responsibility is to continue this legacy.”

ABC News’ Erica Y. King contributed to this report.

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/Politics/running-idaho-governor-paulette-jordan-seeks-number-firsts/story?id=58959774","legacySlug":"/news/story/running-idaho-governor-paulette-jordan-seeks-number-firsts-58959774","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"18:53","publishDate":"11-04-2018","updatedTime":"20:52","updatedDate":"11-04-2018","socialImage":{"alt":"Rep. Paulette Jordan speaks during a women's march rally in Las Vegas, Jan. 21, 2018.","credit":"John Locher/AP","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/Politics/paulette-jordan-ap-jef-180514_hpMain_3_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"11/4/2018 18:53:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":58959774,"headline":"In Idaho, Paulette Jordan seeks a number of firsts","mediaAssetTitle":"Paulette Jordan bio","description":"She could be first woman governor of Idaho, among other landmarks.","duration":"0:50","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2018/10/181017_vod_orig_midtermexplainer2_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["136167797","136138471","135998990"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"September 3, 2026","headline":"Staffer injured, gunman dead in shooting at VA elementary school ","section":"News","slug":"/video/136167797","id":"136167797","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Thomas VA. Shooting","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260903_gma_thomas_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Thomas VA. Shooting","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260903_gma_thomas_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260903_gma_thomas_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260903_gma_thomas_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260903_gma_thomas_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260903_gma_thomas_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260903_gma_thomas_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260903_gma_thomas_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260903_gma_thomas_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260903_gma_thomas_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"September 2, 2026","headline":"US launches new strikes on Iran amid gas price crunch for Labor Day","section":"News","slug":"/video/136138471","id":"136138471","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: US launches new strikes on Iran amid gas price crunch for Labor Day","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260902_gma_bruce_iran3_706_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: US launches new strikes on Iran amid gas price crunch for Labor Day","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260902_gma_bruce_iran3_706_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260902_gma_bruce_iran3_706_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260902_gma_bruce_iran3_706_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260902_gma_bruce_iran3_706_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260902_gma_bruce_iran3_706_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260902_gma_bruce_iran3_706_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260902_gma_bruce_iran3_706_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260902_gma_bruce_iran3_706_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260902_gma_bruce_iran3_706_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"August 27, 2026","headline":"Severe weather and flooding threat for Northeast","section":"News","slug":"/video/135998990","id":"135998990","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Severe weather and flooding threat for Northeast","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260827_gma_zee_storm1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Severe weather and flooding threat for Northeast","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260827_gma_zee_storm1_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260827_gma_zee_storm1_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260827_gma_zee_storm1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260827_gma_zee_storm1_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260827_gma_zee_storm1_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260827_gma_zee_storm1_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260827_gma_zee_storm1_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260827_gma_zee_storm1_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260827_gma_zee_storm1_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"In Idaho, Paulette Jordan seeks a number of firsts","description":"She could be first woman governor of Idaho, among other landmarks.","duration":"0:50","uploadDate":"11-04-2018","publication":"11-04-2018","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2018/10/181017_vod_orig_midtermexplainer2_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2018/10/181017_vod_orig_midtermexplainer2_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/running-idaho-governor-paulette-jordan-seeks-number-firsts-58959774"}},"playlist":[{"id":"136187449","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136176545","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136153308","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136099310","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"136093522","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135156413","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135940652","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135916584","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135835493","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135803895","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135768595","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135739178","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135734125","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135706030","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135592333","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135619397","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135617187","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135574939","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135591318","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"135555293","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:news:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"news","title":"In Idaho, Paulette Jordan seeks a number of firsts","pubTime":"13:53","pubDate":"11-04-2018","modTime":"15:52","modDate":"11-04-2018","taxonomyTags":"none","id":58959774,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"In Idaho, Paulette Jordan seeks a number of firsts","mediaAssetTitle":"Paulette Jordan bio","videoId":58959774,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/news/story/running-idaho-governor-paulette-jordan-seeks-number-firsts-58959774"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/58959774","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/58959774","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};