Kansas

Bitter Democratic primary narrows options in newly crafted Kansas Senate district • Kansas Reflector

Published

1 year ago

August 10, 2024

Bitter Democratic primary narrows options in newly crafted Kansas Senate district • Kansas Reflector

TOPEKA — Democrat Patrick Schmidt brought old-fashioned door-to-door campaigning to east Topeka on a sizzling day ahead of the primary election, but the 97-degree temperature was eclipsed by scorched-earth opinions of some voters who stepped onto the porch to talk about the Kansas Senate primary.

Schmidt, who walked a neighborhood east of the Capitol wearing a long sleeved U.S. Navy shirt, reminded folks he was running in the newly formed District 19. He moved through those streets knowing Gov. Laura Kelly’s Middle of the Road PAC had his back. Schmidt’s chief rival was Kansas House Minority Leader Vic Miller, who had spent decades in public life in state and county government and as a Topeka municipal judge.

“Is there anything I could do for you?” Schmidt asked repeatedly. “Can I count on your vote?”

Most declined to share their personal political agenda. There were offers of verbal support for Schmidt. A registered Libertarian wished him well. Others weren’t certain they’d take part in the Aug. 6 primary election. Several who answered their door along Lime and Lake streets said they were exasperated by Miller’s style of politics and ready to see the names of a new generation of Democratic candidates on the ballot.

“We voted for you, dude,” an elderly man told Schmidt.

It was anecdotal evidence the Senate campaign wasn’t shaping up to be a cake walk for Miller, who possessed the most significant name recognition and the deepest reservoir of policy decisions to pick apart.

The Kelly nudge

On Tuesday, registered Democrats put an end to speculation. Schmidt carried 53% of the vote, drawing support of 2,554 Democrats. Miller trailed with 1,638 votes or 34% of the total. In third place was Topeka community activist ShaMecha King Simms, who captured 601 votes or 13%.

“I was just really humbled and grateful for the trust and support of everyone I met,” said Schmidt, who gained financial and voter traction through Kelly’s endorsement. “I knew Laura Kelly is highly respected and accomplished in this district.”

During the campaign, Miller told voters the gap between himself and the governor wasn’t wide. He said he would “be there to help Governor Kelly deliver a safe, secure and fiscally sound Kansas, lower residential property taxes and bring an expanded Medicaid program to 150,000 uninsured Kansans.”

In May, Miller created controversy at a candidate forum by telling Simms, who is Black, she ought to run for office “another day, another place.” The governor’s Middle of the Road PAC denounced Miller for supporting a Republican bill that would have created a single-rate, flat income tax in Kansas that was opposed by Kelly.

Schmidt, an officer in the Navy Reserve, said the 19 percentage point margin between himself and Miller in the primary was somewhat of a surprise.

“It’s hard to read the label from inside the bottle,” Schmidt said. “I kind of thought we were somewhere around that just by what I heard knocking at the doors.”

Schmidt, who was born in Johnson County and moved to Topeka, lost a campaign for the U.S. House by 35,000 votes against incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner in 2022. Schmidt filed for the state Senate race in late 2023.

The new Senate district up for grabs extends from central Topeka to northern Lawrence. It includes a swath of rural Shawnee and Douglas counties that takes in the cities of Lecompton and Tecumseh and parts of Kanwaka, Wakarusa and Soldier townships. Overall, the district leans Democrat.

‘Refuse to talk bad’

In the November general election, Schmidt will face Republican Party nominee Tyler Wible, a Topekan who defeated moderate Cynthia Smith in the primary by a comfortable 61% to 39% margin.

Wible said he was a constitutional conservative concerned about erosion of individual rights. He said he brought to the Senate campaign an appreciation for the region in which he attended school, faced poverty, bought his first home and built a construction business.

He said voters there lacked representation from someone committed to lowering taxes and minimizing the size of state government.

“We’ve got to keep government out of private industry,” Wible said. “The bigger that government is, the more interference with our rights.”

Wible said he wasn’t familiar with Schmidt’s positions on key issues, but had no interest in taking part in the style of campaigning illustrated by Miller and Schmidt.

“I refuse to talk bad about anybody,” Wible said, noting Schmidt could come after him during the fall campaign. “I’m ready for it. I’m not going to lose myself to run for politics.”

Miller and Schmidt engaged in back-and-forth assaults with a series of mailers sent to potential Democratic voters. Schmidt included on the postcards a mugshot of Miller’s 2019 DUI booking, while Miller placed an image of Schmidt’s face on the body of a woman spinning yarn on a wooden spindle.

A central element of their conflict was Miller’s vote for a 2017 bill that expanded state regulation of abortion clinics. The law was struck down by the Kansas Supreme Court. Schmidt referred to Miller’s vote as a “betrayal” of women and a vote that helped “extremist Republicans.”

In response, Miller sent out a colorful postcard that claimed “Schmidt and his dark money special interests are working overtime to spin yarn about Vic Miller.” Miller, who didn’t respond to a request for post-election comment, said in his mailers that he voted 16 times in support of abortion rights and reproductive freedom during the past two legislative sessions.

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Related Topics:Featured Kansas Senate Rep. Vic Miller

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Kansas

City Hall intruder fatally shot by employee in Lawrence, Kansas, officials say

Published

10 hours ago

January 5, 2026

Press Room

City Hall intruder fatally shot by employee in Lawrence, Kansas, officials say

An intruder was fatally shot by an armed city employee inside Lawrence City Hall in Kansas on Monday morning, officials said.

The 28-year-old man “forced his way into the building then broke through a door” on the fourth floor and into a secured area about 8 a.m., according to a police statement.

This led to an altercation with an armed city employee, Police Chief Rich Lockhart told reporters outside City Hall, about two miles north of the University of Kansas campus.

“During that altercation, the 28-year-old subject was shot and killed by the city employee,” the chief added.

The intruder wasn’t immediately identified, and it wasn’t clear if he was armed.

Authorities didn’t immediately name the city employee or his job. But police did characterize the civil servant as “trained and authorized to carry a firearm.”

The fourth floor is home to the city manager, city attorney and budget manager.

Officials said they did not know why the man went to the fourth floor, and “it’s not someone that’s known to us,” Lockhart said.

City Hall was closed and should reopen Tuesday. A municipal court in the building won’t open again until Thursday.

City Manager Craig Owens said he was grateful no city employees were hurt.

“I want to express my gratitude to the Lawrence, Kansas, Police Department work during the disturbing incident,” he said.

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Kansas

IU football lands Kansas State transfer edge rusher Tobi Osunsanmi

Published

1 day ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

IU football lands Kansas State transfer edge rusher Tobi Osunsanmi

Indiana’s portal haul continued to grow Sunday as multiple outlets reported the addition of Kansas State edge rusher Tobi Osunsanmi.

Osunsanmi has played in 36 games over the last four years and has 8.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss. Most of that production came over the last two seasons. He has a total of 47 QB pressures during his college career.

In 2025 he played in six games and had 20 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks. He suffered a season-ending injury in October.

He saw action in all 13 games in 2024 as a reserve defensive end and on special teams, recording 19 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and a forced fumble over 303 defensive snaps and 31 special teams plays.

In 2023 he saw time in all 13 games as a reserve linebacker, a rush end on passing downs and on special teams. He was tied for team-high honors with five tackles on kickoff coverage.

He played in four games in 2022 and preserved his redshirt.

The 6-foot-3 and 250-pound Osunsanmi has one year of eligibility remaining.

The Wichita, Kan. product (Wichita East H.S.) was regarded as the 232nd-best overall player in the nation for the Class of 2022 by 247Sports.

Osunsanmi will help fill the void left by outgoing edge rushers Mikail Kamara, Kellan Wyatt and Stephen Daley.

More transfer portal information:

For complete coverage of IU football recruiting, GO HERE.

The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”

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Kansas

Kansas football transfer portal tracker: Jan. 4 developments for KU

Published

2 days ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

Kansas football transfer portal tracker: Jan. 4 developments for KU

LAWRENCE — The Division I transfer portal window for college football is open from Jan. 2 through Jan. 16, and that means Sunday is another chance for the Kansas football program to shape its roster.

The Jayhawks already gained one public addition earlier this offseason in Grand Valley State transfer Jibriel Conde — whose signing was announced Dec. 4. Conde, who is making the jump up from Division II, is a 247Sports-rated three-star defensive lineman in the portal and is listed by KU as a defensive tackle. On Saturday, a number of current Kansas players — including redshirt freshman quarterback Isaiah Marshall, redshirt sophomore wide receiver Keaton Kubecka and redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Blake Herold — also outlined in social media posts on X that they are locked in with the program for the 2026 season.

Marshall is set to compete for the starting quarterback job next season. Kubecka has the chance to step up into a more significant role at wide receiver. Herold is in line to be a key part of Kansas’ defensive line.

Those positives, though, don’t outweigh the fact that there has been a sizable group of players who have revealed their intentions to transfer away. Looking overall, when it comes to those whose decisions became public before and after the portal opened, the significant names to know include redshirt senior safety Lyrik Rawls, redshirt junior linebacker Trey Lathan and freshman quarterback David McComb. Lathan led KU in tackles in 2025.

Check in here for more updates during this transfer portal window about a KU team that finished 5-7 during the 2025 season, with transfer ratings as outlined by 247Sports.

Kansas football transfer portal additions

Jibriel Conde (3-star defensive lineman from Grand Valley State) — KU lists him as a defensive tackle

Kansas football transfer portal departures

Joseph Sipp Jr. (linebacker)

Jacoby Davis (cornerback)

Dylan Brooks (defensive end)

Jaidyn Doss (wide receiver)

Carter Lavrusky (offensive lineman)

Trey Lathan (linebacker)

Tyler Mercer (offensive lineman)

Harry Stewart III (running back)

Caleb Redd (3-star edge) — KU lists him as a defensive end

Aundre Gibson (3-star cornerback)

David McComb (3-star quarterback)

Kene Anene (3-star interior offensive lineman) — KU lists him as an offensive lineman

Laquan Robinson (3-star safety)

Jameel Croft Jr. (3-star cornerback)

Logan Brantley (3-star linebacker)

Greydon Grimes (3-star offensive tackle) — KU lists him as an offensive lineman

Jon Jon Kamara (3-star linebacker)

Lyrik Rawls (3-star safety)

Damani Maxson (3-star safety)

Jaden Hamm (tight end)

Bryce Cohoon (wide receiver)

JaCorey Stewart (linebacker)

Johnny Thompson Jr. (running back)

Efren Jasso (punter)

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

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