Month: October 2021

Former Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor Mark Holland making a bid for the U.S. Senate

Mark Holland lost re-election as mayor, but he’d have a strong shot at the Democratic nomination and an underdog race in the general election against incumbent U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran.

Mark Holland (File photo)

by Steve Kraske, KCUR and Kansas News Service

Mark Holland, who served as mayor of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County from 2013 to 2017, will launch a campaign for the U.S. Senate on Monday, sources tell KCUR.

Republican Sen. Jerry Moran has held the seat since 2011.

Because of his base in heavily Democratic Wyandotte County, Holland, 52, would have a strong shot at winning his party’s nomination. The only other Democrat who has announced a campaign is Michael Soetaert of Alta Vista, Kansas, who filed in April.

On Friday, Holland declined to comment on his plans.

Holland, a United Methodist pastor, is executive director of Mainstream UMC. It’s an advocacy group within the church that supports the ordaining and marriage of LGBTQ people.

He is the former senior pastor at Trinity Community Church in Kansas City, Kansas.

Incumbent Mayor David Alvey defeated Holland in 2017 52-47% when Holland was seeking a second term. During the campaign, Alvey accused Holland of alienating public service employees, especially the Kansas City, Kansas, Fire Department.

As mayor, Holland had questioned how the department spends its budget, alienating the department’s firefighters’ union.

Holland would face a formidable challenge against Moran. Former President Trump has endorsed the senator, and Kansas remains a solidly red state that hasn’t sent a Democrat to the Senate since the 1930s.

The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.
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/news/2021-10-01/former-kansas-city-kansas-mayor-mark-holland-is-making-a-bid-for-the-u-s-senate

A Holland for Senate organizational committee filing document is online at the FEC at https://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/184/202110019467155184/202110019467155184.pdf

Dry weather today, high near 79

At Wyandotte County Lake. (File photo by Mary Rupert)

Dry weather is expected this afternoon through Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.

Temperatures started in the lower 50s this morning, and are expected to rise to 79 this afternoon, the weather service said.

A slight chance of rain will arrive at midweek, with any accumulation not certain, according to the weather service.

There will be a slight, or 20 percent, chance of rain on Wednesday afternoon, the weather service said. Hazardous weather is not expected.

Temperatures will rise unseasonably into the 80s on Friday and Saturday, and there is another chance of rain on Sunday, according to the weather service.

Today, it will be sunny, with a high near 79 and a calm wind becoming north around 6 mph in the afternoon, the weather service said.

Tonight, it will be clear, with a low around 55 and a calm wind, according to the weather service.

Tuesday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 74, the weather service said. A calm wind will become northeast 5 to 7 mph in the morning.

Tuesday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 59 and an east northeast wind of 5 mph becoming calm in the evening, according to the weather service.

Wednesday, there is a 20 percent chance of showers after 1 p.m., with a high near 75, the weather service said. A calm wind will become east northeast around 6 mph in the morning.

Wednesday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 58, according to the weather service.

Thursday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 77, the weather service said.

Thursday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 59, according to the weather service.

Friday, it will be sunny, with a high near 83, the weather service said.

Friday night, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 64, according to the weather service.

Saturday, it will be mostly sunny, with a high near 84, the weather service said.

Saturday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 62, according to the weather service.

Sunday, there will be a 30 percent chance of showers, with a high near 76, the weather service said.