Kansas
Trump-endorsed candidate wins GOP primary for Kansas' 2nd Congressional District
The race has been called for the Republican primary in Kansas’ 2nd Congressional District.
Former Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, was declared the winner of the GOP primary race on Tuesday.
The seat is currently represented by 36-year-old Rep. Jake LaTurner, who left it open after announcing he would not be seeking re-election this cycle.
POLLING GURU NATE SILVER CHANGES HIS PREDICTION FROM TRUMP ELECTORAL VICTORY TO ‘TOSS-UP’
“An America First Patriot and a true friend of MAGA, Derek is now running for Congress, where he will work tirelessly to Grow the Economy, Secure the Border, Uphold the Rule of Law, Support our Veterans, Strengthen our Military, Defend our always under siege Second Amendment, and Champion our Incredible Farmers and Ranchers,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post endorsing Schmidt. “Derek Schmidt has my Complete and Total Endorsement – HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”
The primary saw a large pool of candidates, including former Health and Human Services official Jeff Kahrs, Michael Ogle, Shawn Tiffany, and Chad Young.
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The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan handicapper, reported that the seat has been held “Solid Republican” for the last 30 years.
Kansas
Kansas Primary Election Results
Janie JarrettJ. JarrettJarrett
Paul RogersP. RogersRogers
Dale HelwigD. HelwigHelwig
Melesia RhodesM. RhodesRhodes
Kenneth CollinsK. CollinsCollins*incumbent
Jordan MetcalfJ. MetcalfMetcalf
Chuck SmithC. SmithSmith*incumbent
Joshua JonesJ. JonesJones
Carrie BarthC. BarthBarth*incumbent
Samantha Poetter ParshallS. Poetter ParshallPoetter Parshall*incumbent
Vicki PribbleV. PribblePribble
Dan GoddardD. GoddardGoddard*incumbent
Pam ShernukP. ShernukShernuk
Chris CroftC. CroftCroft*incumbent
Fred GardnerF. GardnerGardner*incumbent
Zachary HawkinsZ. HawkinsHawkins
Suzanne WikleS. WikleWikle
Ron BryceR. BryceBryce*incumbent
Doug BlexD. BlexBlex*incumbent
Edgar ChrismanE. ChrismanChrisman
Duane DrogeD. DrogeDroge*incumbent
Dennis MillerD. MillerMiller*incumbent
Charlotte EsauC. EsauEsau
Allison HouglandA. HouglandHougland*incumbent
Linda FeatherstonL. FeatherstonFeatherston*incumbent
Jo Ella HoyeJ. HoyeHoye*incumbent
Cindy NeighborC. NeighborNeighbor*incumbent
Robert WhitmanR. WhitmanWhitman
Stephanie Sawyer ClaytonS. Sawyer ClaytonSawyer Clayton*incumbent
Mark HermesM. HermesHermes
Anthony OrwickA. OrwickOrwick
Mari-Lynn PoskinM. PoskinPoskin*incumbent
Jerry CharltonJ. CharltonCharlton
Jerry StogsdillJ. StogsdillStogsdill*incumbent
Lindsay VaughnL. VaughnVaughn*incumbent
Susan RuizS. RuizRuiz*incumbent
Jarrod OusleyJ. OusleyOusley*incumbent
Dale RedickD. RedickRedick
Greg SchoofsG. SchoofsSchoofs
Chip VanHoudenC. VanHoudenVanHouden
David BensonD. BensonBenson
Sean TarwaterS. TarwaterTarwater*incumbent
Carl TurnerC. TurnerTurner*incumbent
Heather MeyerH. MeyerMeyer*incumbent
Betsey LasisterB. LasisterLasister
Laura WilliamsL. WilliamsWilliams*incumbent
Louis RuizL. RuizRuiz*incumbent
Dennis GrindelD. GrindelGrindel
Pam CurtisP. CurtisCurtis*incumbent
Mathew ReinholdM. ReinholdReinhold
Mike ThompsonM. ThompsonThompson*incumbent
Valdenia WinnV. WinnWinn*incumbent
Marvin RobinsonM. RobinsonRobinson*incumbent
Kimberly DeWittK. DeWittDeWitt
Lynn MeltonL. MeltonMelton*incumbent
Mark GilstrapM. GilstrapGilstrap
Melissa OropezaM. OropezaOropeza*incumbent
Timothy JohnsonT. JohnsonJohnson*incumbent
Vanessa Vaughn WestV. Vaughn WestVaughn West
Angela StiensA. StiensStiens*incumbent
David BuehlerD. BuehlerBuehler*incumbent
Aimee BatemanA. BatemanBateman
Pat ProctorP. ProctorProctor*incumbent
Robert OwensR. OwensOwens
Eddy MartinezE. MartinezMartinez
Lance NeellyL. NeellyNeelly*incumbent
Mike StiebenM. StiebenStieben
Bill SuttonB. SuttonSutton*incumbent
Barbara BallardB. BallardBallard*incumbent
Mike AmyxM. AmyxAmyx*incumbent
Logan GinavanL. GinavanGinavan
Mary WilliamsM. WilliamsWilliams
Ronald EllisR. EllisEllis*incumbent
Dan OsmanD. OsmanOsman*incumbent
Debbie PaulbeckD. PaulbeckPaulbeck
Nikki McDonaldN. McDonaldMcDonald*incumbent
Jessica PorterJ. PorterPorter
Kyle McNortonK. McNortonMcNorton*incumbent
Eli KormanikE. KormanikKormanik
Megan SteeleM. SteeleSteele
Jacquie LightcapJ. LightcapLightcap
Jesse BorjonJ. BorjonBorjon*incumbent
Kirk HaskinsK. HaskinsHaskins*incumbent
Jade Pearson RamsdellJ. Pearson RamsdellPearson Ramsdell
Ken CorbetK. CorbetCorbet*incumbent
Tobias SchlingensiepenT. SchlingensiepenSchlingensiepen*incumbent
Michael BarronM. BarronBarron
Virgil WeigelV. WeigelWeigel*incumbent
Pennie Boyer-KloosP. Boyer-KloosBoyer-Kloos
John AlcalaJ. AlcalaAlcala*incumbent
Donna McGintyD. McGintyMcGinty
Wendy Damman-BednarW. Damman-BednarDamman-Bednar
Alexis SimmonsA. SimmonsSimmons
Michael MathewsonM. MathewsonMathewson
Michael LewisM. LewisLewis
Rebecca SchmoeR. SchmoeSchmoe*incumbent
Mic McGuireM. McGuireMcGuire
Mark SchreiberM. SchreiberSchreiber*incumbent
Will SpencerW. SpencerSpencer
Francis AwerkampF. AwerkampAwerkamp*incumbent
Dorothy GoodmanD. GoodmanGoodman
Allen ReavisA. ReavisReavis
Lewis BloomL. BloomBloom*incumbent
Lorraine CenicerosL. CenicerosCeniceros
Jeff UnderhillJ. UnderhillUnderhill*incumbent
Shawn ChaunceyS. ChaunceyChauncey
Sydney CarlinS. CarlinCarlin*incumbent
Angel RoeserA. RoeserRoeser
Michael SeymourM. SeymourSeymour
Nathan ButlerN. ButlerButler*incumbent
Clarke SandersC. SandersSanders*incumbent
Scott HillS. HillHill*incumbent
Steven HoweS. HoweHowe*incumbent
Heidi HoskinsonH. HoskinsonHoskinson
Avery AndersonA. AndersonAnderson*incumbent
Richard WilbornR. WilbornWilborn
Jenna RatzlaffJ. RatzlaffRatzlaff
Will CarpenterW. CarpenterCarpenter*incumbent
Brad BarrettB. BarrettBarrett
Kristey WilliamsK. WilliamsWilliams*incumbent
Daniel GoodmanD. GoodmanGoodman
Robyn EssexR. EssexEssex*incumbent
Siobhan McIntyreS. McIntyreMcIntyre
Webster RothW. RothRoth*incumbent
Bill RhileyB. RhileyRhiley*incumbent
Blake CarpenterB. CarpenterCarpenter*incumbent
Kyle BeauchampK. BeauchampBeauchamp
Leah HowellL. HowellHowell*incumbent
Henry HelgersonH. HelgersonHelgerson*incumbent
Erik SeligmanE. SeligmanSeligman
Ford CarrF. CarrCarr*incumbent
Aonya Kendrick BarnettA. Kendrick BarnettKendrick Barnett
Patrick PennP. PennPenn*incumbent
Silas MillerS. MillerMiller*incumbent
Mike SniderM. SniderSnider
Susan Oliver EstesS. Oliver EstesOliver Estes*incumbent
Veronica GilletteV. GilletteGillette
Chuck SchmidtC. SchmidtSchmidt
Sandy PickertS. PickertPickert*incumbent
KC OhaebosimK. OhaebosimOhaebosim*incumbent
Tracy EdingfieldT. EdingfieldEdingfield
Carl MaughanC. MaughanMaughan*incumbent
Steve HuebertS. HuebertHuebert
Keisha McClish CoutsK. McClish CoutsMcClish Couts
Emil BergquistE. BergquistBergquist*incumbent
John CarmichaelJ. CarmichaelCarmichael*incumbent
Justin ShoreJ. ShoreShore
Brian BergkampB. BergkampBergkamp*incumbent
Leo DelperdangL. DelperdangDelperdang*incumbent
Tom SawyerT. SawyerSawyer*incumbent
Christopher ParishoC. ParishoParisho
Dan JohnsonD. JohnsonJohnson
Tom KesslerT. KesslerKessler*incumbent
Christine PruittC. PruittPruitt
Nick HoheiselN. HoheiselHoheisel*incumbent
Carol BrewerC. BrewerBrewer
Cyndi HowertonC. HowertonHowerton*incumbent
Susan HumphriesS. HumphriesHumphries*incumbent
Mike McCorkleM. McCorkleMcCorkle
Daniel HawkinsD. HawkinsHawkins*incumbent
Joe SeiwertJ. SeiwertSeiwert*incumbent
Jason ProbstJ. ProbstProbst*incumbent
Kyler SweelyK. SweelySweely
Tyson ThrallT. ThrallThrall
Angela MartinezA. MartinezMartinez*incumbent
Lynnette Krieger-ZookL. Krieger-ZookKrieger-Zook
Paul WaggonerP. WaggonerWaggoner*incumbent
David HickmanD. HickmanHickman
Lisa MoserL. MoserMoser*incumbent
Gerald JohnsonG. JohnsonJohnson
Brandon WoodardB. WoodardWoodard*incumbent
Keith GriffinK. GriffinGriffin
Troy WaymasterT. WaymasterWaymaster*incumbent
Ellace HendersonE. HendersonHenderson
Ken RahjesK. RahjesRahjes*incumbent
Joseph LantzJ. LantzLantz
Barb WasingerB. WasingerWasinger*incumbent
Mark RondeauM. RondeauRondeau
Sherri BrantleyS. BrantleyBrantley
Brett FairchildB. FairchildFairchild*incumbent
Steve SchweizerS. SchweizerSchweizer
Kevin SchwertfegerK. SchwertfegerSchwertfeger
Gary WhiteG. WhiteWhite*incumbent
Kyle HoffmanK. HoffmanHoffman*incumbent
Bill HammondB. HammondHammond
Adam TurkA. TurkTurk*incumbent
Jim MinnixJ. MinnixMinnix*incumbent
Jason GoetzJ. GoetzGoetz*incumbent
Adam SmithA. SmithSmith*incumbent
Mel PinickM. PinickPinick
John ResmanJ. ResmanResman*incumbent
Lon PishnyL. PishnyPishny
Tracy MeinzerT. MeinzerMeinzer
Bob LewisB. LewisLewis*incumbent
Benjamin FuentesB. FuentesFuentes
Shannon FrancisS. FrancisFrancis*incumbent
Kansas
Kansas lawmakers use subpoena to force Ford County clerk to cooperate with election audit • Kansas Reflector
TOPEKA — The Kansas Legislature’s bipartisan auditing committee voted to issue a subpoena to compel the Ford County clerk to cooperate with the state’s security examination of voting-related documentation and equipment used in the 2022 general election.
House and Senate members participating in the committee meeting Monday took the extraordinary step of immediately relaunching the election security audit investigation that had been stalled long ago by Ford County Clerk Debbie Cox.
The committee directed Cox to comply with audit team information requests helpful in evaluating accuracy of voting machines relied on during the statewide election two years ago. In addition, Cox must provide auditors access by Aug. 14 to storage units, ballots and devices used to count votes in that election.
Rep. Shannon Francis, a Republican from Liberal in southwest Kansas, offered the motion to affirm the post-auditing staff’s authority to investigate Ford County’s election processes. He proposed a separate motion triggering Article 10, Chapter 46 of Kansas statute that outlined how investigating committees could use power of a subpoena to compel individuals to cooperate with audits. Both motions were approved without debate.
“If any person fails to make any books, accounts, contracts or records, files, documents and correspondence, confidential or otherwise, related to such audit available to the post auditor or any officer or employee of the division of post audit upon request … the post auditor shall report such failure immediately in writing to the legislative post audit committee, the governor and the attorney general,” Francis said.
Cox wasn’t at the audit committee’s brief meeting at the Capitol. She was given until 1 p.m. Aug. 14 to transfer requested materials to auditors.
When the Division of Post Audit initiated a 15-county review of election security standards, they discovered Ford and Chase county officials sealed most election documents in the same containers with original paper ballots. The practice of locking away ballot activity documents or equipment transfer records in containers with ballots didn’t comply with the Kansas Open Records Act mandating retention and inspection of certain election-related records.
In addition, Ford County refused to let the Legislature’s auditors inspect the county’s election management computer. That meant auditors couldn’t determine whether the election computer was properly disconnected from the internet or had non-election software installed on it.
Kristen Rottinghaus, deputy of the auditing division, said the legislative committee’s objective was to answer two basic questions about election security in Ford County. They are the same questions directed at the 13 counties featured in the audit report released in mid-2023.
The examination in Ford County would address accuracy and security of voting machines used in the November 2022 election, she said.
“And,” Rottinghaus said, “their policies and procedures for ensuring the security of storage units, ballots and devices used to tabulate votes during that same election.”
In July 2023, the auditing division reported to the Legislature that the 13 cooperating county governments had adequate overall election security practices but none met all 55 best practices or state laws during the 2022 primary or general elections. Auditors concluded most of the 13 counties examined in that audit provided inadequate levels of security for ballots and tabulation machines.
“They’re also missing or have weak practices in several important areas,” the audit report said. “That means security isn’t as good as it could or should be.”
The auditors recommended Secretary of State Scott Schwab provide counties with standardized election forms and policies. In addition, auditors proposed Schwab train county election officers on what election materials could be sealed in ballot containers and kept from public view.
“Secretary of state’s office officials told us county officials often indiscriminately seal election documents with ballots,” the audit said. “But this doesn’t align with the purpose of ballot sealing, which is to maintain an accurate paper record of the election results.”
Auditing of county election security practices in Kansas was driven by Republican state legislators convinced by former President Donald Trump’s false claim President Joe Biden stole the 2020 presidential election in a multi-state conspiracy.
Trump, who carried Kansas in the 2016 and 2020 elections, has continued to perpetuate that myth on the 2024 campaign trail.
In 2018, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas filed a lawsuit against Cox challenging her decision to move the city’s voting location serving a population of 27,000 people to a facility outside city limits. The suit claimed the change interferred with a fundamental right to vote and disproportionately would impact Hispanic voters.
Cox also forwarded to then-Secretary of State Kris Kobach a letter from ACLU Kansas requesting a voter help line, but wrote on top of the document, “LOL,” meaning to laugh out loud.
Kansas
Kansas sees 2 political comeback bids in primary for open congressional seat
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An open congressional seat in eastern Kansas inspired two political comeback attempts in the state’s primary Tuesday, one from the last Democrat to hold it and the other from a former Republican attorney general who lost the 2022 governor’s race.
Three-term former Attorney General Derek Schmidt has former President Donald Trump’s endorsement in a five-candidate GOP contest in the 2nd District. His two most formidable opponents were Shawn Tiffany, a rancher, and Jeff Kahrs, a top regional health official during Trump’s administration.
The Democratic race pits former U.S. Rep. Nancy Boyda, who held the seat in 2007 and 2008, against Matt Kleinmann, a community health advocate and member of the 2008 national champion University of Kansas men’s basketball team. Boyda has positioned herself toward the political center, riling some party activists.
The district’s two-term GOP incumbent Jake LaTurner is not running again.
Republican voters would also be settling contested primaries in two other districts where incumbents are seeking reelection.
In the Kansas City-area 3rd District, physician Prasanth Reddy faces small business owner Karen Crnkovich for the right to challenge three-term U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, the only Democrat in the state’s congressional delegation.
In the 1st District, which includes western Kansas, two-term U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann was expected to prevail over Eric Bloom, a farmer and real estate investor.
There also were contested primaries in some of the 40 state Senate and 125 state House districts, and for offices in Kansas’ 105 counties. Polls remain open across the state from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time.
In the 2nd Congressional District, many Republicans saw Schmidt as the leading candidate even before Trump’s “Complete and Total” social media endorsement, thanks to Schmidt’s name recognition from his narrow loss in 2022 to incumbent Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.
The former president called Schmidt an “An America First Patriot” and added, “HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”
Still, Kahrs has boasted that Trump chose him to be a regional director at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and was a district director and senior adviser for LaTurner. Kahrs’ campaign touted him as a “conservative warrior,” playing on doubts from the hard right that have swirled around Schmidt throughout his two decades in elective politics.
“I’m the only tested conservative in this race,” Kahrs said during a candidate forum broadcast by Topeka-area public television’s KTWU, an event Schmidt skipped.
Tiffany ran as a political outsider, often donning a cowboy hat during public appearances. In a mid-July forum on WIBW-TV in Topeka, he said the “radical left” has attacked the American dream and that “politicians — career politicians — have done nothing to stand in the gap on our behalf.”
In the Democratic race, Boyda supported LGBTQ+ rights generally but said she opposes allowing transgender girls and women to play on female sports teams. She also called on President Joe Biden to end his race for reelection the day after his disastrous debate performance, well before other Democrats.
In a KTWU-TV forum last week, Boyda defended running a center-oriented, “general election” campaign from the start. She pointed to Democrats’ 10 losses in a row since her lone 2006 victory. Eight were by 14 percentage points or more.
“Quite honestly, a lot of the 2nd District is not going to trust a Democrat going to Washington, D.C.,” she said. “They want to make sure that you are moderate and that you are independent.”
But Boyda’s stance on transgender athletes drew immediate criticism, with Kansas Young Democrats calling it “disgraceful” on X.
“I believe that Democrats deserve to have a voice,” Kleinmann, Boyda’s opponent in the primary, said during last week’s forum. “Some of the bravest people I know in Kansas are Democrats in a very red district because they’re fighting for Kansas values, and that’s the values I want to defend in Congress.”
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