Category: Election 2018

by Mary Rupert

Former Gov. John Carlin visited Wyandotte County on Saturday to endorse John Svaty, a Democratic candidate for governor.

“The future of Kansas is on the ballot Tuesday and in November,” former Gov. Carlin said in a speech to a group of about 27 persons outdoors at the Eisenhower Park area near North 72nd Street and Yecker Avenue. “If this doesn’t come out right, we’re screwed.”

Those attending the event had the opportunity to vote early afterward at the Eisenhower Recreation Center, which was more than 250 feet away from the rally.

Carlin asked campaign volunteers to make every contact with voters positive.

“It’s going to be close,” Carlin said. “It’s one of those elections where every vote does count.”

Svaty can win in November, Carlin said, and he can deliver in January. He said Svaty is a leader who can get things done in office.

During a speech, Svaty said those who win the primary election Aug. 7 would be starting over because the candidates have spent their money in the primary.

“It’s been a long time, since 2008, since we’ve had a statewide race or a Congressional victory for Democrats,” Svaty said. The young Democrats who want to be on a staff have no options other than leaving the state or serving as unpaid interns to legislators.

“It is time we help build the bench,” he said.

Svaty said his campaign workers, some of whom are former Gov. Carlin’s campaign team, are extremely dedicated, know the state well and worked for a governor “who got a ton of stuff done.”

Svaty said Wyandotte County holds great potential, especially eastern Wyandotte County, in the next 10 years, but it will take the right person to make sure it is done right, and make sure that everyone works toward opportunity together.

Svaty said that turning out as many voters as possible is his challenge now, and making sure people know who they are.

He said his campaign feels good about Wyandotte County, with the endorsements of Rep. Tom Burroughs, Rep. Louis Ruiz and Rep. Pam Curtis recently, and with Gov. Carlin’s endorsement.

Svaty was confident about winning and said he felt good about the votes here, in Johnson County and Wichita.

by Mary Rupert

With only four days left until the Aug. 7 election, Gov. Jeff Colyer made a campaign tour stop in Kansas City, Kansas, on Saturday.

A recent poll reported in the Topeka Capital-Journal has placed Colyer at about a 32 percent tie with GOP challenger Kris Kobach only days before the election.

Colyer visited Splitlog Coffee at 548 Central Ave. about 8:30 a.m. Saturday and said that the polls he has seen have shown he is up by a few points over Kobach. A few days ago, Kobach said his polls showed Kobach was ahead about nine points.

“It’s very tight,” Gov. Colyer said. “This is the 99th county we’ve been in, in the last two weeks.”

He visited nine cities on Friday, and his running mate, Tracey Mann, visited 10 cities, he said.

Turnout has been “tremendous” at his events, he said. “At Lyons we had 80 people show up.”

Colyer is a conservative, and his leading challenger, Kobach, also is a conservative.

Colyer said he supports the president’s immigration efforts.

“Washington has to do its job, that’s the bottom line,” he said.

He said there are still some undecided voters, and a lot of them may be characterized as “Bob Dole Republicans,” who tend to be conservative.

“It’s about getting things done,” Gov. Colyer said. “We’re dealing with the budget issue, Standard and Poor’s increased our credit outlook for the first time in years, we put some more money into K-12 education, by stair-stepping over five years, we don’t need a tax increase and we’re going to be able to return some money in property taxes to people this year.”

Colyer supporters who showed up for the event included Colton Gibson and his family members, as well as Chiquita Coggs and Sharron Davis-Mays. People from Slap’s Barbecue across the street also came by to talk with the governor. About 20 persons attended the event.

In addition, State Rep. Pam Curtis, D-32nd Dist., said she was there to welcome the governor to her district.