With just four days left before the Aug. 7 primary, so much is popping all across the state, it’s hard to track it all.
We’ll give you the best recap of what’s happening, including Kris Kobach’s feud with Pro Publica, a 2nd Congressional District race that’s getting increasingly ugly and other assorted news bites you may have missed.
2nd Congressional District newsÂ
The Republican primary here is getting just plain nasty. First, we have Republican state Sen. Caryn Tyson calling on broadcasters to stop airing an ad by the political action committee run by Republican Steve Watkins’ dad. She said the ad misrepresents her record on taxes. Meanwhile, a group of 40 Republican leaders authored a letter expressing concerns about Watkins not having a voting history in Kansas.
Also, President Donald Trump’s campaign manager is endorsing Tyson in the race. In a letter to the editor in the Capital-Journal, Brad Parscale, criticizes Watkins and state Sen. Dennis Pyle of using images of the president as if he endorsed them.
“In fact, the president has not endorsed them,” Parscale wrote, “and they appear to have acquired the pictures without going through proper copyright procedures.”
4th Congressional District News
You had to think this was going to be a problem. Voters in this district are already reporting issues trying to differentiate between Republican Congressman Ron Estes and the Other Estes, Ron M. Estes. It’s why the secretary of state’s office agreed to allow the congressman to place “Rep.” before his name on the ballot as provided by law. There’s also this story about the race from KMUW and another from the Eagle.
Masterpiece Cakeshop and the Legislature
There’s this little tidbit from the 104th District House race where Paul Waggoner is mounting a vigorous challenge against state Rep. Steve Becker in the Republican primary.
Waggoner bought cookies and brownies from Masterpiece Cakeshop for a recent downtown Hutchinson event.
Just in case you forgot, this is the bakery that made news when it wouldn’t make a cake for a same-sex couple because of his religious faith.
It also was the focus of a recent U.S. Supreme Court case that found on the side of the bakery owner.
Waggoner described the purchase on Facebook as a “religious freedom promotion.”
“Be sure to stop by with your donation to support the campaign but more importantly, support religious liberty and freedom of conscience,” Waggoner wrote on Facebook.
Concannon’s fundraising haul
The Salina Journal reports on Republican state Rep. Susan Concannon’s massive fundraising this year, much more than her challenger and more than anyone statewide besides state Rep. Joy Koesten, who raised about $32,000. Concannon is facing a primary challenge from Sam Sacco.
More fundraising in governor’s race
While fundraising among the gubernatorial candidates has started to subside within the last week, Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer continued chugging forward.
Colyer reported bringing in $54,750 from July 27 to Aug. 1. Republican Secretary of State Kris Kobach raised just $1,800 but his campaign is already counting on $1.5 million in loans from running mate Wink Hartman.
Insurance Commissioner Ken Selzer reported raising about $6,000. Former state Sen. Jim Barnett raised $500.
On the Democratic side, state Sen. Laura Kelly reported raising $4,840 in the pre-primary report while former state Rep. Josh Svaty reported $3,000. There was no report available for former Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer.
ProPublica vs. Kris Kobach
Republican gubernatorial hopeful and Secretary of State Kris Kobach didn’t restrain himself on Thursday when asked about a new story detailing the money he made from immigration cases he represented on behalf of various cities.
The story paints him as a huckster who ginned up legal work at the expense of taxpayers across the country while exaggerating the problems with illegal immigration.
Kobach on Thursday called the piece – a collaboration between the KC Star and Pro Publica – “bad reporting” and “horrible journalism.”
The campaign issued a response with nine points calling the story into question.
“I would be embarrassed to have my name on a so-called news story rife with so many inaccuracies, errors, omissions and lies,” spokeswoman Danedri Herbert said.
Late Thursday night, one of the author’s of the piece from ProPublica, issued a lengthy response to each of the Kobach campaign’s arguments.
The response includes the Kobach campaign’s arguments so you can decide for yourself what you think about the piece.
No-show rally
Kobach’s Victory Tour stopped at Kansas City, Kan. Community College on Thursday and found an empty room. The Wyandotte Daily reported that two women drove over to Wyandotte County from Johnson County but left before he arrived because the tour was running behind schedule. Hope this isn’t an indicator of his support on Tuesday.
