In some of the state’s high-profile campaigns, there are clear-cut differences in the candidates running for office Nov. 4.
Governor, U.S. senator, and U.S. representative, 3rd District, have Republican incumbent candidates with campaign finance ties to conservative funders, while those challenging them generally take a more moderate position on the issues. The U.S. Senate race has been spotlighted nationally as being an important one in the struggle between Republicans and Democrats to control the Senate.
All polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Any advance ballots that were mailed out are due in the election office at 850 State Ave. before 7 p.m. Nov. 4.
Following is a list of the candidates who are running for office, along with additional information from the candidates:
U.S. Senate
Sen. Pat Roberts
U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, who lists his home as Dodge City, is the Republican incumbent.
Sen. Roberts stated he supports less government, lower taxes, and less spending. He has taken conservative positions on several issues, stating that he was in favor of repealing the Obama health care plan. He defeated conservative candidate Milton Wolf in the primary.
Sen. Roberts, 78, a native of Topeka, was elected in 1996 through 2014 to the U.S. Senate, and previously, served 16 years in the U.S. House representing the 1st District. He and his wife have three adult children.
He is a graduate of Holton (Kan.) High School and Kansas State University. He served as a captain in the U.S. Marine Corps.
“Whether it’s working to bring new jobs and opportunities to the state, like the animal health care corridor, the National Bio- and Agro Defense Facility or new missions to our military bases, I believe that I have made a difference for the people of Kansas as your U.S. Senator. I will continue to fight for lower taxes, less government spending and less regulation,” he stated.
Roberts is a former chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. He also is a former chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Ethics. His current committees include Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; Ethics; Finance; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; and Rules and Administration.
In recent years, Sen. Roberts fought against an effort to move Guantanamo detainees to Fort Leavenworth, and supported a bill to prevent the IRS from targeting groups based on political beliefs. According to his campaign information, he supports more secure borders.
“A vote for me is a vote for a Republican majority in the Senate, and a vote for Greg Orman is a vote for the Obama-Reid agenda,” Sen. Roberts stated. “Our economic and personal freedoms are under attack. President Obama’s legacy, Obamacare, wrecks our economy and causes hardship for families and businesses. Harry Reid and his liberal majority block reforms and conservative legislation.”
Greg Orman
Greg Orman is an independent from Olathe running for U.S. Senate.
Orman, in a campaign statement, said he was concerned about a “broken political system” in Washington, D.C., and he would work to find “common-sense common ground” in Congress.
“We know our political system is fundamentally broken, and yet we continue to send the worst of both parties to Washington,” Orman said in a campaign statement. “I will serve Kansas as a problem solver, not a partisan. I will embrace the best ideas, regardless of which party came up with them, to move our country forward.”
Orman, 45, is a native of Minnesota who grew up in both Minnesota and Kansas. He is a graduate of a Minnesota high school and Princeton University, where he received a degree in economics. He worked for the Bush presidential campaign in 1988. He has not been affiliated with a party for the past four years; however, he filed for the Democratic nomination for Senate in 2008.
As a well-to-do businessman, he has invested in several companies, and is a co-founder of Denali Partners, a private equity firm.
He supports addressing the deficit, simplifying the tax code by eliminating loopholes, and getting spending under control. He supports changing incentives to health care providers that would reward quality of care, and making sure the government is prudent in its own health care spending.
He favors securing the borders, implementing fines or community service for undocumented workers, followed by the opportunity to get in line to apply for citizenship.
He stated he would work with other independent senators to caucus with the party “that is most willing to face our country’s difficult problems head on and advance our problem-solving, nonpartisan agenda.” If one party is clearly is in the majority, he would attempt to caucus with it, he added.
Orman’s wife, Sybil, is working on her education doctorate at the University of Kansas, after teaching four years in the Turner School District.
Randall Batson
Randall Batson, a Libertarian from Wichita, is running for the Senate.
According to his campaign information, Batson supports repealing the amendment to the U.S. Constitution that allows the federal government to levy an income tax. He supports a national sales tax that replaces most other federal taxes. He also supports funding highways by lottery sales taxes, and would consider private ownership of highways.
Batson is a U.S. Navy veteran who has worked in the aviation field as well as in the biopharmaceutical industry. He is currently a quality assurance inspector at a manufacturing facility.
According to his campaign information, he supports bringing troops home from foreign lands.
He also supports eliminating the U.S. Department of Education, and allowing private schools to be funded. He also is in favor of the right to own firearms.
U.S. Representative, 3rd District
Kelly Kultala
Kelly Kultala, a Democrat from the Piper area of Kansas City, Kan., is running for U.S. representative, 3rd District.
Kultala, 56, stated she was running to “reset the priorities in Washington, D.C. As a wife, a mom, a grandma and a fifth- generation Kansan, I’ve seen first-hand the results of what the current mess in Washington, D.C., means to us back here in Kansas. Watching the politicians in Washington, D.C., play partisan games reminds me a lot of watching my girls fight over their Barbies growng up. There’s a lot of name calling and finger pointing, but nothing gets accomplished.
“Several years ago my husband was facing some serious medical challenges. As the treatment for those challenges mounted our finances stretched to near their breaking point. I spent countless hours on the phone with insurance agencies ensuring that they continued to cover him. Ultimately we were lucky and he recovered, we made it through and are now even closer as a family. But as his struggles stretched on we faced financial ruin, it brought us to the brink of bankruptcy. In our journey I saw how close middle class families are to one bad break putting their finances in jeopardy. No family should ever have to face the kind of financial ruin we narrowly avoided because someone gets sick.”
Kultala stated she was in favor of access to quality education for all children; that seniors should have access to the healthcare they were promised; that women deserve an equal day’s pay; and that no family should ever have to stare bankruptcy in the face because a family member got sick.
“I’m running because I know that we can change Washington’s priorities but that if we do not change the players we will not change the game,” Kultala said.
Kultala is a former state senator, a former Unified Government commissioner and a former Piper School Board member. She also was a lieutenant governor candidate in 2010. A consultant, Kultala has experience working in the nonprofit philanthropy field.
She has a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Kansas, Lawrence.
She is married and has three children.
U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder
Incumbent Rep. Kevin Yoder, a Republican from Overland Park, is seeking re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives, 3rd District.
He serves on the House Appropriations Committee; subcommittee on Financial Services and general Government; Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs; and Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies. He is the vice chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture.
According to his campaign information, he has made efforts to balance the federal budget, reduce the national debt and support policies that stimulate private sector job growth. He introduced a bill to eliminate pensions for Congress members and to cut pay for members of Congress. He also sponsored an Email Privacy Act to keep emails private.
He received the 2012 Consensus Civility Award from Consensus, an organization that promotes civility in public affairs.
Rep. Yoder, 38, began serving as U.S. representative in 2011. A fifth-generation Kansan, he grew up on a farm in Yoder, Kan., a small community outside Hutchinson, Kan.
He graduated from Hutchinson, Kan., High School. He attended the University of Kansas, Lawrence, where he received a bachelor’s degree in English and political science, and a law degree. He was the student president at KU.
An attorney, he served as a state representative from 2003 to 2011, representing Leawood and Overland Park in Johnson County. He was in private practice with an Olathe law firm before his election to the U.S. House.
In the 2010 election, Yoder defeated Stephene Moore, a Democrat whose spouse, incumbent Rep. Dennis Moore, did not seek re-election.
Yoder is married and has one child.
Governor-lieutenant governor
Paul Davis-Jill Docking
Paul Davis, Lawrence, and Jill Docking, Wichita, are the Democratic candidates for governor and lieutenant governor.
Davis, 42, is a lawyer who served as Kansas House Democratic Leader since 2008. Davis has served in the Legislature since 2003. He represented the 46th District, including the Lawrence area, in the Kansas House.
“We’re a state with deep traditions and unique values. As Kansans, we believe we have a moral obligation to educate our children, reward hard work, build a strong middle class, and cooperate with one another,” Davis said.
In his campaign, he cited cuts to public education as one of his main issues.
“Like so many of you, I’m profoundly troubled by the direction our state’s been heading over the past three years,” Davis said. “Education funding gets cut and our state’s commitment to our kids and schools slips away.”
Davis said is also concerned that higher property and sales taxes – as well as skyrocketing utility rates – are placing a heavy, unfair burden on Kansas workers, families, and seniors.
A graduate of Lawrence (Kan.) High School, he has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas in political science, and also a law degree from Washburn University.
He is an attorney and partner with Fagan Emert and Davis.
Davis has previously worked for the Kansas insurance commissioner’s office.
Davis and his wife have one child.
Jill Docking, Wichita, who has worked in the financial services industry, founded the Financial Fitness Foundation in 1999. It is a not-for-profit that teaches financial literacy to school children.
Docking serves on the board of the University of Kansas Endowment, as well as several other boards. She was appointed to the Kansas Board of Regents in 2007 and served as chair of the board.
She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from KU and a Master of Business Administration degree.
Gov. Sam Brownback – Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer
Incumbent Gov. Sam Brownback, a Republican from Topeka, Kan., is a candidate for re-election.
His running mate is Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer, a Republican from Overland Park.
Brownback served in the U.S. Senate representing Kansas for two terms, from 1996 through 2010. He served on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee and on the Homeland Security Subcommittee.
In 2010 he was elected governor, and in the past four years he has initiated a program that cut income taxes. His goal is to grow the Kansas economy, and the goal is 25,000 new jobs per year, according to his campaign information.
When his Democratic opponent filed for office, Brownback stated: “Kansans will recognize the sharp contrast between my policies as a Reagan Republican, reducing taxes and increasing family income, and those of a liberal Democrat who supports increased taxes and federal intrusion including support for Obamacare. Kansas is building on its heritage and leading the way to economic prosperity and opportunity.”
Brownback has drawn much support from conservative groups in Kansas.
In a recent appearance in Kansas City, Kan., Brownback announced a plan to create an Urban Opportunity Zone initiative to help struggling portions of the Kansas metropolitan areas. The goal is for the new program to help create new economic develop opportunities through incentives for residents to start small businesses.
Brownback’s campaign material stated he is “focused on getting the state’s economy growing again and creating jobs through streamlined regulations, controlled spending and lower taxes.”
A native of Parker, Kan., Brownback grew up on a pig farm. He graduated from Prairie View High School and Kansas State University, where he majored in agricultural economics. He attended the University of Kansas School of Law, where he was the student president, and received a law degree in 1982.
He was appointed Kansas agriculture secretary in 1986.
Brownback is married and has five children.
Lt. Gov. Colyer, a medical doctor, is from Hays, Kan., and currently lives in Overland Park.
Colyer has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Georgetown University, a master’s degree in international relations from Cambridge University, and a medical doctorate from the University of Kansas School of Medicine.
He and his wife have three daughters.
Keen Umbehr – Joshua Umbehr
Keen Umbehr, from Alma, Kan., is the Libertarian Party candidate for governor, and Dr. Joshua Umbehr of Wichita is the lieutenant governor nominee.
Keen Umbehr, in his campaign literature, stated he would take the fight for government transparency and accountability to the governor’s office.
He was the owner-operator of a trash hauling company in Wabaunsee County when he challenged a county decision to terminate his trash contract. His challenge went to the U.S. Supreme Court, where it was found that not just government employees, but also government contractors, have whistleblower protection.
After winning his case, he sold his trash hauling business and went back to college at Kansas State University, at age 40, to finish his bachelor’s degree. He then went to law school at Washburn University, where he graduated in 2005.
Umbehr, in his campaign literature, described himself as a conservative Libertarian and a strict constitutionalist. Umbehr is pro-life, a gun advocate, and supports state’s rights.
He supports changing the tax system, repealing income and state sales tax, while placing a 5.7 percent consumption tax on all goods and services.
He also supports state and federal aid following the student and not the building. He would defund the common core as he opposes federalization of the curriculum.
He stated he believes program cuts and staffing levels in everything except elementary and secondary schools will have to be considered starting next January, because Kansas revenue is less than expenditures.
While the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes is not part of his platform, he stated he does support a bill that would legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes with a doctor’s prescription.
Secretary of State
Secretary of State Kris Kobach
Incumbent Republican Secretary of State Kris Kobach, a resident of the Piper neighborhood of Kansas City, Kan., is running for re-election.
Kobach, 48, who lives in the Piper area of Kansas City, Kan., is well known nationally for crafting laws to stop illegal immigration.
As Kansas secretary of state, he has drafted and supported a law which requires voter identification at the polls and proof of citizenship for new voter registrants.
He described himself as a constitutional conservative; he supports Second Amendment gun rights, and states’ rights.
Kobach, who grew up in Topeka, Kan., was a professor of constitutional law before becoming secretary of state. He is the co-author of the Arizona illegal immigration law and also has worked on other states’ immigration laws. He worked in the office of U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft in 2001 in the Bush administration, and his work included advice on immigration law.
A native of Madison, Wis., Kobach graduated from Washburn Rural High School in Topeka and attended Harvard University for his bachelor’s degree, the University of Oxford for his master’s and doctorate, and Yale University for his law degree. He has taught constitutional law at the University of Missouri at Kansas City.
He and his wife have four children.
Jean Kurtis Schodorf
Jean Kurtis Schodorf, Wichita, is the Democratic nominee for Kansas secretary of state.
Schodorf, 64, served from 2001 to 2013 as a Kansas state senator. She is a former Wichita School Board member, serving from 1989 to 2000. She was president of the school board three years.
Her reasons for running:
“I am running for Kansas secretary of state because the office has shifted from a position of responsible, impartial and ethical leadership to one that is dominated by personal agendas,” Schodorf said. “I will work full time restoring integrity and common sense back to the office. The Kansas taxpayers deserve a secretary of state that is working for them, not a personal agenda. My record is defined by three values: security, leadership and fiscal responsibility. I will bring these traits back to the office of the Kansas secretary of state and work full time, in Kansas, for Kansas.”
What she would change if elected:
“During my time as a state senator, I voted for the S.A.F.E. Act because securing our elections is a top priority. However, the poor implementation of the S.A.F.E. Act has done nothing to secure our elections, it has only suppressed our freedoms,” she said. “I want to make Kansas elections truly secure and fair for all of us. I recognized very early in my campaign that the office of the secretary of state was in shambles, including the business division. In response, I developed a plan to protect Kansas business and voters. When elected, I will provide the leadership needed to implement S.A.F.E. Act consistently across the state to make it easy to vote, but hard to cheat, and I will go above and beyond to provide the resources and customer service businesses need to bring jobs to Kansas.”
A speech language pathologist, Schodorf has a bachelor’s degree in communicative disorders from the University of New Mexico; a master’s in communicative disorders from the University of New Mexico, a doctorate in communicative disorders from Wichita State University, and has done post-doctoral work in educational administration at Wichita State University.
Attorney general
A.J. Kotich
A.J. Kotich, Topeka, is the Democratic candidate for Kansas attorney general.
Kotich is a former Marine Corps Judge Advocate General officer and former state of Kansas chief attorney for three departments.
Kotich, a Washburn University Law School graduate, served the state of Kansas for more than 30 years as a chief attorney and administrator.
Kotich served under seven governors and 13 different cabinet secretaries. Kotich also worked as a special assistant attorney general under each of the former Kansas attorneys general beginning with Attorney General Bob Stephan.
During the campaign, Kotich said that spending was out of control in the attorney general’s office.
“I am convinced now more than ever that Kansans need an attorney general who won’t be missing in action while advancing a political career during the next four years,” Kotich said.
While Kotich said the primary issue of the campaign will focus on efficiency and operations within the attorney general’s office, and he said he would also work to protect Kansans, veterans, and senior citizens from fraud and discrimination.
“Kansans need to feel that their attorney general is working for them and not just special interests,” Kotich said. “All Kansans will be represented should I be elected attorney general.”
Kotich has been married to his wife Linda Ybarra-Kotich for 41 years. Ybarra-Kotich is an inductee of the Kansas Teacher’s Hall of Fame and currently serves as technical adviser for the Kansas Hispanic and Latino American Affairs Commission. They have five grown children and five grandchildren.
Kotich has coached both boys and girls basketball and baseball teams.
Kotich currently works as a private practice attorney and has served for many years as an adjunct instructor at local universities.
Attorney General Derek Schmidt
Incumbent Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, a Republican, is running for re-election.
Schmidt, 46, from Independence, Kan., was elected attorney general in 2010. Previously, he served 10 years in the Kansas Senate representing a district in southeast Kansas, including six years as Senate majority leader.
“We have built a record of professional results at the Kansas attorney general’s office these past four years, and I would like to continue building upon that,” Schmidt stated. “In particular, there are several projects I would like to see through to completion including: Construction of the new KBI crime laboratory in Topeka, implementation of the new anti-human trafficking laws, and continued vigorous enforcement of Kansas consumer protection laws.”
He said he plans to remain focused on the same priorities as the past four years. These including providing leadership for public safety, recovering money for Kansas consumers and taxpayers, and pushing back against overreaching federal actions that exceed the authority of the law.
Schmidt’s law degree is from Georgetown University; his master’s degree is from the University of Leicester; and his bachelor’s degree is from the University of Kansas.
State Treasurer
Carmen Alldritt
Carmen Alldritt, Topeka, is the Democratic candidate for state treasurer.
She is the former state director of vehicles, appointed by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to manage the statewide operation of driver’s licensing, titles and registration, motor carriers and other vehicle-related programs, for seven years.
Alldritt, 63, stated, “I’ve been a public servant for 28 years and have a unique understanding of life in both rural counties and urban areas. I believe in good, efficient government that is responsive to the people. It’s time to replace partisan politicians with moderate, fiscally responsible leaders who will do what’s best for Kansas families.”
Alldritt’s reasons for running: “My priorities include: Prudent management of taxpayer dollars; Promoting financial literacy to both students and adults; Expanding the college savings program; Restoring the integrity to the Kansas Public Employee Retirement System.”
Alldritt, who attended the University of Kansas, was elected five times to the Harper City Council, serving 20 years; and was appointed by Gov. Mike Hayden to Harper County Treasurer, elected in 1990, serving a total of 15 years.
“Up until this year the county treasurers remitted the 20 mills local tax dollars directly to their school districts,” Alldritt said. “The law changed and now the county sends those funds to the state and the state sends the 20 mills to the school districts. I’m concerned the state will not honor its commitment and return each and every dollar to each and every school district. I pledge to work hard to rescind current law and allow the 20 mills to be remitted by their county treasurer directly to their school districts.”
Besides her government work, Alldritt has served as a volunteer firefighter and a 4-H shooting sports instructor.
State Treasurer Ron Estes
Incumbent State Treasurer Ron Estes, a Republican from Wichita, is running for re-election.
A native of Topeka, Estes, 58, previously was the Sedgwick County treasurer for two terms. He became state treasurer in 2011.
Estes proposed a bill that passed that prevents elected officials from appearing in ads or public service announcements paid with state tax dollars for 60 days before the election.
According to his campaign information, he has upgraded the use of technology in some of the office’s departments to reduce time and resources.
Before becoming a county treasurer, Estes worked in consulting and management for the aerospace, oil and gas, automotive and other manufacturing industries. He has implemented computer systems to improve efficiency.
Estes has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s degree in business administration from Tennessee Technological University.
He was elected the Midwest regional vice president for the National Association of State Treasurers in 2011-2012.
Estes has served as a vice chairman of the Kansas Republican Party.
He and his wife have three children.
Commissioner of Insurance
Dennis Anderson
Dennis Anderson, Overland Park, is the Democratic nominee for Kansas commissioner of insurance.
He is an executive of A.D. Banker, an Overland Park company founded by his family that provides training for insurance agents.
Incumbent Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger, a Republican, is retiring after three terms and has endorsed Anderson.
From Harlan, Kan., Anderson attended Smith Center (Kan.) High School, and then graduated from Kansas State University in 1979 with a degree in agricultural economics.
According to his campaign information, Anderson supports expanding Medicaid to cover 80,000 more Kansans and 6,700 veterans. He stated that his goal would be to make sure as many persons as possible have access to insurance.
He also opposes the multistate Health Care Compact. The measure was passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Brownback this year. Anderson stated this move would endanger Medicare benefits for more than 400,000 Kansas senior citizens and may make it more difficult to find a doctor.
He also stated he would be a watchdog for consumers and that he would keep special interests out of the office.
Ken Selzer
Ken Selzer, Leawood, is the Republican nominee for Kansas commissioner of insurance.
Selzer, 61, is a certified public accountant who is executive managing director of Aon Benfield.
He said he had experience in many lines of insurance, which will be beneficial to Kansans.
“We will bring good business practices to this important state insurance department,” Selzer said. “We will look for ways to improve responsiveness to consumers and the industry, to be more productive, more innovative, and more efficient. We will work to make Kansas a place where insurance companies want to compete for the hard earned dollars of Kansas residents. This greater competition will benefit consumers by lowering prices and improving coverages compared to what they otherwise would be.”
Selzer served as a Fairway City Councilmember from 1986 to 1988. He has served as vice chair of the educational foundation of the Kansas Society of CPAs.
He has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Kansas State University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Southern California.
To view another story about how Anderson and Selzer differ on the issues, visit https://wyandotteonline.com/candidates-battling-for-insurance-post-differ-on-big-issues/.
State representative, 31st District
Rep. Louis Ruiz
State Rep. Louis E. Ruiz, Democratic incumbent from Kansas City, Kan., is unopposed in the general election.
State representative, 32nd District
Rep. Pam Curtis
State Rep. Pam Curtis, Democrat incumbent from Kansas City, Kan., is unopposed in the general election.
State representative, 33rd District
Sue Adams
Sue Adams, Edwardsville, is the Republican nominee for state representative, 33rd District.
According to her campaign information, she favors lower taxes; local control of education; and a pro-growth business environment.
Adams is pro-life and a Second Amendment gun rights supporter.
Adams co-owns and operates a durable medical equipment company in Overland Park.
“I believe strongly that in order for Kansas to continue to grow and for Kansans to enjoy a good quality of life there must be a commitment to individual freedom and a free market,” she said in her campaign literature. “When people are not encumbered by intrusive regulations and an over reaching government the sky is the limit. People solve problems and create opportunities much better than governments do.”
She and her husband have two adult children and seven grandchildren.
Rep. Tom Burroughs
Incumbent State Rep. Tom Burroughs, D-33rd Dist., was first elected to the Kansas House in 1997.
The assistant minority leader for the Kansas House Democratic caucus, Burroughs also is the ranking minority member of the General Government Budget committee. He is a member of the Insurance, Financial Institutions, Joint Committee on State-Tribal Relations, Legislative Post-Audit, and Legislative Budget committees. He also is a member of the Special Committee on KAN-ED Study Commission.
Burroughs, 59, who is retired from Colgate-Palmolive, is a fifth-generation Kansan. He is a 1972 graduate of Washington High School, has an associate of arts from Kansas City Kansas Community College, and continued his studies at the University of Kansas and Friends University.
His reasons for running: “The constituents of the 33rd District have strongly supported me as their representative,” he said. “Many community and elected leaders have endorsed my candidacy for another term. I am honored and humbled by their endorsements and support. My legislative experience and successes in advocating for our community have created continued economic growth in the 33rd District and greater community. As the assistant leader of the Democratic Caucus I have developed the reputation to work in a bi-partisan manner, build coalitions and support sound fiscal policy. I stand ready to continue to advocate for our community, schools and jobs.”
If elected, he would change priorities that are set within the budget.
“In my many years of service I have never witnessed the disrespect for public education, teachers, state-employees, local government and working families by an administration,” Burroughs stated. “We are all Kansans and deserve to have equal opportunity to achieve individual success. Our children deserve qualified teachers and smaller classrooms, local leaders should be able to retain local control, State employees should be free from political influence/pressure, and working families should have a government that values and respects their hard work. The present budget does not reflect these Kansas values. Our fiscal and tax policies have put our state at great risk. Our bond rating has twice been downgraded, raising the cost of doing business. Our most vulnerable are underserved and our rural communities continue to lose population. We must restore common sense to the budget process that respects all Kansans and reflects sound fiscal policies. Kansans deserve better! I stand ready to do my part.”
Burroughs and his wife have three children.
State representative, 34th District
Rep. Val Winn
State Rep. Valdenia C. Winn, Democratic incumbent, from Kansas City, Kan., is running for re-election. She has no opposition.
State representative, 35th District
Rep. Broderick Henderson
State Rep. Broderick Henderson, Democratic incumbent from Kansas City, Kan., is running for re-election. He has no opposition.
State representative, 36th District
Jeff Caldwell
Jeff Caldwell, Kansas City, Kan., is the Libertarian candidate for state representative, 36th District.
Caldwell has served as the coordinator for the Third District Libertarian Party of Kansas. He previously ran for office in 2010 for state representative in Overland Park, and in 2012 for the 36th District in Kansas City, Kan.
According to his campaign information, he supports less corporate control within the state, less government and more personal freedom.
Caldwell attended St. Thomas More Elementary School, Kansas City, Mo., and Rockhurst High School, Kansas City, Mo.
Earl Freeman, Republican
Earl Freeman is the Republican nominee for state representative, 36th District.
A developer from Kansas City, Kan., Freeman’s projects include Freeman Farms Homes subdivision in Piper.
Freeman, 71, stated that his reason for running was “out of control taxes on property and to reduce the size of government and spending and regulations.”
“If elected I would try to reopen The Woodlands with slots to provide jobs and property tax help, and vote against any increases in government and taxes on our citizens,” Freeman stated.
He ran four years ago, in 2010, for the same position, the 36th District, and received 42 percent of the vote. He added he learned a lot and is running harder this time.
In his spare time, Freeman flies crippled and burnt children to Shriners hospitals in St. Louis, Chicago, Cincinnati and Galveston. He has made 150 charity flights. He is a Shriner and a pilot. Freeman said he is a former Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association member and is a member of the National Rifle Association.
Rep. Kathy Wolfe Moore
Incumbent State Rep. Kathy Wolfe Moore, D-36th Dist., is running for re-election.
“The reason I am running is simple: as a mother, a resident and an involved citizen, I care deeply about continuing the progress we have already achieved in Wyandotte County,” Rep. Wolfe Moore stated. “I am not interested in a political career, I just want to serve the community I love.
“Wyandotte County has always been my home and my family’s home and I want to help our community continue to move forward in a positive manner,” she said.
If elected, Rep. Wolfe Moore stated she would continue to work on state policies to reduce the property tax burden on citizens. She also would support efforts to restore funding for schools.
“Children won’t be able to compete in today’s economy without a strong educational foundation and businesses won’t look to expand without a qualified workforce,” she stated.
A Kansas City, Kan., resident, the 57-year-old has been the business director of the University of Kansas Hospital since 2005. From 1995 to 2005, she was the chief of staff to former Mayor Carol Marinovich.
Rep. Wolfe Moore is a board member of the Wyandotte County Economic Development Council, a board member of the Wyandot Center, state director of Women in Government and on the Kansas Advisory Committee on Aging.
She was first elected state representative in 2010 and re-elected in 2012.
A lifelong resident of Wyandotte County, she and her husband have three children. She has an associate degree from the community college, a bachelor’s degree in social welfare from the University of Kansas, and a Master of Social Work from KU.
State representative, 37th District
Rep. Stan Frownfelter
Incumbent State Rep. Stan S. Frownfelter, Democrat from Kansas City, Kan., is running for re-election to the 37th District. He has no opposition.
29th District Court Judges
None of the candidates for Wyandotte County District Court judge have opposition in this election.
Division 3
Delia Maria York
Division 4
William P. Mahoney
Division 5
J. Dexter Burdette
Division 6
Kate Lynch
Division 10
Bill Klapper
Division 11
Timothy L. Dupree
Division 12
Wesley K. Griffin
Division 15
Aaron T. Roberts
Member, State Board of Education, 1st District
Nancy Klemp
Nancy Klemp, Leavenworth, is the Republican nominee for Kansas Board of Education, 1st District.
Her reason for running: “I believe I can offer a fresh outlook on the Kansas Board of Education concerning ways to save money and put this money back in the classroom,” she stated. “I have experience in the classroom as a teacher, as a business owner, as a national board member, as a parent, taxpayer, home owner, community volunteer sponsoring numerous sports teams as well as supporting my city with the volunteer work I do for the museum. I believe I am the best qualified candidate.”
Klemp is a retired high school biology teacher with 17 years service. She was a business owner 30 years. She has a bachelor’s degree in science and a master’s degree in education.
If elected, she said she would like to see educational standards reevaluated, and she favors more local control.
“Kansas schools are good but we need more fiscal responsibility for the state for the local districts,” she stated. “The Kansas educational standards need to be carefully reevaluated. I would work for Kansas to #1 in the nation academically. Local control is paramount and I would work to retain the control we have now but include other areas the districts have concern with. Our districts and state need to work together as a team and we will be the winners.”
Klemp has served on the Leavenworth Board of Education for five years, and president of the board for two years. She also served as a member of the Leavenworth Area Retired School Personnel Association, a volunteer gift shop manager with the C.W. Parker Carousel Museum, and the Leavenworth Ladies Republican Association.
She is married to Louis Klemp, who is a former pilot and a former Leavenworth County commissioner who ran for the Kansas House and Senate previously on a conservative platform. They have three adult children.
State Board of Education Member Janet Waugh
Janet Waugh, Democratic incumbent, is running for re-election to the Kansas Board of Education, 1st District.
Waugh, from Kansas City, Kan., is retired. She has served on the state Board of Education since 1998.
Waugh was elected to the Turner Board of Education and served from 1983 to 1999.
“I’m a strong advocate of providing our students with the best education possible,” Waugh stated. “My commitment is to make sure all students graduate from high school college and career-ready and prepared to be contributing citizens. In order to do this we must make sure our students are educated at high levels in all grades so they are prepared for their next steps. I’ve been involved in school and youth activities for over 40 years and am completing my fourth term on the State Board. As a member of the State Board, I served as chairman for four years and vice chair for two. Prior to this I served 15 1/2 years on the Turner Board of Education, eight of those as president. I believe my background and experience will allow me to continue being a contributing member of the board.”
Waugh stated that the state Board of Education needs to continue its focus on making sure standards are established at high levels and meet the needs and challenges of the current students.
“In addition we need to constantly review and make needed changes to teacher and administrator licensure to remove barriers while still retaining high quality,” Waugh stated. “We must make sure all programs we are responsible for are consistently reviewed and revised to make sure they are what is needed, not only for today’s society but for the future.”
To view another story about the candidates for the state Board of Education, visit https://wyandotteonline.com/candidates-seek-state-school-board/.
Judicial retention questions
Judges for the Kansas Supreme Court and Kansas Court of Appeals face “yes or no” judicial retention questions.
Kansas Supreme Court
Eric S. Rosen, Topeka, Position 4
Lee Johnson, Caldwell, Position 6
Kansas Court of Appeals
Stephen D. Hill, Topeka, Position 1
Patrick D. McAnany, Overland Park Position 4
Kim R. Schroeder, Hugoton, Position 5
Henry W. Green Jr., Leavenworth, Position 7
Anthony J. Powell, Wichita, Position 10
Tom Malone, Wichita, Position 11
Michael B. Buser, Overland Park, Position 12
Melissa Taylor Standridge, Leawood, Position 13
Constitutional amendment question:
The Kansas constitution currently prohibits the operation of lotteries except for specifically authorized lotteries. A raffle is a lottery and is illegal under current law. A “yes” vote for the proposition would permit the Kansas Legislature to authorize charitable raffles operated or conducted by religious, charitable, fraternal, educational and veterans nonprofit organizations subject to certain limitations. Electronic gaming machines or vending machines would not be allowed. Nonprofit organizations would be prohibited from contracting with a professional lottery vendor to manage, operate or conduct a charitable raffle. The raffles would be licensed and regulated by the Kansas Department of Revenue, office of charitable gaming. A “no” vote against the proposition would continue the current prohibition against all raffles.
Link to sample ballot:
http://wycokck.org/uploadedFiles/Departments/Election_Office/Election_-_Documents/Sample%20Ballot_General_%202014.pdf