by Stephen Koranda, Kansas News Service
Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts says he will not run for re-election in 2020, opening the door to a parade of candidates announcing a run or considering jumping into the race to replace him. Multiple Republicans are eyeing the seat, and it could be the first time Democrats have a competitive U.S. Senate primary since the 1990s.
Here’s the rundown of who’s seeking the seat in Washington:
Republicans
Kris Kobach
Residence: Near Lecompton, Kansas.
Nationally, Kobach is known as a hardliner against illegal immigration. But in Kansas, he’s coming off a 2018 loss for the governor’s office. When he was secretary of state from 2011 to 2019, he pushed for strict voter registration changes, arguing they would help prevent voter fraud. Critics said the rules made it too difficult for eligible voters to register and the requirements were blocked by a federal court. Kobach is a long-time ally of President Donald Trump, and he says he’ll push Trump’s policies and fight what he calls the establishment in Washington. He’s currently working with a private organization attempting to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico.
Dave Lindstrom
Residence: Overland Park, Kansas.
Lindstrom is a former Kansas City Chief turned businessman who’s chairman of the board for the Kansas Turnpike Authority. After his NFL career, Lindstrom owned four Burger King restaurants in the Kansas City area and worked in real estate. Like other Republicans in the race, Lindstrom is voicing his support for Trump and says he’ll bring free-market ideas and a conservative perspective to the Senate.
Bryan Pruitt
Residence: Manhattan, Kansas.
Pruitt is a Wichita native who worked as a conservative political commentator and political consultant based in Washington, D.C. He has now returned to Kansas for the campaign. If elected, he would be the first openly gay senator from Kansas. Pruitt agrees with other conservatives in the race on major issues, but says the party needs to talk differently about abortion and should nominate more diverse candidates.
Susan Wagle
Residence: Wichita, Kansas.
Wagle is the first woman to become president of the Kansas Senate (2013-current). A conservative who has been a vocal critic of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, Wagle and Kelly have clashed on issues like Medicaid expansion and tax policy. Wagle touts her years of work in support of abortion restrictions approved by Kansas lawmakers. She’ll continue serving as Senate president while campaigning for the U.S. Senate. Wagle is a cancer survivor, and counts health care issues among her top priorities, saying government health care isn’t the answer to challenges in the industry.
Filed paperwork to run or explore the race:
• Gabriel Mark Robles, from Topeka, Kansas.
Democrats
Nancy Boyda
Residence: Baldwin City, Kansas
Boyda spent one term as a U.S. representative for the 2nd District, ending in 2009. Though she ended up in Washington after defeating an incumbent Republican, she lost the 2008 election to Republican Lynn Jenkins. Boyda is a farmer who says she’ll focus on working across the aisle to break gridlock.
Barry Grissom
Residence: Leawood, Kansas.
In 2010, President Barack Obama picked Grissom to serve as U.S. attorney for Kansas. Grissom highlights his experience, as well as prosecutions of people who plotted to bomb the Wichita airport and Fort Riley. As an attorney, Grissom says he has fought against racism and unfair wages. He’s also campaigned for loosening laws on marijuana, saying it’s not a good use of taxpayer resources.
Usha Reddi
Residence: Manhattan, Kansas.
Reddi serves on the Manhattan city council and was an elementary-school teacher before taking a leave to campaign for the Senate. Reddi says she’ll push for economic policies that benefit working Kansas families. She’s a sexual abuse survivor who went public with her account because she says she’s met many women with similar experiences. If elected, Reddi would be the first Hindu person to serve in the U.S. Senate.
Other Democrats who have filed paperwork to run or explore the race:
• Adam Smith, from Mission, Kansas, https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/S0KS00216/?tab=filings.
• Robert Leon Tillman, from Wichita, Kansas, https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/S0KS00265/?tab=filings
Editor’s note: This story will be updated as new people enter the race or, as in the case of Kansas Treasurer Jake LaTurner on Sept. 4, drop out of the race.
Stephen Koranda is Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio and the Kansas News Service, a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio covering health, education and politics. Follow him on Twitter @kprkoranda or email skoranda (at) ku (dot) edu.
Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished by news media at no cost with proper attribution and a link to ksnewsservice.org.
See more at https://www.kcur.org/post/10-and-counting-your-guide-candidates-competing-kansas-us-sen-pat-roberts-job .
