The Republican Governors Association is taking the offensive in the Kansas governor’s race, launching a new ad against Democratic nominee Cindy Holscher as part of a nearly $7 million ad buy that it has booked between now and the end of the election.
The RGA’s Right Direction PAC will start running an ad against Holscher Thursday, less than two days after she sealed the Democratic Party’s nomination on Tuesday night.
Weeks ago, the political action committee laid down an ad buy of about $6.9 million from the end of the primary through the general election in November.
The ad buy comes at a time when Holscher will likely have to replenish her campaign fund, which had about $64,000 in cash on hand for the reporting period that ended July 23.
In the week following the end of the reporting period Holscher raised another $11,000.
“Cindy Holscher made property taxes worse for Kansas families, and now she’s looking for a promotion,” said RGA spokesman Kollin Crompton.
“Kansas families are being crushed by property taxes and Holscher failed to act,” Crompton said.
““Ty Masterson has a plan to deliver property tax relief, protect homeowners, and freeze property taxes for seniors. Masterson is the clear choice for governor,” he said.
The ad refers to Holscher’s vote in Februrary 2025 against a constitutional amendment capping property appraisals at 3% for tax purposes. The bill, which was opposed by a handful of Republicans as well, never passed.
The cap would not have applied in cases where new construction or improvements have been made to the property. The cap would still apply when a property is sold, a change made in the bill as it came out of committee.
Supporters of the amendment said it was a response to soaring property values and the increase in property taxes that follows.
“During the recent contentious election cycle, it was abundantly clear at the doors that voters were hurting due to uncontrolled property taxes, property tax burdens driven by out-of-control valuations,” said Republican state Sen. Jeff Klemp of Lansing, now Senate President Ty Masteson’s running mate for governor.
“This resolution reflects the conscious decision by Kansans to elect members who understood that pain,” Klemp said at the time.
Holscher joined in an explanation of vote at the time with four other senators who opposed the amendment.
“Supporting an amendment such as this that leads the taxpayers to believe their taxes will only be raised 3% per year without any proof it will, that has been proven to distort markets, that has been proven to shift property tax burdens and have been proven to de-incentivize home selling and buying is not an amendment I can support,” the senators said in a joint statement entered into the Senate record.
“We can and must do better for the people of Kansas and deliver on the property tax reform that actually accomplishes tax relief, not just purports to do so,” they said.
The Holscher campaign responded to the ad on Wednesday.
“Ty Masterson has absolutely failed as Senate president to deliver property tax relief. His plans amount to nothing more than gimmicks,” said Holscher campaign spokesperson, Austin Heller.
“Cindy Holscher has a real plan to cut property taxes for homeowners across all income levels— she’ll lower assessment rates and create exemptions for seniors and disabled veterans,” Heller said in a text.
“And she’ll do it while making sure that our schools or communities don’t pay the price,” he said.
