Good morning everyone:
It’s now less than 10 days before the Aug. 7 primary and electoral politics are reaching a fever pitch, whether it’s Kris Kobach releasing a new poll, Ken Selzer demanding a full-time governor, postcards flooding your mailbox or hundreds of thousands of dollars being spent on television.
Last week was, indeed, busy. So here’s some of the best stuff we could find for you, some of it actually having nothing to do with elections but important for you to be aware of nevertheless. Let’s go around the horn.
Governor’s race
With a week left, the state’s showcase election promises to continue making news up until the last day.
First, here’s The AP’s account of how Republican Secretary of State Kris Kobach has been treating an ACLU mailing attacking him. The organization is spending about $200,000 to campaign against him with more than 10,000 phone calls and 22,000 mailers. Kobach has turned the attack into a de facto endorsement of Republican rival Gov. Jeff Colyer.
The Colyer campaign says it looks like Kobach is desperate. The ACLU says it’s not endorsing anyone in the governor’s race.
Insurance Commissioner Ken Selzer, meanwhile, called for a full-time governor, taking aim at Kobach and Colyer for the work they do outside of public office.
“Kansans need a full-time governor, not a part time plastic surgeon or immigration attorney,” Selzer said in a statement emailed to reporters last week.
“Kansans deserve nothing less from those who would ask for their vote to be their governor,” he said.
Selzer first levied this criticism at a GOP gubernatorial debate held at Johnson County Community College.
The Selzer statement also underscored the fact that he was the only candidate to release his tax returns to demonstrate that he was the only full-time government official.
“If governor candidates don’t trust Kansans enough to let them know how substantial their other business interests are, Kansans shouldn’t trust them to lead their state,” Selzer said.
The Topeka Capital-Journal provided a complete recount of the story, including how Colyer responded.
In other governor’s race news:
- Democrat Josh Svaty talks with the Hays Daily News about his statewide connections.
- The Democratic candidates participated in a forum last week at Boot Hill Casino and Resort Conference Center. Two of the major candidates – Laura Kelly and Josh Svaty – were not at the forum. Here’s a recap from the Dodge City Daily Globe.
- The Wichita Eagle’s Jonathan Shorman offers a look at how much the gubernatorial candidates are spending in broadcast. It’s worth noting that we’ll have a more complete idea of the total spending when campaign finance reports are filed Monday. For instance, Team Kobach expects that it will spend more than $1 million in broadcasting before the primary is over in a week.
Secretary of state’s race
A couple stories worth looking at for this undercard campaign on the ballot. The Lawrence Journal-World provides these easy-to-digest nuggets on the candidates while the Wichita Eagle also provides this roundup of the race.
4th District news
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders has swept in and out of Kansas to campaign for Democrat James Thompson. Now, it’s time for Thompson to get down to the business of running a primary campaign against Democrat Laura Lombard.
The Eagle’s Dion Lefler looks at the differences between Thompson and Lombard in the race.
What’s more interesting about this race is that Thompson has raised $1.1 million this election cycle and only had $47,000 on hand as of June 30. Lombard, meanwhile, raised about $108,000 and had about $1,600 in the bank on June 30.
1st District news
The Wichita Eagle offers this report on how Congressman Roger Marshall essentially has little chance of losing his primary.
2nd District News
In the jumbled Republican primary for the 2nd Congressional District, the only one who seems to be separating himself from the field is Steve Watkins – and for all the wrong reasons.
First, this story from McClatchy questioning a Watkins ad suggesting he’s supported by President Donald Trump. Then the story adds that Watkins didn’t vote in 2016.
The Topeka Capital Journal followed up on a story first reported by the KC Star about the super PAC set up by Watkins’ dad. The only difference between the two stories is the amount of money the PAC is spending. Now, the PAC has raised about $587,000 and spent about $470,000. Here’s a link to the PAC’s campaign finance report if you want dig further.
Watkins also gave an interview on KSNT to Washburn University political scientist Bob Beatty, who asked the candidate about the super PAC. Check it out.
There’s some other coverage of the 2nd District race that goes beyond Watkins. There’s this piece from the KC Star looking at the race and another from Kansas News Service’s Stephen Koranda that also includes an audio feed.
Insurance commissioner
A couple stories for you about the Republican primary for insurance commissioner in which state Sen. Vicki Schmidt is facing former legislator Clark Shultz. We have this coverage from the Wichita Eagle and another story about a campaign stop for Shultz in Abilene.
More endorsements
We have promised to bring you as many endorsements as we can this political season regardless of the group’s political proclivities. So here are links to these endorsements for your review: Stand Up Blue Valley, Family Policy Alliance and the American Federation of Teachers.
Koch brothers makeover
The Associated Press takes a look at the changing image of the Democratic Party’s arch nemesis. “The Democrats’ super villains for much of the last decade have quietly launched a rebranding effort that may vanquish the ‘Koch brothers’ moniker from American politics,” the AP reports.
Congressional hearings on internet sales tax
This may be one of the biggest issues confronting the Kansas Legislature next year. Yet, you hear very little about it this election season.
Last week, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the Supreme Court decision that allowed states to tax internet sales, a ruling that could potentially generate hundreds of millions of dollars in new revenue for states.
However, it’s not a slam dunk and the House Judiciary Committee last week held a hearing on the complexities of the issue, including how it might affect small businesses and whether it might be retroactively applied in some states.
Here’s a link to testimony and a video from the hearing.
Republican Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte of Virginia also released this statement that frames the challenges the issue presents.
Medicaid expansion
A new study out last week showed that individuals with disabilities are more likely to be employed in states that have expanded Medicaid.
The University of Kansas study concluded that individuals who don’t work because of a disability have declined in states where Medicaid expanded.
Here’s a link to the KU news release and the study that was published in the American Journal of Public Health.
Bollier back in the news
Republican state Sen. Barbara Bollier’s falling out with Senate GOP leadership over backing two Democratic candidates continues to pose problems.
Jim McLean at Kansas News reports that no longer is she vice chair of the Senate health committee but she also will not sit on the committee charged with overseeing the state’s privatized Medicaid program known as KanCare.
Senate President Susan Wagle has replaced Bollier on the health committee with conservative Republican Sen. Ty Masterson, who chairs the Truth Caucus.
Wagle removed Bollier from the committee for openly supporting state Sen. Laura Kelly in the governor’s race and Tom Niermann in the 3rd District congressional race.
Bollier tells Kansas News Service the more leadership tries to punish her, the more she knows she’s doing what’s right.
Nominal fundraising
These candidates have filed affidavits with the state ethics commission indicating that they don’t plan to spend more than $1,000 in their campaigns. The incumbent is listed in parenthesis.
Among those filing affidavits so far were Republican Brad Hall in House District 12 (Doug Blex), Republican Jim Eschrich in House District 17 (Tom Cox), Democrat Andrew Hurla in House District 18 (Cindy Neighbor) and Democrat Susan Ruiz in House District 23 (Linda Gallagher).
Also filing affidavits were: Democrat Toni Scalia in House District 52 (Brenda Dietrich), Democrat Gerald Winget in House District 99 (Susan Humphries) and Republican Jeffrey Locke in House District 124 (incumbent John Alford is not running).
