Johnson unveils ‘taxpayer super ninja’ ad

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An explosion. A ninja. And a cowboy hat.

Mix that in with reamortization and you have state Rep. Steven Johnson’s new ad for the Kansas treasurer’s race out today.

The button-down Johnson pokes fun at himself in this ad, which portrays him as a “taxpayer super ninja.”

“I’m Steven Johnson, my consultant said I needed some exciting ads and well, here’s some really exciting stuff I’ve done,” Johnson says before reciting a litany of accomplishments, some that could make the average Kansan’s eyes glaze over.

Johnson has booked about $267,000 in broadcast spending for the treasurer’s race, of which about $120,000 is going into the Kansas City market, according to the national political ad tracking firm AdImpact.

About $98,000 is going to the Wichita market, and $47,000 is going into the Topeka market.

Another $570 is going to the Joplin market, covering southeast Kansas.

The ad made its first appearance on Monday morning on KWCH in Wichita.

So far, Johnson’s primary rival, state Sen. Caryn Tyson, has not booked any broadcast time, according to AdImpact’s data.

However, Tyson has been raising questions about Johnson’s voting record in emails and in digital ads.

Tyson has been campaigning against Johnson, citing his vote to repeal former Gov. Sam Brownback’s tax cuts in 2017 when he supported an override of the governor’s veto.

She also has campaigned against his vote for a bill raising the state sales tax to 6.5% and decelerating the Brownback income tax cuts that came in the face of budget trouble.

Last week, Johnson secured endorsements from House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr., House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins and Senate Vice President Rick Wilborn in the Republican primary for treasurer.

Tyson won an endorsement from former state Rep. Richard Carlson of St. Marys, who chaired the House tax committee when he was in the Legislature.

She also picked up support from state Rep. Ken Corbet of Topeka and Wichita businessman Bill Pickert.

Here’s a video Tyson made early in the campaign in case you missed it.