Within an hour of being charged with multiple felonies for violations of election law, Republican Congressman Steve Watkins defended himself in a televised debate with his GOP challengers.
Watkins, now about to complete his first term, called the charges brought by the Shawnee County district attorney “hyperpolitical” because they were made public about 30 minutes before he was to appear in the debate and just three weeks before the primary election in the 2nd Congressional District.
“I haven’t done anything wrong,” Watkins said. “This is very suspicious, seems highly political. I haven’t seen the charges. I look forward to clearing my name.”
Watkins used the opportunity to link one of his Republican rivals, Treasurer Jake LaTurner, to the prosecutor. He said LaTurner shared a political consultant with Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay.
LaTurner said Watkins’ remark was an indicator of the congressman’s refusal to take ownership of his actions.
“The reality is Steve Watkins needs to take responsibility for what he’s done and own up to it and deal with the legal issues that are heading his way,” LaTurner said.
“In the meantime, the rest of us need to focus on keeping this seat in Republican hands,” he continued. “We cannot send a Democrat to represent us in Washington, D.C., and have another vote for (House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi.”
At the start of the debate, LaTurner and former Secretary of Administration Dennis Taylor were asked to address the criminal charges brought against Watkins.
“This is a key issue in this election,” LaTurner said.
“Three weeks from today, Republican voters across the 2nd Congressional District are going to have to pick the very best candidate to go against the mayor of Topeka, Michelle De La Isla. She is well funded. She is the candidate supported by Nancy Pelosi, and we need to put our best foot forward,” he said.
“Clearly, our current congressman with three felony charges and a misdemeanor charge is not the person to do that,” LaTurner said.
As far as LaTurner was concerned, it was a two-person field with Taylor.
Taylor largely sidestepped the question about the criminal charges, saying he would leave it up to voters to decide whether there was a case against Watkins.
There has been fear among Republicans that Watkins was a weak candidate heading into the 2020 election cycle.
Former Gov. Jeff Colyer persuaded LaTurner to bow out of the U.S. Senate race and run for the 2nd District nomination out of concern that Watkins would have trouble getting reelected.
Long before questions arose about whether Watkins violated any voting laws, Colyer suggested that Watkins had shortcomings because President Donald Trump carried the 2nd District by 19 percentage points while Watkins squeezed past Democrat Paul Davis by less than 1 percentage point.
In the first quarter of this year, De La Isla raised $337,761 to $123,713 for Watkins. Meanwhile, LaTurner raised $42,859 in the first quarter.
“If you want to be trusted to write our laws, you should at least follow them,” said Brooke Goren, spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
“Steve Watkins has proven that he can’t pass this basic test, and it’s clear why Kansans are ready for a change,” Goren said.
“At a time when voters are sick of corruption and scandal in Washington, Mayor Michelle De La Isla has proven that she has the character and the track record to be that change,” she said.
Watkins has been charged with election law violations stemming from using a UPS Store address in Topeka instead of his home when he cast a ballot in a 2019 city election.
He was charged with interference with law enforcement, providing false information, voting without being qualified, unlawful advance voting and failing to notify the department of motor vehicles of changing his address.
