Carl Brewer, left, who is running for governor, today named Chris Morrow, right, as his running mate. Brewer made the announcement on an eight-city tour, including a stop at Breit’s in Kansas City, Kansas. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
by Mary Rupert
Carl Brewer, a Democratic candidate for governor, today named Chris Morrow as his lieutenant governor running mate.
Brewer, a former mayor of Wichita, made the announcement in an eight-stop tour throughout Kansas, including Breit’s Stein and Deli, 412 N. 5th St., Kansas City, Kansas.
He filed this morning in Topeka and also made the announcement of his running mate, a former mayor of Gardner, Kansas, in front of the Brown vs. Board of Education mural in the Capitol at Topeka. It signifies the progress that has been made, he said.
“It also signifies how much farther we have to go, that we have not been. That’s part of what’s driving me, is the progress that we have not been,” Brewer said this morning during a campaign speech at Breit’s.
There are several candidates running for governor in the primary, which will be Aug. 7.
Carl Brewer (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
Brewer said he never thought in his lifetime that one day Kansas would be discussing whether it should be funding taking care of children or those who can’t take care of themselves.
Brewer said he wants to make sure everyone has a place at the table.
“The state of Kansas is broken now and all of us are seeing it now,” Brewer said.
“You need to get involved or bring about change,” he said. “I chose to bring about change.” That requires everyone to join in a partnership, he added.
Brewer said the state needs to address its financial position, education and health care issues.
“A lot of times in Topeka, they don’t understand how their decisions are affecting our families, our lives, every day,” Brewer said. “We understand.”
Brewer has been working since age 16. He served in the Kansas Army National Guard, and was a captain and company commander. He was a sheet metal worker in the aircraft industry, where he worked for 32 years, later becoming a union steward, then moved into management at Spirit Aviation.
“We have to make sure our next governor knows how to work both aisles and how to work with all people,” said LaVonta Williams, a former Wichita city council member who introduced Brewer. Brewer led Wichita through the recent recession, she said.
Starting the day out in front of the Brown vs. Board mural today was a reminder that they still have to be moving the state forward in an equitable manner for everybody, Morrow said.
Morrow, who grew up in Roeland Park, about three blocks from Kansas City, Kansas, said there is no one in Kansas more qualified to be governor than Brewer. Morrow mentioned Brewer’s experience in being mayor of Wichita, the largest city in the state, and experience in building consensus and working for the betterment of their communities.
“Carl didn’t pick me to fill some hole on the ticket, but because we are consistently on the same page on the issues,” he said.
“There’s so much that we’re going to need to do to get Kansas back on track,” Morrow said. “I look forward to continuing this ride through to November and beyond.”
“We can change the way the rest of the world sees the state of Kansas,” Brewer said.
Brewer also asked volunteers to work on voter registration and getting voters to the polls.
For more information on Brewer’s campaign issues, visit www.brewerforkansas.com/.
Carl Brewer, right, a candidate for governor, and Chris Morrow, left, his running mate, listened to residents during a stop today in Kansas City, Kansas. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)The Carl Brewer campaign tour bus arrived at Breit’s in Kansas City, Kansas, earlier today. Brewer, center, a candidate for governor, talked with Mary Martin, left, and Rick Moreno, right. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
A 3rd District Democratic Congressional Candidate Forum will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 24, in the Jewell Student Center at Kansas City Kansas Community College, 7250 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas.
Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. Moderators include Christal Watson, deputy chief of staff for Mayor David Alvey; and Gary Enrique Bradley-Lopez, vice chair of the Wyandotte County Young Democrats.
Democratic candidates include Sharice Davids, a lawyer; Mike McCamon, former tech and nonprofit executive; Tom Niermann, a high school history teacher; Jay Sidie, a businessman; Brent Welder, labor lawyer; and Sylvia Williams, a retired banker.
Josh Svaty, a Democratic candidate for governor, announced his running mate would be Katrina Lewison. He made the announcement in a tour throughout Kansas on Wednesday, including this stop at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
by Mary Rupert
Josh Svaty, a Democratic candidate for governor, swung by Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas, on an 11-stop blitz Wednesday to introduce his running mate, Katrina Lewison.
Svaty, a farmer, a former state representative, EPA senior adviser and former Kansas secretary of agriculture from Ellsworth, Kansas, emphasized his running mate’s qualifications.
Lewison is a West Point graduate from Hutchinson and Buhler, Kansas, who served as a Black Hawk platoon leader during Iraqi Freedom, and who is now a director of consulting and training in Manhattan, Kansas. She and her husband have three children, and she is a member of the Manhattan-Ogden school board.
Katrina Lewison (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
“She has the energy and excitement I think would make for a great lieutenant governor,” Svaty said. “We realized that our voices speak for a large amount of Kansans.”
Svaty said they are both concerned about education and the future of Kansas. Svaty, who is married and has four children, outlined some of his issues during the speech Wednesday.
In his speech, Svaty said that the next governor has to work on Medicaid expansion, lower the sales tax on food, and take action to retain teachers in the state. He said he supports restoring funding to the schools.
The government needs to rededicate itself to children, gubernatorial candidate Josh Svaty said during a campaign stop Wednesday in Kansas City, Kansas. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
He received applause when he said the government has to rededicate itself to children, including needy and disabled children.
In answer to a question from audience member Nancy Burns, Wyandotte County register of deeds, about the most important challenges, Svaty said challenges include the length of time it will take the state to pay off its bonded indebtedness.
He also talked about revenue streams, mentioning recent news stories about the possibility of future online sports gaming. He said Kansas should have a tax on any online sales in Kansas.
Unified Government Commissioner Mike Kane asked him about his position on the prevailing wage. The state has blocked the UG’s former prevailing wage ordinance.
“I am a firm believer in local control,” Svaty said. “Let the county set the prevailing wage.”
State Rep. Louis Ruiz, D-31st Dist., asked a question during Josh Svaty’s campaign rally stop Wednesday in Kansas City, Kansas. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
In answer to a question from State Rep. Louis Ruiz, D-31st Dist., Svaty said he was in favor of the state supporting a path forward for children of immigrants.
“We are a state of immigrants,” he said. His platform says that “discrimination masked as policy must be defeated.”
On the question of his budget priorities, and what he would change from the previous administration’s budget, Svaty said he supports reinvesting in higher education again, and said the state also needs a 10-year transportation plan.
Gov. Jeff Colyer signed a bill creating a transportation task force on Wednesday. The budget bill he signed Tuesday still makes transfers from the Kansas Department of Transportation funds to the general fund, but the amount of the transfer has been reduced.
The budget bill that Colyer signed Tuesday restored some funding to higher education and schools, while Colyer vetoed a KanCare provision that would not provide funding if the governor required work requirements.
More details on Svaty’s positions on the issues are at www.joshuasvaty.com/.
State Rep. Tom Burroughs, D-33rd Dist., who introduced Svaty on Wednesday, said, “The people of Kansas recognize we need change.” He said Svaty helped Wyandotte County pass casino legislation in past years in the Legislature.
Svaty has been campaigning for governor for a year, but the campaign seems to be just starting to pick up some interest among residents, who will vote Aug. 7 in the primary.
In the past week, Republican Gov. Colyer, who is running for election, has made at least four appearances in Wyandotte County. Democratic candidates for governor have made appearances at the Wyandotte County Democratic breakfast last month and some are scheduled to speak there this Saturday.
Other Democratic candidates for governor running in the Aug. 7 primary include Carl Brewer, Wichita mayor; Laura Kelly, the Kansas Senate minority whip; Michael Tabman, retired FBI special agent in charge and news commentator; and Dr. Arden Andersen. The filing deadline is noon June 1.
Back in January, Svaty reported the highest campaign contributions among Democrats running for governor, at about $192,000, compared to Sen. Kelly’s $155,000 and Brewer’s $45,000, according to campaign finance records.
A Docking Institute poll in April showed that Kelly had the highest positive support of the persons who knew her, of all the gubernatorial candidates. Republican Kris Kobach had the highest name recognition among all candidates, but his ranking was second lowest on positive support. Svaty had a high positive rating, but lower name recognition than Kelly and Brewer.
Kelly has the support of some prominent Kansans, including former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, former Mayor Carol Marinovich and former state party chairwoman Joan Wagnon.
Leading Republican candidates include Gov. Colyer, Secretary of State Kris Kobach, and Insurance Commissioner Ken Selzer. Then there is independent candidate Greg Orman, who will not appear on the ballot until November, and who has raised more than $400,000, according to campaign finance reports.
An audience of more than 30 attended Wednesday’s campaign stop by Josh Svaty at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
More than 30 people turned out to meet Svaty and his new running mate on Wednesday. Some were supporters, some were there to meet the candidate before making a decision in August. State representatives from Wyandotte County were in attendance, including Rep. Burroughs, Rep. Ruiz, Rep. Stan Frownfelter, and Rep. Pam Curtis, as well as former Rep. Bill Reardon.
Rep. Curtis, D-32nd Dist., said she was glad to see candidates showing an interest in Wyandotte County, and would like to see other candidates hold campaign events here, also.
Svaty and other candidates plan to speak at the Wyandotte County Third District Democratic breakfast at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 19, at Las Islas Marias restaurant, 7516 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. The breakfast, open to Democrats, begins at 8:15 a.m., with the program starting at 9 a.m.
Josh Svaty, a Democratic candidate for governor, talked with Wyandotte County Register of Deeds Nancy Burns after Wednesday’s campaign announcement in Kansas City, Kansas. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)More than 30 people turned out for the Josh Svaty campaign tour announcement Wednesday in the lobby of Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)
