2022 Voter Guide: Governor

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The Collegian will be covering Election Night live on Nov. 8 via social channels and website. (Graphic by Catherine Eldridge | Collegian Media Group)

Laura Kelly (D, incumbent)

(Photo courtesy of Cassie Nichols)

Background:

  • Represented 18th district in Kansas Senate from 2005 to 2019 
  • As a Kansas Senator, pushed for the creation and funding of the Early Childhood Block Grants to help provide comprehensive early childhood education
  • Ran for governor in the 2018 election and defeated republican nominee Kris Kobach

Stance on issues:

Taxes 

  • Expedite the food sales tax cut signed
    into law in May 2022
  • Remove sales tax on items such as feminine hygiene products and diapers
  • Implement a three-day suspension of
    sales tax on back-to-school items in
    August
  • Implement a tax relief plan that would
    save seniors making less than $100,000 a year a total of $50 million in tax savings over the next three years

Education 

  • Provide incentives to attend technical or trade schools 
  • Restore funding to higher education and work with the Board of Regents to address the rise in tuition
  • Improve access to mental health services in schools

Public Safety 

  • Require background checks on all gun sales 
  • Limit access to certain assault weapons 
  • Ban bump stocks 

Health Care 

  • Expand medicaid 
  • Ensure Kansans have access to reproductive healthcare, including birth control 
  • Pro-choice

Polling:

  • An Emerson College poll has Laura Kelly leading with 45% and Derek Schmidt closely behind with 43%

 

Derek Schmidt (R)

Republican candidate Derek Schmidt with Lt. Governor candidate Katie Sawyer. (Photo courtesy of CJ Grover)

Background:

  • Elected as the 44th Attorney General of Kansas in 2010, reelected in 2014 and 2018
  • Served as a Kansas State Senator representing part of southeast Kansas as chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee and as the Senate Majority Leader
  • 2017-2018 President of the National Association of Attorneys General

Stance on issues: 

Taxes

  • A tax plan that exempts pensions, social security and private retirement distributions from state income tax
  • Remove sales tax for items such as diapers and feminine hygiene products

Education

  • Eliminate critical race theory in schools
  • Opposes President Biden’s college loan forgiveness plan 
  • Against Common Core, wants education to be handled at a state level 
  • Advocates for parents to have more say over classroom curriculum, and opposes gender and sexual identity content being taught to young children
  • People who are biologically male should not be allowed to compete in sports that are reserved for female athletes.” 

Public Safety

  • More funding for school entryways and security cameras
  • Double the funds for the Safe & Secure Schools grant program
  • Enact the Reduce Armed Violence Act
  • Supports Second Amendment right to bear arms, does not believe gun restrictions will solve issues with gun violence

Health Care

  • Against expanding Medicaid
  • More medical student loan repayments for doctors and medical specialists in underserved rural areas
  • Pro-life

Polling Statistics 

According to KSNT.com polling, 43% of voters support Schmidt while 46% support Kelly, 5% support Pyle and 5% are undecided

 

Seth Cordell (L)

(Photo courtesy of Seth Cordell)

Background

  • Received a bachelor’s degree in biology and a doctor’s degree in chiropractic’s, which he used to open Cordell Chiropractic Clinic 
  • Served as the assistant debate and forensics coach at Lyons High School, where his students inspired him to run for Governor 

Stances on issues:

Taxes

  • Decrease taxes and regulations on small businesses 
  • Decrease taxes for consumers to increase their spending power

Education

  • Eliminate standardized testing
  • Believes school should focus on preparing students for the modern workforce

Public Safety

  • End qualified immunity for police
  • Legalize marijuana
  • Decriminalize non-violent drug use

Health Care

  • Believes government should not be involved with individual’s healthcare decisions
  • Does not believe in restricting abortion

 

Dennis Pyle (I)

(Photo courtesy of Team Pyle)

Background:

  • Experience working as a grain and cattle farmer
  • Represented Kansas State Senate District 1 since 2005
  • Previously served on the Kansas House of Representatives District 49
  • Elected Kansas Attorney General in 2010, 2014 and 2018 

Stances on Issues:

Taxes

  • Illegal immigrants should not benefit from citizens’ tax dollars
  • State income tax should not be used for Social Security benefits or retirement benefits

Education

  • Proposed an amendment that would give locally elected school boards the only authority to close schools 

Public Safety

  • Supports the Second Amendment
  • Citizens should have the right to keep and bear arms
  • Proposed an amendment that would allow any person who is at least 18 years of age and is on active duty in the armed forces to carry a concealed firearm

Health Care

  • Pro-Life and voted twice in favor of the “Value Them Both” amendment 
  • Vaccines should not be mandated
  • Mask mandates should be removed in Kansas
  • Immigrants who entered the country illegally should not receive assistance on their medical bills

Polling:

  • In an Emerson College Poll, Pyle receives support from 5% of voters, and in a Battleground Connect poll, he received support from 2% of voters

 

Sources: 

https://www.laurakellyforkansas.com/issues/kansas-schools/ 

https://www.laurakellyforkansas.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/FINAL_The_Road_Ahead_Lowering_Costs_for_Kansans-1.pdf 

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/governor/2022/kansas/ 

Kcur.org

Schmidtforkansas.com 

www.isidewith.com

ksnt.com

https://flatlandkc.org/news-issues/kelly-schmidt-paint-competing-visions-of-kansas-in-gubernatorial-debate/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=kelly-schmidt-paint-competing-visions-of-kansas-in-gubernatorial-debate 

https://ballotpedia.org/Seth_Cordell

https://lpks.org/2022/04/25/meet-seth-cordell/

https://emersoncollegepolling.com/kansas-2022-democratic-governor-laura-kelly-in-tight-race-with-a-g-derek-schmidt-in-gubernatorial-election/

https://www.cordellforkansas.com/platforms

https://www.ksn.com/news/your-local-election-hq/candidates/seth-cordell-libertarian-for-kansas-governor/

https://ballotpedia.org/Dennis_Pyle

https://pyleforkansas.com

Battleground Connect

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