The top House Democrat said Thursday that he anticipated Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly would pass him over for an endorsement in his campaign for the Kansas Senate.
Rep. Vic Miller of Topeka said Thursday that Kelly’s endorsement of Democratic rival Patrick Schmidt came after the lawmaker tried to amend a tax bill that the governor agreed to with House Republican leaders during last month’s special session.
Miller tried to amend a tax bill delicately negotiated by the governor with a measure giving disabled or unemployable veterans a 75% rebate on property taxes. A similar provision was in another bill the governor vetoed.
The veterans provision, which failed on a voice vote, could have been paid for from the same amendment raising the cap on paying income tax on Social Security to $250,000 instead of eliminating the tax altogether. The cap is now $75,000.
“I expected it back the day that I offered the amendment to take care of disabled veterans,” Miller said of not getting the governor’s endorsement.
“Her chief of staff at that time said there would be retribution. So, I’m not surprised” Miller said.
The governor vetoed the veterans property tax rebate because it was part of a larger tax bill requiring cities and counties to rebate property taxes if they compete against certain businesses such as fitness centers.
Kelly said the government competition part of that bill favored specific businesses at the expense of local government services.
“I was offering (the amendment) at the time I did to actually make a legitimate effort to provide property tax relief to totally disabled veterans,” Miller said.
“I was surprised that the reaction was as profound as it was given that it had a pay-for in it and didn’t affect the deal she made with Republican leadership,” he said.
“I was very disappointed when the chief of staff made it clear that there would be retribution and, in fact, confirmed (Wednesday) that is the reason for her endorsement.”
The governor’s chief of staff, Will Lawrence, said the endorsement had nothing to do with any single action in the Legislature.
“Vic Miller has been around a long time, and there’s one common theme. It’s whatever suits him,” Lawrence said. “He does not care about anyone else.”
Lawrence said Miller “blindsided” House Democrats with the property tax amendment, which put them in the unpalatable position of voting against veterans if they wanted to keep the tax deal intact.
“This isn’t about any one thing. This is about his entire body of work,” said Lawrence, alluding that Miller was one of handful of Democrats who voted for the “Brownback flat tax” in 2023.
“Why did he do that?” Lawrence asked of the flat tax vote.
“It didn’t help any constituents in his House district. It didn’t help any constituents in his would-be Senate district.
“This is about him never taking responsibility for the stuff he does and about him putting himself in front of everyone else.
“He doesn’t care about his constituents. He never has. I don’t think he ever will.”
Lawrence called Schmidt a “new voice” who’s “fresh.”
“Patrick has a vision and wants to the do the right thing for the people in the 19th District,” Lawrence said.
The deal the governor reached on tax cuts came after weeks of negotiations when the regular session ended in May without passing a tax-cut bill.
The governor called the Legislature into a special session and spent weeks trying to hammer out a deal with Republicans to cut taxes without costing too much money.
A proposal emerged just before the June 18 special session, and lawmakers worked to keep the bill free of amendments to ensure it passed and was eventually enacted.
Republican state Rep. Pat Proctor of Leavenworth was a primary sponsor of the veterans property tax rebate but didn’t try to amend the tax bill on the House floor for fear of upsetting the negotiated tax deal.
Miller is running in newly drawn Senate District 19 that runs from Topeka to Lawrence and includes parts of Lecompton and Tecumseh.
He is running for the Democratic nomination against Schmidt and civic activist ShaMecha King Simms.
About 39% of the voters in the district are Democrats, compared to about 25% Republican and about 35% who are unaffiliated.
Kelly won about 72% of the vote in this district compared to about 25% of the vote that went to former Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt.
There has been talk for weeks about the governor not endorsing Miller since Lawrence; Cory Sheedy, the chief of staff for Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes; and Ty Dragoo, legislative director for the transportation workers union, were seen emerging from a meeting with Patrick Schmidt at the Little Russia Chili Parlor in Topeka.
Former longtime state Sen. Anthony Hensley, a longtime ally of the governor, endorsed Miller in the Senate race. He stood by the endorsement Thursday.
Hensley said he has known Miller for nearly 50 years, meeting him when he was first elected to the House in 1976.
“I stand by my friends. I stand with my friends,” Hensley said.
“They’re both my friends, and I’ll continue to support Laura Kelly just like I’ll continue to support Vic Miller,” he said.
Hensley believes that the House minority leader will win, adding that the streets within the district Hensley once represented for many years are lined with Miller signs.
“I believe Vic will win the primary.”‘
Hensley added, “I just think it’s important that we have somebody representing the district that I represented for so many years that’s from Topeka and is a known quantity in terms of public service.”
Schmidt touted the governor’s endorsement on Facebook.
“I am incredibly proud and humbled to be endorsed by our great governor, Laura Kelly As your senator, I will stand with her and fight for hard-working Kansans,” he wrote.
King Simms, meanwhile, posted a heartfelt message to supporters on Facebook after failing to get the governor’s support.
“As more endorsements come out, it will become harder to hear people like me over PACs and some of your favorite political influencers,” she wrote.
“I want you to know that I’ve truly enjoyed being a candidate who is of the people and for the people,” she posted.
“My cadence to follow your heart and conscience as you go to the polls, over what is easy and familiar — remains.”
