Kemp launches independent campaign
Former GOP state Rep. Jana Kemp launched her independent campaign for governor today, addressing supporters at the Nampa Civic Center and saying she'll run on "a platform of jobs, education, energy, fairness and responsibility." Kemp cited a recent national poll showing most Americans don't have faith in either party's leaders to solve the nation's problems. “This is the perfect time for an independent to run for governor in Idaho and the need has never been greater,” Kemp said in a statement. “We know the popularity of the Democratic Party isn’t high in Idaho and the infighting in the Republican party has created a lack of leadership and many pro-business, pro-entrepreneurial and very religious people feel the Republican Party has left them."
Click below to read her full announcement, from her campaign Web site.
Kemp announcement from Web site:
"Jana Kemp, a businesswoman and former state legislator, announced her candidacy for governor Tuesday, January 5, on a platform of jobs, education, energy, fairness and responsibility.
“In my business and my public life, my passion is to help organizations succeed by establishing clear goals, empowering the people who do the work, and replacing failed leadership,” said Kemp, speaking to a crowd of supporters and the media at the Nampa Civic Center. “In Idaho, we have the intelligence, the creativity and the work ethic to overcome our temporary challenges. I want to empower all of us to use our gifts, apply them where they will do the most good, and contribute to the bright and exciting future of Idaho.”
Kemp, 44, moved from Minnesota to Idaho in 1994 and has a lengthy resume as a business owner, author, speaker, and volunteer; see her Web site and Facebook page for details.
Kemp is an independent candidate and not affiliated with any political party. She was a Republican state legislator from 2006-2006 representing Northwest Boise. But, paraphrasing Ronald Reagan when he shifted his alignment from the Democratic Party in 1962, Kemp says “I didn't leave the party; the party left me.”
Kemp says neither party is able to represent Americans well, a point that most Americans already know. According to a September 2009 Rasmussen poll, 60 percent believe neither Republican nor Democratic political leaders have an understanding of what is needed today. More than 70 percent of Republicans and unaffiliated voters say the neither party has the answers; Democrats are more evenly divided.
“This is the perfect time for an independent to run for governor in Idaho and the need has never been greater,” Kemp said. “We know the popularity of the Democratic Party isn’t high in Idaho and the infighting in the Republican party has created a lack of leadership and many pro-business, pro-entrepreneurial and very religious people feel the Republican Party has left them. “
Kemp said there is a strong likelihood the national sentiment toward getting rid of incumbents from either party will lend itself, in Idaho, to people not voting for either party.
Kemp also said the nuts and bolts of good governance are best kept free from partisan influences and she has outlined a five-point platform regarding jobs, education, energy, fairness and responsibility.
* Economic policy: lower corporate taxes and create a business-friendly environment; mend relations with the state’s high-tech and creative sectors; and promote home-grown small business, as well as increase efforts to attract businesses from out of state
* Education: Increase number of Idahoans enrolling in college (Idaho ranks in the bottom 10 states in percent of college graduates in the population); promote early childhood education; and protect the education budget from being raided for transportation and other programs
* Energy: All-of-the-above strategy, including promoting conservation and efficiency and renewable, nuclear and low-carbon fossil energy.
* Fairness: Give Idaho homeowners a 7-year rolling average valuation for property tax assessment, to ensure taxes don’t go up when housing values go down; resist federal programs that tell Idahoans what to do, how to live, and where to spend our money; and respect legislators and members of the public even if they disagree with her and oppose her.
* Responsibility: Government must live within its means; listen to citizens and learn from that they have to say; and have transparency, so citizens can see who is influencing government, and why."
