A lifetime Kansan, Kansas State alum, former bartender of Kite’s in Aggieville and a current ob-gyn is running to represent the 1st District of Kansas in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Roger Marshall said he has delivered around 5,000 babies, bleeds purple and is anything but a traditional politician.
“I’m not a politician,” Marshall said. “I’ve never ran for anything my entire life. I’m a physician, a dad, but not a politician.”Related:
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Faith, family, community and education, Marshall said, are the four pillars of his life, and he said he puts a special emphasis on education, especially higher education.
“I just can’t tell you how important that I think a quality, affordable education is,” Marshall said. “I’m a first generation college person, the first person from my family to go to college and graduate and I’ve never taken that for granted. I’m very much in favor of strong public education and strong state universities.”
Three primary fixes
Marshall said he decided to run to represent the 1st District of Kansas after having a conversation with his wife two years ago.
“The conversation went something like, ‘we’re not leaving this country better than we found it,’” Marshall said. “And I’ve been given a lot of unique experiences in life from medicine to military, a large agriculture experience as well, and she said, ‘You like to fix things, so it’s time for you to go to Washington, D.C., and fix things.’”
Marshall said there are three issues that not just him, but also the majority of citizens—including college students—should be most concerned about and that is what he would like to fix.Related:
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“The most important issues that Americans and Kansans think (are important) are what I really think are the issues that are important to college students,” Marshall said. “The biggest issue people are concerned about is the economy. Number two is national security. And number three is health care.”
Two of Marshall’s kids have graduated from college and Marshall said they have never seen a good economy.
“They have no idea what a good economy even is,” Marshall said. “If you’re in college right now, the ultimate goal is to get a good job. Without a good economy that isn’t going to happen. So number one, I want to make this economy stronger.”
As for national security, Marshall said he thinks the country needs a stronger military.
“I believe in peace through strength,” Marshall said. “I think we need a stronger military to protect your future and your future children’s future so national security is very important.”
The third issue Marshall said he hopes to fix is healthcare, as it is the third-largest concern of the country.
“Whatever occupation we end up at, one-sixth of the budget of that business is going towards healthcare,” Marshall said. “Prices are going up 20-30 percent a year now. The Affordable Care Act is absolutely broken and we need to fix that somehow.”
One primary difference
Marshall said there is one big difference when it comes to policy between him and Alan LaPolice, his opponent, and that is agricultural policy.
“Sixty percent of this district that I would represent is driven by agriculture,” Marshall said. “I’m in favor of a strong crop insurance policy and he is not. I’m in favor of free trade and he is not. Both of those are the backbone of making a stronger agriculture economy.”
