With Election Day less than two weeks away, candidates for state offices made their respective pitches to a group of about 50 Tuesday evening.
Topics ranged from economic policies and abortion to Medicaid expansion or legalizing marijuana. Allen County Farm Bureau sponsored the forum.
Humboldt’s Alana Cloutier, Democrat, and Garnett’s Fred Gardner, Republican, seeking to represent Allen County in the Kansas House of Representatives, received the bulk of the attention because they were the only two opposing candidates attending the forum.
Also appearing were Democratic U.S. House of Representatives candidate Patrick Schmidt; Katie Sawyer, running mate of GOP gubernatorial candidate Derek Schmidt; Secretary of State Scott Schwab, Republican; Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt, Republican, and Libertarian U.S. Senate hopeful David Graham.
Several other candidates sent proxies or letters for moderator Heather Mentzer to read aloud to the audience.
Cloutier v. Gardner
While both Cloutier and Gardner agreed public tax dollars shouldn’t be used to fund private schools, an idea tossed about occasionally and termed as “school choice,” they spoke on opposite sides of the coin when discussing Medicaid expansion, marijuana legalization and abortion.
Cloutier, who favors Medicaid expansion, noted the number of rural Kansas hospitals that have closed in recent years, including one in Bourbon County. Adding Medicaid funding would be a valuable tool for hospitals struggling to stay afloat
Medicaid expansion “is extremely popular,” she said. “We should have done it years ago. We’re losing money,” because Kansas pays into the federal program for the expansion but receives nothing in return.
Gardner disagreed, noting that while 90% of the Medicaid funding comes from the federal government, “it’s not free. We’d have to pay 10%. We also need to realize, the federal government has a pretty good history of starting things and not coming through with the money forever.”
Gardner also spoke out on his opposition to abortion.
“We know as soon as conception occurs there’s been a DNA fingerprint that had never been established before and will never be duplicated again,” Gardner said. “Our constitution clearly says life is protected, and we clearly know when life begins.”
Cloutier, conversely, noted Kansans voted less than three months ago, and affirmed the State Constitution should include the right for Kansans to seek abortions.
“Voters turned out in record numbers” and noted overwhelmingly anti-abortion measures went too far, Cloutier said. “I know Kansas has a long history of this being a contentious issue. I would love to not have this be the thing that stops all progress in Topeka.”
Likewise, Cloutier pointed to polls that show overwhelming support for legalized medical marijuana in Kansas.
“I don’t think we’re ready for recreational use yet,” she cautioned.
Gardner, however, said chemicals in marijuana lead to a host of physical or mental health issues, particularly among young users.
CLOUTIER shared her biography, from growing up in northern California on a sheep farm near Bodega Bay — where they filmed the Alfred Hitchcock classic, “The Birds” — before meeting Kansas native Paul Cloutier in high school.
After marrying, the Cloutiers were Kansas visiting relatives in 2016, when they paid a visit to friends living in Humboldt.
“We were so inspired by that trip, and the idea of returning to a more rural life, that we laid the ground for A Bolder Humboldt, and we haven’t looked back,” she said.
Cloutier vowed to serve as an advocate for rural Kansas, noting the GOP platform does not include the word “rural,” “farm,” “farmer” or “rancher.”
“The Democratic party platform, which I helped write, uses the word ‘farm’ 24 times and ‘rural’ 27 times,” she continued. “It has a whole section about developing strong rural communities and supporting our agricultural industry.
“I see a lot of bipartisan issues that Kansans want, pushed aside in Topeka for issues that play well for fundraising,” Cloutier said. “The Legislature needs to focus on kitchen table issues, not culture war issues.”
GARDNER, who graduated from veterinarian school in 1978 and moved to Garnett with his wife Jackie in 1984, spoke glowingly of the relationships his family has forged. Now that he has sold his vet business, he’s ready to represent Kansans in Topeka.
“There are a few things that motivated me to do that,” Gardner said. “I’d like to leave a governing system behind so my grandchildren can enjoy the same opportunities Jackie and I enjoyed in Garnett.
“I’m very much a believer in a limited constitutional form of government,” he continued. “One thing that motivates me is the amount of growth in state government. … That’s not sustainable, unless you’re willing to pay considerably more taxes.”
In his campaigning, Gardner said “I’ve had zero people ask me to see if I could please raise taxes to provide more services.”
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Patrick Schmidt spoke out repeatedly against his opponent, Republican Jake LaTurner, who was not in attendance.
LaTurner, Schmidt said, “has been viciously attacking Kansas families and Kansas farmers for the past 15 years” through legislation that resulted in higher food taxes, lost Medicaid funding and higher insurance rates.
In addition, Schmidt said LaTurner’s votes to allow such things as earned income tax credit and child tax credits lapse have been devastating to Kansans of all stripes.
Jake Conard, speaking on behalf of LaTurner, said the Congressman has heard from plenty of constituents adversely impacted by inflation rates and high fuel prices, attributed to “failed policies coming out of D.C.
“Republicans are asking for support, not for the sake of having control,” Conard said, “but because we haven’t heard any solutions coming from Democrats.”
Conard said LaTurner ascribes to a “Commitment to America” centered on a strong economy, a nation safe from illegal border crossings, freedom and accountability within the government.”
Schmidt, when questioned on three bills he would support, pointed to ones that would expand the child tax credit, child care access and protect Social Security and Medicare, which, he claimed, are in danger of funding cuts supported by LaTurner.
KANSAS GOVERNOR
Sawyer, as a lieutenant governor candidate running along with Derek Schmidt, said the state should continue to be the number-one advocate for agriculture and work with association groups to bring new markets for farmers.
“Our ag industry is constantly under attack by the Biden administration, crippling drought, record high inflation, input costs and supply chain disruptions,” Sawyer said. “Now more than ever we need a governor and lieutenant governor who support Kansas agriculture, and the lives of those who work in Kansas agriculture.”
Sawyer fielded questions dealing with striking a bipartisan tone in government, bringing immigrants to Kansas and higher education.
Conversations within communities are vital to keeping open lines of dialogue across party lines, Sawyer said.
“We see too many times people try to push problems up to Topeka or D.C.,” Sawyer said. “The government should be the last resort to solving issues.”
IOLA ATTORNEY Jake Knight, speaking on behalf of Gov. Laura Kelly, read a letter the governor penned to the audience.
“Four years ago I ran for governor in order to get our state back on track after the prior administration left our state in a really tough place,” Kelly’s letter read. “Schools were underfunded, roads and bridges were crumbling, and our economy was in freefall. Now, despite all the challenges our country has faced these last few years here in Kansas, we are back on track.”
TIM TARKELLY, speaking on behalf of Libertarian candidate Seth Cordell, said he sees “a lot of government, but not a whole lot of liberty.”
Tarkelly cited a broken criminal justice system and millions of dollars spent on a “war on drugs that we’re losing,” regulations that have stifled business and “big city politicians tightening their grip on rural life.”
“Seth’s plan will allow Kansas farmers to feed Kansans,” Tarkelly said. “We know what’s right for us. … We’ve pumped money into every problem and have yet to learn the lesson that maybe the government can’t fix everything.”
SECRETARY OF STATE
Incumbent Scott Schwab, the only candidate or proxy for the Secretary of State position to appear at Tuesday’s forum, spoke about helping develop a new web portal to streamline efforts for entrepreneurs to do business in Kansas, and replacing an antiquated computer system that had been in place since the 1980s.
“What we’re creating is a business one-stop,” Schwab said. “We just want it to be easier to do business in Kansas. We need to get off of a system we should have been off of 10 years ago.”
As the state’s chief election officer, Schwab rebuffed suggestions Kansas elections were not secure.
“Our election folks do a really good job at administering elections,” Schwab said. “Sometimes they do make mistakes, but we still get the answer right as to who won and who lost.”
Schwab also rejected claims that drop boxes for voters’ ballots can lead to voter fraud.
“What’s that blue thing outside the post office?” Schwab asked. “It’s a drop box.”
Accordingly, drop boxes set up specifically for ballots are equally secure, handled by “two Kansans subject to Kansas law” if malfeasance is suspected.
Schwab said his point of view that Kansas elections are secure may differ from others in the Republican party, but only a handful.
“At the end of the day, we Kansans show we can get it right,” he said.
INSURANCE COMMISSIONER
Incumbent Vicki Schmidt, the only candidate for insurance commissioner to appear at Tuesday’s get-together, has a background as a pharmacist, which led to her interest in insurance issues, “and how complicated they are.”
An insurance commissioner represents agents, agencies, companies “and certainly consumers,” Schmidt noted.
She recalled reading a recent social media post about a fundraiser for a family raising money to pay for a daughter’s cochlear implant. Her insurance claim for the procedure was denied because the girl needed only one implant, not two.
Schmidt said she helped get the procedure approved.
She also admonished the audience, with tongue planted firmly in cheek, to not post about their health insurance issues on Facebook.
“I will hunt you down,” she joked.
Schmidt also kept things light when discussing attributes needed for those in public office: namely, honesty and truthfulness.
“When I give you my word, I’m going to keep it,” she said. “I really love my job. You need to be able to trust me.”
“I feel like I just ran for Miss America,” she joked.
DAVID GRAHAM, the only candidate to appear for Jerry Moran’s U.S. Senate seat, warned about the dangers of the growing size and scope of the U.S. government.
“Unless we start seriously reducing size and some of the national government, it’s going to collapse,” he said. “We can’t keep giving money to foreign countries, when we have problems here. Who’s gonna pay for this?”
The nation also is in dire need of criminal justice reform, exacerbated by “the prison industrial complex,” he said.
“We need to end the drug war” for those who peacefully imbibe, Graham continued, which wastes millions of dollars.
“We need to focus on catching violent criminals,” Graham said.
Thirdly, the nation needs a smarter national defense. To wit, he pointed to the use of polygraph tests for military personnel to get security clearances.
Private companies have been banned from using polygraphs since the 1980s. The government should follow suit, Graham said.
“I know it’s kind of daunting voting for an independent libertarian,” he concluded. “Most of you are thinking, I have to vote for the lesser of two evils. … If we don’t change who we send to Washington, we get the same product.”
In response to a question, Graham said he favors more funding for law enforcement, provided it remains a local function.
Graham also touched on microchip production and plans to help Kansas farmers.
While microchip production is valuable, the best solution is for the government to incentivize private industry to handle it.
Likewise, farmers could better handle input costs without federal interference, Graham said.
“The best thing to do is to get the government out of the way of farmers.”
ROB FILLIAN is not a candidate for elective office, but was tapped to speak on behalf of two Republicans who were, attorney general hopeful Kris Kobach and Steven Johnson, candidate for state treasurer.
Kobach, Fillian said, is the only candidate “with the will and the skill” to defend Kansas laws from what he claims are outreach from the Biden administration.
Likewise, Johnson helped preserve the state pension system when he was a state legislator, and is skilled and dedicated “to do what’s in the best interest of our Kansas values,” Fillian said.
State Treasurer Lynn Rogers, Democrat incumbent, wrote a letter to the audience read aloud by forum moderator Heather Mentzer.
Rogers cited his experience as an ag banker who has worked to modernize the treasurer’s office software since taking office.
Rogers vowed to continue using his “skills to run the treasurer’s office, taking extra care to support real communities.”
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