Passing the Torch
By: Sophia North
Jeanmarie Kmetz has been passed the torch as she now runs for attorney general to try to continue her two older brothers’ legacies. They were both attorney generals for Youth and Government and helped motivate her to follow in their footsteps.
“I really looked up to them as individuals and they helped me become a leader,” Kmetz said.
Not only did they inspire her to run, but they inspired her ideas as well.
Kmetz seeks to continue the platform her brother ran for by “carrying on the idea of making instructional videos.”
She finds the videos to be helpful for others because they prepare them for cross questions as well as expose viewers to the perspective of both the attorney and the witness. This idea was originally presented by her older brother, but she wants to continue on that aspect of Youth and Government.
Additionally, she pushes for originality in court cases.
She has observed that details in the court case “are the same every single year” so she is pushing for using “brand new names and brand new locations,” since Joshua Sapp and Amelie Hodges have been used repeatedly, as well as the street Penny Park Place in Brookbend, Texas.
Her ideas and opinions were encouraged to be heard by her family as well.
“I have an awesome family and I gained a lot of respect for them,” said Kmetz. “They encouraged me to voice my opinion and have my voice be heard, especially since I’m a woman.”
She also received encouragement and guidance from her close friend, and previous attorney general candidate, Cole Lehman.
He helped her with the position of attorney general by teaching her to be more “personable” through his own “kind and friendly personality.”
Also, as she addresses ideas previously presented by her brothers’, Lehman sees her as effectively carrying on her brothers’ legacy.
“I think she’s a very good candidate, and I like her policies because they are still good,” Lehman said.
Cole’s sister, Landis Lehman, feels that Kmetz will be efficient if she wins.
“She’s so nice and friendly, and I feel like she will actually follow through with the things she’s proposing,” Landis said.
Saturday Youth and Government delegates will vote to determine if Kmetz will take on the position that has been passed down from sibling to sibling.