Every time that Rep. Kent Thompson holds up his hand to defend the Kansas Constitution, its import weighs heavily on his conscience.
Mondays swearing-in ceremony to signal the start of the 2019 legislative session will be no different, though serving under a Democratic governor will present new challenges.
Im excited about Monday, but Im going to withhold judgment for the first month, Thompson said about Gov.-elect Laura Kellys agenda. As a Republican, Im going to make the best of it. And the power of positive thinking is a powerful thing.
Thompson is beginning his third term as a state representative.
His assignments this year include chair of the local government committee, as well as serving on the transportation and agricultural committees.
Last year, Thompson served as majority whip, a position he described as all-consuming and was happy to relinquish.
His decision to run for a third term came with some equivocation, he said. It was a tough decision. Serving in the Legislature takes so much time. Its a phenomenal sacrifice on ones family and private business.
THE TENOR of the Legislature has changed, Thompson said, with its leadership being on the extreme side of conservative.
The news that several moderate Republicans have recently defected to the Democratic Party comes as no surprise, he said.
They get tired of the battle against far-right conservatives.
Losing Don Hineman was a hit, he said. Known for his abilities to compromise, the moderate Hineman was replaced as majority leader by Dan Hawkins of Wichita.
Even though the leadership is in the hands of ultra-conservatives and yes, they set the agenda, they wont have enough votes to get anything passed, Thompson predicted.
Thompson describes himself as a conservative who likes to get things done.
We can go in and have gridlock for 90 days, or get things done. I think we have a duty to Kansans to get things done. Im not satisfied sitting still.
Its that determination that will make Thompson an effective legislator especially with the hot-topic matters of education, Medicaid expansion, and the sales tax on food.
EDUCATION
We are very close to solving the education funding issue, he said. The bill passed last year had an inflation adjustment figure in it, but it didnt kick in until 2023. So the Kansas Supreme Court came back and said you are finally adequate, you are finally equitable, but we need to have this inflationary figure kick in this year.
