SALINA, Kan. (AP) Kris Kobachs top Republican rivals are trying to sound the right notes on illegal immigration to appeal to business and agriculture leaders without conceding too many conservative votes to a hardliner whos made tougher state policies a key theme in an increasingly contentious race.
Kobach, the Kansas secretary of state, is trying to unseat Gov. Jeff Colyer in the states Aug. 7 primary. He argued during a debate Saturday that Kansas is too lax in dealing with people living in the U.S. illegally, pushing initiatives such as requiring state contractors to verify the status of their workers.
The contest is being fought largely on the political right, and Colyer spent much of the debate attempting to undercut Kobachs conservative credentials, including his opposition to abortion . Colyer and the third major candidate participating in the debate, Insurance Commissioner Ken Selzer, decried illegal immigration and expressed support for President Donald Trump.
