Jane Kidd (politician)

Kidd in 2007

Jane Vandiver Kidd (born February 12, 1953) is a retired Georgia politician.

She was born Jane Brevard Vandiver in Lavonia as one of three children of former Governor Ernest Vandiver and Betty Russell, and is a grandniece of U.S. Senator Richard B. Russell through her mother. Kidd graduated from Queens College (now Queens University of Charlotte), where she received a bachelor's degree in journalism. She held a job at WNEG (AM) as a disc jockey, and later on University of Georgia student television. After her marriage to David Kidd, she moved to Clemson University in South Carolina, where she worked as a television and radio editor, and then returned to UGA to begin working as a media producer for several colleges.

Kidd was elected in 1980 in Lavonia City Council, serving three two-year terms. In 1992, she served as campaign manager for Don Johnson Jr.'s successful run for Congress, and served as his district director during his one term in Congress. In 2004, Kidd ran for Georgia House of Representatives for the 115th district and won against Republican candidate Bill Cowsert, but after a single term in the House, lost her bid for Georgia Senate District 46 to Cowsert. Kidd was then elected chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia in 2008, which she would lead until 2012.

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