Good morning everyone.
Just 30 days left before the Aug. 7 primary.
The holiday week was kind of a slow, highlighted by a major Democratic gubernatorial showdown in Topeka where former state Rep. Josh Svaty and state Sen. Laura Kelly tangled over abortion, guns and voting rights.
They met in another forum Saturday in Johnson County, but the event included so many of the lesser-financed candidates that it didn’t give the major candidates, including former Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer, a chance to showcase their differences.
But there are some things to catch up on from the last week, it’s just not as plentiful as other weeks. Let’s go around the horn.
2nd Congressional District race
Republican state Sen. Steve Fitzgerald is making national headlines this weekend with a report about a comment he made about barbarism and western civilization.
“We are being told that Western civilization is the problem in the world,” Fitzgerald reportedly told Leavenworth County Republicans last week. “Outside of Western civilization there is only barbarism.”
He added: “Our Judeo-Christian ethic is what is civilization. And that is what is under attack here and abroad. It also goes by a different name. Christendom. It’s under attack. And even speaking about it can bring you under attack. It has brought me under attack.”
Fitzgerald is in the middle of a crowded Republican primary for the 2nd District with six other candidates. The winner faces Democrat Paul Davis in the fall.
Fitzgerald’s comments came at a July 2 meeting of the Leavenworth County Republican Party.
CNN was the first to report on Fitzgerald’s remarks when it obtained a video from a “Democratic operative.” The Kansas City Star followed up on the story with an interview with Fitzgerald. He told The Star that CNN took him out of context.
In other news, Republican state Sen. Caryn Tyson nailed down the endorsement of the Kansas Farm Bureau.
“I’m proud to be a rancher, proud to be a Kansan, and proud to be endorsed be the Kansas Farm Bureau,” Tyson said in a statement. “I’m truly honored by their support and look forward to being a champion for Kansas’ farmers and ranchers in Congress.”
For a look at Tyson’s campaign for Congress, here’s a piece from the Ottawa Herald that examines the candidate’s position on health care, transportation, immigration and taxes and cyber security.
Proof-of-citizenship law support
Last week, former state Rep. Josh Svaty criticized Democratic gubernatorial rival Laura Kelly for supporting a bill that required prospective voters to present proof-of-citizenship. As we all know, that law has been struck down as unconstitutional after a federal judge found negligible evidence that it was preventing voter fraud.
But at the time it passed, the bill enjoyed overwhelming support in the House and the Senate. It passed 36-3 in the Senate and 111-11 in the House.
So just how did those votes shake out seven years ago? We went backed and looked. The bill received support from a cross section of Democrats, Republicans, moderates and conservatives. Here’s a link to the House Journal (page 788) and the Senate Journal (page 474) if you want the complete list.
Of course, these are only the votes on the final bill, not variations of it as it moved through the process so some lawmakers could arguably say they voted against it along the way.
Legislators who voted against the bill who are still in the House today, include state Reps. Sydney Carlin, Gail Finney, Broderick Henderson, Annie Kuether, Louis Ruiz, Ponke-We Victors and Valdenia Winn.
Among the senators who opposed the bill who are still serving today are Democrats David Haley and Oletha Faust-Goudeau.
Haley’s explanation of vote from 2011:
“This chilling effect on our democracy is completely unnecessary,” Haley said at the time. “There is no, repeat no, substantial evidence of rampant voting fraud in the state of Kansas. None. Period.”
Proof of citizenship: Part II
It appears that the state might be on the hook for legal fees after losing its defense of the proof-of-citizenship requirement for would-be voters. The Associated Press explains the issue. Meanwhile, the attorney general will be taking over defense of the case after Kris Kobach represented himself. A spokeswoman for the secretary of state said was that always intended when the case was appealed.
Governor’s race tidbits
Lots of little things in the Kansas governor’s race this week beyond the Democratic debate in Topeka Thursday night.
The Wichita Eagle asks the candidates about President Donald Trump’s trade policies while The Associated Press looks at the implications of the abortion issue in the Democratic primary. The Capital-Journal’s Tim Carpenter examines the influence of endorsements in the governor’s race.
Meanwhile, Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer said last week he will push ahead with work rules for Medicaid recipients despite a court ruling that stopped Kentucky from implementing the requirements. Colyer told Kansas News Service that he is committed to “incentivizing self-reliance through work.”
Here’s an analysis of the court case by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the fallout of the decision in other states such as Utah, Ohio and Georgia. Here’s more of a comprehensive national overview from Governing on how the case affects the states.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Kris Kobach chatted with KCUR’s Steve Kraske about the governor’s race. Take a listen. And the Jeep was back in the news this week at Lenexa’s Fourth of July Parade.
Secretary of State’s race
Coverage of the race to replace Kris Kobach in the secretary of state’s office is increasing as we near the Aug. 7 primary.
Here’s a roundup of the coverage that’s worth reading about the race, including this story from Peter Hancock who asks the candidates their thoughts about defending the proof-of-citizenship requirement for voting and whether they want to continue with the interstate voter crosscheck program.
Kansas News Service also has this story that looks at how the candidates seem to be stressing competence in their campaigns.
Also, the Great Bend Tribune reports on Republican Dennis Taylor’s visit there where he talks about the voters’ need to have trust in the electoral system. The Abilene newspaper had this story recently where Taylor said he didn’t think the proof-of-citizenship requirement for would-be voters was needed.
Moran’s trip to Russia
U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran sat down with National Public Radio and discussed his trip to Russia with a congressional delegation over the Fourth of July holiday.
Moran tells “All Things Considered” host Mary Louise Kelly that the Russians said they didn’t meddle in U.S. elections.
“Closest that they came was, if there was any meddling, it certainly wasn’t us, as a Russian government. The basic response was, we didn’t do it,” Moran said.
Here’s a transcript of Moran’s interview with NPR.
The Kansas City Star and the Lawrence Journal-World also had stories on Moran’s trip as well.
Lawmakers visit The Villages
Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer and a group of Kansas legislators toured a group home that is housing children who were separated from their parents at the U.S.-Mexican border. Here’s coverage from the Capital-Journal and KSNT. House Minority Leader Jim Ward said he wanted more information about the number children who were housed there because they were forcibly separated from their parents at the border.
The Show’s over
A federal judge last week brought an end to political satirist Vermin Love Supreme’s quest to get on the ballot in the Kansas attorney general’s race.
U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren said that Supreme, best known for wearing an upside down boot for a hat and promising ponies to everyone, was not entitled to federal court intervention in the case. He said the case was a matter of state law.
The state Objections Board had already booted Supreme from the ballot, so to speak, after a judge ruled in a related matter that state law required gubernatorial candidates to live in Kansas although it wasn’t specifically addressed by any single statute.
Supreme, who resides in Massachusetts and has run for president, contended the state has no law requiring residency for attorney general.
It’s too bad. Everyone likes ponies. Maybe it’s an idea Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt will adopt in his campaign. Or maybe not.
