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Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Second Johnson County lawmaker enters Democratic primary for Kansas governor
A second Johnson County Democratic lawmaker has taken the plunge and announced a bid to become the next governor of Kansas. State Sen. Ethan Corson of Fairway joined Overland Park Sen. Cindy Holscher in the primary field, launching his campaign in an official statement Tuesday. 'I'm a lifelong Kansan, a dad with young kids, and a proud product of our public schools,' said Corson, 43. 'I'm running for governor to create opportunity for the next generation of Kansans, so they can build a life here.' In short, he said, that means making sure Kansas has both the best schools in America and the most affordable housing options. In a separate news release Tuesday morning, Lt. Gov. David Toland — long rumored to harbor gubernatorial aspirations — announced that he would not seek the job, choosing instead to focus on economic development work in his other role as commerce secretary. Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat who can't run again due to term limits, appeared to throw her weight behind Corson's candidacy in a post to X that stopped just short of an explicit endorsement. 'When I think about the type of leader Kansas will need to keep us on the path to prosperity — it's someone laser focused on the issues Kansans really care about,' Kelly said. 'Someone who understands how to bring people together to get good things done for Kansas. That's exactly who Ethan Corson is.' Holscher also welcomed him to the race. 'The more the merrier! Kansans deserve to hear from all the candidates,' Holscher said in a campaign statement. 'I'm confident that voters will learn I'm the best choice in this race, because I've proven I know how to fight, win, and move Kansas forward.' Besides Corson and Holscher, the only other Democrat who has filed to run is Marty Tuley, a Lawrence personal fitness trainer. Deep Johnson County field With Corson's entrance into the race, half of the 12 candidates vying to succeed Kelly live in Johnson County. On the Republican side, former Gov. Jeff Colyer, Secretary of State Scott Schwab, former County Commissioner Charlotte O'Hara and conservative podcaster Doug Billings all hail from the state's wealthiest and most populous county. Excluding Colyer, who became governor in 2018 after Sam Brownback's resignation, Kansas last elected a Johnson County governor in 1975. A Johnson County Democrat hasn't served as chief executive in over a century. The county has long fought to shake the reputation that its candidates are out of touch with rural Kansas voters. Officials with both parties and some independent commentators say the paradigms that have held Johnson County candidates back in the past may be shifting. Who is Ethan Corson? Corson was first elected to the Senate in 2020, cruising to re-election by nearly 30 percentage points last November. He's pitching himself to voters as a bipartisan problem solver. Corson, who serves as a ranking member on the Senate's tax, transportation and judiciary committees, said he's always been focused 'on the kitchen table issues that matter to Kansans: strong public schools and lower taxes for working and middle-class families.' Among his legislative achievements, Corson cites his votes to help eliminate the state tax on groceries, remove taxes on Social Security and deliver targeted tax relief for seniors, veterans and middle-class Kansans. In impassioned speeches on the Senate floor this spring, Corson squared off against Republican lawmakers over their decision to create an automatic mechanism for lowering state income tax rates without first passing the property tax reform they promised to combat soaring valuations. Corson has also been an outspoken opponent of the Republican-backed constitutional amendment proposal aiming to reshape the Kansas Supreme Court by switching to direct election of justices. Corson attended Washington University in St. Louis, where he earned a bachelor's degree in political science and journalism before returning for a law degree. After graduating, Corson worked as an attorney in Washington D.C., going on to serve as a senior advisor to Obama-era Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker and as chief of staff at the Commerce Department's International Trade Administration. According to his release, in that role, Corson helped manage a team of over 2,200 employees across 75 countries — 'experiences that gave Ethan a perspective on how to recruit businesses to Kansas and how to help Kansans, especially our farmers, ship their products around the world.' Corson returned to Kansas in 2019 to serve a stint as executive director of the state Democratic Party. 'But for Ethan, it all comes back to public education,' the release says. 'It's the education Ethan received in the Shawnee Mission School District — and the teachers and coaches who touched his life — that made his path possible.' Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Who's running for governor of Kansas in 2026? Meet the 11 candidates so far
Come January 2027, Kansas will have a new governor. Democrat Laura Kelly has already won the job twice, making her ineligible to run again. The primary election isn't until Aug. 4, 2026, but 11 candidates have filed to run so far — from ambitious statewide officeholders to prominent lawmakers, former officials and entrepreneurs. Kansas has for decades traded its top state office back and forth between Republican and Democratic governors without consecutively electing different candidates from the same party. That factor suggests Republicans will have an edge in 2026. But Democrats will aim to capitalize on downballot backlash against the second Trump administration in the midterm, seeking to tie the eventual GOP nominee to unpopular policies. First, though, candidates must survive the bruising primary process. Democratic candidates Cindy Holscher Holscher, an Overland Park state senator elected to the Legislature in 2017, became the first major Democrat to launch a bid to succeed Kelly. Holscher bills herself as someone who's willing to stand up to what she called extremist Republicans while working to foster collaboration across the political spectrum. Marty Tuley Tuley, a Lawrence personal fitness trainer, is the only other Democrat to file for governor so far. According to his campaign website, Tuley's priorities include strengthening public education, legalizing marijuana and eliminating major incentives for out-of-state corporations. Republican candidates Scott Schwab Schwab, who lives in Overland Park, served a decade in the Legislature before being elected secretary of state in 2018. He won re-election in 2022 despite a fierce primary challenge fueled by his insistence that Kansas elections are free and fair. Schwab has criticized the Legislature for not enacting large-scale property tax reform. Jeff Colyer Colyer, an Overland Park surgeon, previously served as lieutenant governor and spent nearly a year as governor after Sam Brownback resigned the post in 2018. Colyer lost a razor-thin primary race to Kris Kobach that year and bowed out of the 2022 contest after sharing a cancer diagnosis. In 2024, he chaired Trump's campaign operation in Kansas. Vicki Schmidt Schmidt has twice been elected Kansas insurance commissioner, earning more votes than any other statewide candidate on both occasions. Under her leadership, the Insurance Department set a state record in 2023 by recovering $16 million for consumers. Schmidt was first elected to represent her Topeka district in the state Senate in 2005. Ty Masterson Masterson has served in the Legislature since 2009, taking over as president of the Kansas Senate in 2021. The Andover Republican has worked to undermine Gov. Kelly's policy priorities including Medicaid expansion, while weaponizing GOP supermajorities to enact anti-LGBTQ+ laws and tighten voting restrictions. Charlotte O'Hara O'Hara, who lives in Olathe, was ousted from her seat on the Johnson County Commission in 2024. She previously served one term in the Kansas House. O'Hara, who owns a casino chip manufacturing business, said her priorities include ending 'corporate welfare' tax incentives and overhauling public school curriculum. Joy Eakins Eakins, who owns a data analytics company, previously served one term on the Wichita school board. She has become a vocal critic of Kansas public education, advocating for a school voucher program. Eakins also promotes tax cuts and slashing regulations to encourage investment. Doug Billings Billings, an Olathe resident and conservative podcaster, was the first candidate to officially file to run for governor. He previously worked in human resources and says he wants to implement a state-level version of the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, that could slash government spending. Stacy Rogers Rogers owns several businesses, including a cosmetics company, a children's clothing consignment chain and an event venue in Wichita, where she lives. Her campaign website mentions no specific policy priorities. Brandon Adams Adams, who lives in Auburn, has not yet created a campaign website. According to his LinkedIn page, Adams is a lieutenant with the Topeka Fire Department.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt announces 2026 governor run
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — On Wednesday, Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt announced her bid to run for governor of Kansas in 2026. Schmidt, a Republican and native of Wichita, has been a local pharmacist for more than 40 years. She was elected as the Kansas insurance commissioner after serving in the Kansas Senate for Shawnee and Wabaunsee counties. Read more Politics stories from FOX4 Schmidt was elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. As insurance commissioner, she has recovered $145 million for Kansas families, according to a news release. Schmidt also said she reduced the cost of doing business in Kansas by more than $75 million. 'Throughout my personal and professional career, I have a track record of serving Kansans and actually getting things done,' Schmidt said. 'If elected governor, my top priority is the people of Kansas and making their lives better.' FOX4 Newsletters: Sign up to get top politics headlines in your inbox Republican candidates who have also announced their intention to run include: Scott Schwab, current Kansas secretary of state Jeff Colyer, former Kansas governor Vicki Schmidt, Kansas insurance commissioner Doug Billings, a podcaster Stacy Rogers, a business owner Joy Eakins, a former Wichita school board member Charlotte O'Hara, a former Johnson County commissioner Democratic candidates who have announced their intention to run include: Cindy Holscher, a state senator Other potential candidates could still emerge, as the official filing deadline is not until June 2026. The primary election is scheduled for Aug. 4, 2026, and the general election is set for Nov. 3, 2026. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Race for governor: Johnson County Republican Charlotte O'Hara makes pitch for Kansas governor
TOPEKA (KSNT) – A longtime Johnson County Republican is stating her case for why she should be Kansas' next governor. On this episode of Inside Kansas Politics (IKP), co-host Rob Hughes sat down one-on-one with Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlotte O'Hara. She spoke about her stance on taxes, education, corporate welfare, small business challenges and the use of Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) Bonds to entice the Kansas City Chiefs or Royals to jump over the state line. Also in the show, Hughes sits down with Harvesters Community Food Bank President & CEO Stephen Davis on the One Big Beautiful Bill's impact on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). IKP has also spoken with several other candidates currently competing to be Kansas' next governor. You can watch our one-on-one interview with Cindy Holscher here. We also spoke with Stacy Rogers, and you can watch that interview here. Plus, you can watch our one-on-one interviews with other gubernatorial candidates Jeff Colyer and Doug Billings here. And, you can also watch our one-on-one interview with Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab here. Utility bills in Kansas set to increase after 'Big Beautiful Bill' passes You can watch Inside Kansas Politics at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings only on KSNT (check your local listings). To get the latest news on Inside Kansas Politics, check out our X account, or follow us on Facebook. If you have a story you think we should cover, email us at ikp@ For more Capitol Bureau news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Get the latest in weather alerts by downloading our Storm Track Weather App. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes considers run for Kansas governor
LENEXA, Kan. — The race for governor in the Sunflower State may get another name. State Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes is considering a run for the position. If Sykes got in, she'd be the second major Democrat to announce she's running. In an interview with FOX4 on Monday, Sykes told FOX4 she's having conversations about that and trying to decide what's best for her and her family. How Trump's megabill will impact health care During the interview, she also said it will be interesting to see who else gets into that race. The Republican field's stacked with former Governor Jeff Colyer, current Secretary of State Scott Schwab, and former Johnson County Board of County Commissioner Charlotte O'Hara. Current State Senate President Ty Masterson will likely get into the race too. Friday, we asked Johnson County Community College Associate Professor of Political Science Andrea Vieux what other Democrats could get into the race. On that side, we know State Senator Cindy Holscher has already gotten in. 'Whether they'll be as high profile candidates as someone like Cindy Holscher, or Dinah Sykes, or Dave Toland, is probably not going to happen just in terms of the Kansas Democratic Party and who they have available,' Vieux said. FOX4 reached out to colleagues of Lieutenant Governor David Toland Friday. We did not hear back in time for our deadline. 'It wouldn't surprise me,' Vieux said when asked if it would surprise her if Toland did not get into the race. 'Again, going back to the early Cindy Holscher announcement and maybe that playing into the calculation of other potential Democrats. The Democrats don't want to have a highly contested primary, and so, once you have a big name in there, it sort of does reduce the probability that other big names will come out and put their name out there.' Emporia State Political Science Professor Michael Smith says Holscher does not have statewide name recognition right now. Holscher lives in Overland Park. See the latest headlines in Kansas City and across Kansas, Missouri 'She'd have to do a lot of work,' Smith said Friday. 'But I'm not sure Laura Kelly did either when she first started. Among political insiders, of course, but not among the rank-and-file voter, and the other piece of that of course Jonathan is raising money and having the connections to be able to raise money, being a State Senator really helps with that.' Smith was one of FOX4's guests on this Sunday's episode of '4 The People.' Smith's interview will air in its entirety July 6 at 10 a.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
