State of Kansas Archives: on Principles & Values
Derek Schmidt:
Conservative who believes in protecting traditional values
A strong supporter of personal responsibility, individual freedoms and the Constitution, Derek Schmidt is a conservative who believes in building a climate of opportunity for all Kansans and protecting traditional values like religious freedom,
the rule of law, life, freedom to speak openly, and the Second Amendment. Derek believes in a Kansas future where hard work is rewarded, where the question is how to grow Kansas and not government, and where the state works efficiently and effectively.
Source: 2021 Kansas Governor campaign website SchmidtForKansas.com
May 23, 2021
Derek Schmidt:
Wrote legal brief for July 4 fireworks at Mount Rushmore
Schmidt led colleagues in writing a legal brief in support of holding fireworks at Mount Rushmore. "Given the importance of the Fourth of July holiday and the special role of Mount Rushmore as a national monument, amici States have an interest in
seeing the fireworks display take place," Schmidt and the other attorneys general wrote. "In rejecting South Dakota's permit, the Department of the Interior offered only the flimsiest of rationales, unsupported by any evidence or reasoned explanation."
Source: The Topeka Capital-Journal on 2022 Kansas Gubernatorial race
May 22, 2021
Laura Kelly:
Leaders must set an example that we share a common bond
This year, working together isn't simply something I want--it's something we owe to the people of Kansas. This year, as leaders, we must commit ourselves to set an example. In how we conduct ourselves. In the things we say to each other,
what we post on social media, in what we tell people back home in our communities. This year, we must show Kansans that, even when we stand on opposite sides of the aisle, we still always share a common bond as Kansans and Americans.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Kansas legislature
Jan 13, 2021
Roger Marshall:
Protect Church from any state efforts to restrict freedom
Q: Do you promise to protect the freedom of Christians to share the Gospel and to practice Biblical principles?A: Yes.
Q: What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?
A: The First Amendment was created to protect the Church from any
state efforts to restrict freedom. My faith is the most important part of my life, and I am a staunch defender of religious liberties in the US. I am proud to have been endorsed by the Family Research Council, and I will continue to be a defender of
faith and family values.
Q: Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values?
A: I don't wear my faith on my shirt sleeve, but in my heart. I was raised in a Christian home, but it wasn't until I went to a Fellowship of Christian Athletes event in
high school that I fully accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Since then, I have committed myself to daily readings of the Bible, and leading my church community. My faith is a pillar of my life, and the life of my family, and it is our strength.
Source: AFA iVoterGuide on 2020 Kansas Senate race
Nov 3, 2020
Roger Marshall:
His nickname "Doc" disallowed on primary ballot
Marshall will not be able to use the nickname "Doc" on the Republican primary ballot.
The Kansas State Objections Board rejected Marshall's request. It says the nickname referred to Marshall's medical career, and professional accomplishments or titles aren't allowed on ballots.
Source: KWCH 12-CBS on 2020 Kansas Senate race
Jun 5, 2020
Dave Lindstrom:
A vocal advocate for capitalism; socialism is a cancer
Dave will fight to defeat socialism and prevent it from taking root in the United States.Dave is a vocal advocate for capitalism and the opportunities it creates for American families. Dave is living proof that the American Dream is possible no
matter where you have your start in life. But the key ingredients are hard work, opportunity and freedom to pursue those opportunities as they come before you. Socialism, by contrast, is a cancer on economies and destroyer of freedom.
Source: 2020 Kansas Senate campaign website LindstromForSenate.com
May 31, 2020
Dave Lindstrom:
America must repent & pray for an awakening and revival
Wherever socialism has come to power, that power has sought to supplant God and raise the idol of government for worship and dependence. The pattern is holding once again as leaders in the Democrat party openly advocate using the tax code to penalize
churches, using the force of government to silence the word of God from the pulpit and to criminalize the bedrock beliefs upon which this country was founded. It is time for America to repent, to pray for an awakening and revival through our land.
Source: 2020 Kansas Senate campaign website LindstromForSenate.com
May 31, 2020
Barbara Bollier:
She didn't leave GOP; they left her
The way Bollier tells it, she didn't leave the Republican Party so much as the GOP left her. The party she grew up in no longer had room for socially moderate, fiscal conservatives like herself, she says. "Over time, it became clear to me that
I really didn't have much in common with Republican leadership much anymore, and they had no interest in common-sense policies that would really serve the people of Kansas," Bollier told voters.
Source: Wall Street Journal on 2020 Kansas Senate race
May 15, 2020
Susan Wagle:
We need to be a more diverse party to remain relevant
One of Wagle's biggest concerns for Kansas voters is identity voting, which is voting for someone who you identify with. This identity voting could hurt the Kansas Republican Party due to the lack of diversity, Wagle said. "We have very few women
elected compared to the Democrats," Wagle said. "We need to be a more diverse party if we want to remain relevant."
Source: Kansas State Collegian on 2020 Kansas Senate race
Apr 28, 2020
Dave Lindstrom:
Concerned about growing embrace of socialism
Lindstrom said he's concerned about what he sees as a growing embrace of socialism and "I think our country's under attack.""People are making promises with other people's money
and resources that they cannot keep, that they understand are not sustainable--that will create an environment in this country, of one of entitlement, as opposed to hard work," he said. "That's what I mean when I talk about socialism."
Source: Associated Press on 2020 Kansas Senate race
Jun 27, 2019
Dave Lindstrom:
Played on KC Chiefs; served on Turnpike Authority's board
The former NFL player and businessman made an unsuccessful run for statewide office in 2002 as a running mate for Republican Tim Shallenburger, who lost the race for governor to Democrat Kathleen Sebelius.Starting in 1978, Lindstrom played
eight seasons for the Chiefs as a defensive end before retiring from the NFL to launch a career in business. Lindstrom, a native of Massachusetts and graduate of Boston University, opted to remain in Kansas after leaving football.
"The quality of life and cost of living is in my mind unmatched in this country and possibly the world," Lindstrom said.
He owned four Burger King franchises in the Kansas City area until 2011 and served on the
Johnson County Commission for a decade. Former Gov. Sam Brownback first appointed him to the Turnpike Authority's board in 2013 and he became chairman three years later.
Source: Wichita Eagle on 2020 Kansas Senate race
Mar 4, 2019
Ron Estes:
Won special election with national GOP support
Republican Ron Estes has won a special election to replace Rep. Mike Pompeo, who became President Trump's CIA director. Estes defeated Democrat Jim Thompson. The seat was considered to be by Republicans a straight win--until an energized Democratic base
left Estes with a smaller advantage.Trump tweeted about the race, urging voters to get out and support Estes over his Democratic challenger. And Estes had another influential GOP name stumping for him--Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who won the state in the
2016 Republican primaries. Trump, as well as Vice President Mike Pence recorded a robocall endorsing the candidate for the seat, and House Speaker Paul Ryan sent out a fundraising plea.
The district is solidly Republican--Trump won the district
in the general election by 27 points [while Estes won by only 7 points]. Meanwhile, the Democratic Campaign Committee did not spent money to help Thompson at all--and the Kansas State Democratic Party rejected his requests for funding mailers.
Source: KTLA-5 on 2017 Kansas House special election
Apr 11, 2017
Carl Brewer:
Bring everyone to the table, across party lines
Former Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer told said, "What sets me apart is my experience as mayor. I brought everyone to the table, from all political stripes. I involved everyone in the process." Brewer says that he would use the skills he honed at the local
level in Wichita to move the state forward."What people care about is quality of life. What we all want is not about party. I don't think what we all want has anything to do with whether you're a Democrat or Republican. We all want our children to
have a good education. We all want safe streets. We all want a wonderful infrastructure. We all want opportunities, and we all want new jobs & businesses in our communities."
Brewer talked about his ability to bring people together to solve problems.
More immediately relevant, however, will be his ability to get Republicans to cross party lines and vote for a Democrat, an imperative for victory in Kansas where only 25% of voters are registered Democrats.
Source: Topeka Capital-Journal on 2018 Kansas Gubernatorial race
Feb 26, 2017
Carl Brewer:
Hobby is competitive barbecuing: his sauce "Brewer's Best"
Brewer is not a household name outside of Wichita, so he has work to do to raise his profile. However, his story is compelling. Brewer served in the Kansas National Guard, commanding infantry and armored companies.
He worked as a sheet metal machinist and rose to leadership positions in the aviation industry.
He served on the Wichita City Council and was mayor from 2007 to 2015. He's an avid hunter and fisherman, and his hobby is competitive barbecuing, where he enters his signature barbecue sauces "Brewer's Best."
Oh, and one more thing: If elected, he would be the first black governor in the state's history.
Source: Topeka Capital-Journal on 2018 Kansas Gubernatorial race
Feb 26, 2017
Jerry Moran:
I led the fight to give Republicans control of the Senate
Q: Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.Moran: Matthew 22:36-40
Q: Considering all issues (social, economic, national security, etc.), which political philosophy best describes you?
Moran: Very Conservative
Q:
Please defend your answer to the previous question by referencing your publicly available track record.
Moran: In my career I have been endorsed by groups representing every facet of the conservative coalition, from the National Rifle Association to National Right to Life; from the Chamber of Commerce to the Farm Bureau.
In 2014, as head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, I led the fight to fire Harry Reid and give Republicans control of the Senate, putting a halt to President Obama's legislative agenda.
Source: 2016 AFA Action iVoterGuide on 2016 Kansas Senate race
Nov 8, 2016
Randall Batson:
Libertarian offers third choice between Orman and Roberts
The surveys testing matchups without Taylor were polling what was--until Thursday--a hypothetical race. Furthermore, the polls that didn't list Chad Taylor also didn't include Libertarian Randall Batson, as an option. Roberts has relatively poor approval
ratings among Republicans, and it could be that conservative voters who are dissatisfied with him will opt for Batson before Orman. Or perhaps not--but it's a choice they'll get to make in November, so the polls should probably allow them the option, too
Source: 538 blog on 2014 Kansas Senate race
Sep 19, 2014
Randall Batson:
Supports keeping God in the public sphere
Q: Do you support or oppose keeping God in the public sphere?
A: Support.
Source: Email interview on Kansas 2014 Senate race with OnTheIssues
Sep 19, 2014
Greg Orman:
I've tried both parties and didn't like either
Political newcomer Greg Orman made his debate debut against three-term incumbent Sen. Pat Roberts in a race that's drawing national attention. Roberts over and over again tied Orman, who is running as an independent, to Democrat leaders, particularly
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, whose campaign he donated to in the past. "He is not an independent. He is a liberal," said Roberts, at times turning from the podium to point a finger at Mr. Orman.But the businessman, dressed in blue jeans
and a tailored blazer, wasn't fazed. Orman took every chance to call Washington broken and point out the long tenure of Roberts there.
Orman repeatedly said he tried both parties and didn't like either. But Roberts wasn't buying it.
He pushed for Orman to better define who he would side with in the Senate, asking if he was going to be a Republican one day and a Democrat the next.
Source: Wall Street Journal on 2014 Kansas Senate debate
Sep 6, 2014
Chad Taylor:
Separation of church and state isn't a relevant issue
Q: What is your policy on separation of church & state?
A: Chad is a Catholic; but the issue of separation of church and state has not arisen in our discussions across the state during this campaign.
Source: Phone interview: 2014 Kansas Senate race OnTheIssues
Sep 3, 2014
Milton Wolf:
OpEd: Tea Party "wolfpack" support; but no apology for X-ray
Wolf accuses Roberts of "posing" like a conservative to save his job. "He does whatever Ted Cruz does," Wolf said. Yet as ripe as the conditions here are for a tea party upset--an entrenched GOP incumbent in a reddening state--Wolf has failed to
capitalize. The 43-year-old radiologist has been hobbled by a February report in the Topeka Capital-Journal that he had posted X-ray images of gunshot victims on his Facebook page along with macabre humor. (One decapitated man looked like a wounded
alien from a "Terminator" movie, Wolf wrote.)Wolf offered a non-apology apology for the X-ray postings, saying in the interview he was sorry "if I offended anybody." Critics, he said, seized upon a "few" comments "they didn't particularly like."
Still, Wolf points to what he calls his growing network of volunteers--or "wolfpack," as he calls it--and the roughly 75,000 voters with whom he says it has made contact as evidence that he's still in the hunt.
Source: Politico.com weblog on 2014 Kansas Senate race
Jul 8, 2014
Pat Roberts:
Group ratings more conservative in 2014 than in 2012
The end result is clear: Roberts has a substantially more conservative voting record in this Congress versus in 2012, according to ratings by Heritage Action, FreedomWorks, Club for Growth and the American Conservative Union. Indeed, in one campaign
leaflet, Roberts not only touts how Heritage Action now rates him as "one of the top 5 most conservative senators" but also that he "joined" Cruz's effort to defund ObamaCare last fall, an effort that triggered a two-week government shutdown.
[His primary opponent Milton] Wolf accuses Roberts of "posing" like a conservative to save his job. "He does whatever Ted Cruz does," Wolf said. Yet as ripe as the conditions here are for a tea party upset--an entrenched GOP incumbent in a reddening
state--Wolf has failed to capitalize. The 43-year-old radiologist has been hobbled by a February report in the Topeka Capital-Journal that he had posted X-ray images of gunshot victims on his Facebook page along with macabre humor.
Source: Politico.com weblog on 2014 Kansas Senate race
Jul 8, 2014
Pat Roberts:
Returns home to Kansas "every time I get an opponent"
Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) is again facing residency questions from his primary opponent after he misspoke in an interview, saying he returns home to Kansas "every time I get an opponent."In an interview with KCMO radio, Roberts was asked about reports
that he no longer lives in his home in Kansas and instead rents a room from donors when he returns to the state. That and further reports outlining his relatively infrequent visits home have dogged him; his primary [opponent] Milton Wolf hammers him as
out-of-touch with his state.
Roberts said his performance shouldn't be measured on where he lives. "I don't measure my competency or my record or the results--and I do get results--on where I put my head on a pillow," he said.
But pressed on the
residency issue, Roberts backed himself into a gaffe. "Every time I get an opponent--I mean, every time I get a chance, I'm home. I don't measure my, what, my record with regards as a senator as how many times I sleep wherever it is," he said.
Source: The Hill weblog on 2014 Kansas Senate race
Jul 3, 2014
Milton Wolf:
Judeo-Christian values established our government framework
Question topic: Efforts to bring Islamic law (shariah) to America do not pose a threat to our country and its Constitution.Wolf: Strongly Disagree.
Question topic: Judeo-Christian values established a framework of morality which permitted our system of limited government.
Wolf: Strongly Agree
Question topic: Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
Wolf: I am born-again Christian, humbled to stand in the presence of God and proud to call myself His son.
Source: Faith2Action iVoterGuide on 2014 Kansas Senate race
Jul 2, 2014
Greg Orman:
Fiscally conservative, socially tolerant independent
Q: Your biography states that you have spent many years as a disillusioned Republican and Democrat--how is your story a reflection of state and national politics?"The expectation in Kansas is that candidates run under a party label," Orman said. He
continued to say that this expectation does not line up with a new Gallup poll showing that 42 percent of Americans consider themselves independent voters. He was once hopeful that a two-party system could find solutions, but it has become clear that
neither party represents the values that average Americans share.
Orman describes himself as a fiscally conservative, socially tolerant candidate--and too often voters with mixed politics cannot find a home within either party. Plenty of research has
shown that the average American's political opinion is a blend of conservative and liberal ideals. Are people resistant to the idea of a blend of politics?
"There is definitely a strong psychological connection to party affiliations," Orman said.
Source: Independent Voter Project IVN.us on 2014 Kansas Senate race
Jun 30, 2014
Greg Orman:
We're sending the worst of both parties to Washington
Olathe businessman Greg Orman said he has tried both of the major political parties and been disappointed. "I didn't feel like either party fit me well as someone who is fiscally responsible and socially tolerant," Orman said. So he launched a petition
drive this week to get on the ballot as an independent candidate and campaign for the U.S. Senate seat held by Pat Roberts."Washington is broken," he said, "and we're sending the worst of both parties to Washington--people who are bitter partisans who
seem to care more about pleasing the extremists in their own party and the special interests than they do in solving problems."
He said Roberts is part of the problem. "He's taken a sharp turn to the right recently and ultimately I don't think
he's representing the best interests of Kansas," Orman said. Orman, a 1991 graduate of Princeton University, briefly ran against Roberts in 2008 as a Democrat before dropping out of the race.
Source: 2014 Kansas Senate debate coverage by Kansans For Life
Jun 5, 2014
Greg Orman:
2010 Common Sense Coalition: give voice to sensible center
He co-founded the Common Sense Coalition in 2010 to give a voice to what he called "the sensible center," those voters who don't feel represented by either party.
Orman said elected leaders of both parties are focused more on getting re-elected than solving problems. "I tried to work within the system but ultimately decided the only real way to make a difference is to challenge it," he said.
Source: 2014 Kansas Senate debate coverage by Kansans For Life
Jun 5, 2014
Greg Orman:
I consider myself fiscally conservative & socially tolerant
Greg Orman is banking on voters' frustration with partisanship on Capitol Hill as he runs as an independent for the Senate seat held by Pat Roberts. Running a nonpartisan campaign "is actually quite liberating," Orman said. He doesn't have to be
concerned with how his aims mesh with political party bosses, he said."I consider myself fiscally conservative and socially tolerant," Orman said. For about 13 of the last 14 years, Orman said, he has been registered as unaffiliated. He has supported
Republicans and Democrats, but he's contributed more to independent causes, he said. He declined to reveal how he voted in the 2012 presidential race between Democrat President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney, saying he
believed in the sanctity of the ballot.
In 2007, Orman prepared to run as a Democrat against Roberts. "I just didn't feel comfortable running with a party label," he said, and he soon withdrew from the race.
Source: The Hutchinson News on 2014 Kansas Senate race
Jun 5, 2014
Milton Wolf:
AdWatch: Roberts doesn't live in Kansas anymore
The Senate Conservatives Fund, which has endorsed Wolf, offered a defense of Wolf
[for his controversy of posting gruesome medical X-rays on Facebook].
The organization's contribution: "Pat Roberts is trying to smear Dr. Wolf because Roberts doesn't live in Kansas anymore and lied to voters about it for years."In recent weeks, the
Wolf campaign raised questions about the frequency Roberts returned to his Kansas residence in Dodge City. Wolf repeatedly questioned Roberts' residency status and referred to him as a U.S. senator from Virginia.
Source: Topeka Capital-Journal AdWatch on 2014 Kansas Senate race
Feb 23, 2014
Milton Wolf:
Career politicians are changed by Washington
Job security has rarely been an issue for Sen. Roberts, who has tended to his state's agricultural needs and delivered projects. He won with 60% of the vote in 2008, before the rise of the Tea Party, with its anti-establishment ethos, suspicion of
long-term Washington tenure and emphasis on ideological purity."I think career politicians are changed by Washington," said Milton Wolf, Roberts's opponent, who is a radiologist and a second cousin of President Obama on the president's maternal side.
Given the changing political climate, Gov. Brownback, [a conservative who served alongside Roberts in the Senate], says that Roberts is doing precisely what he needs to do to win another term. "Being active, being aggressive,
being conservative," the governor said. "He's got to get through a Republican primary, and people are pretty fired up about what's going on at the federal level."
Source: N.Y. Times on 2014 Kansas Senate race
Feb 7, 2014
Pat Roberts:
Resides in Virginia but votes in Kansas
It is hard to find anyone who has seen Senator Pat Roberts here at the redbrick house on a golf course that his voter registration lists as his home. The 77-year-old senator went to Congress in 1981 and [resides in] Alexandria, Va., where his wife is a
real estate brokerRoberts acknowledged that he did not have a home of his own in Kansas. The house on a Dodge City country club golf course that he lists as his voting address belongs to two longtime supporters and donors--C. Duane and
Phyllis Ross--and he says he stays with them when he is in the area. He established his voting address there the day before his challenger, Milton Wolf, announced his candidacy, arguing that Roberts was out of touch with his High Plains roots.
"I have full access to the recliner," the senator joked. Turning serious, he added, "Nobody knows the state better than I do." That assertion is disputed by Tea Party activists.
Source: N.Y. Times on 2014 Kansas Senate race
Feb 7, 2014
Sam Brownback:
Our dependence is not on Big Government but on a Big God
Today, the nation dithers while the path forward seems uncharted. America can't decide which way to go. Yet, the path forward is clear. Kansas is leading an American Renaissance--a return to the virtue and character that built this state and a great
nation in the first place.The path is NOT uncharted. We know the way. We must re-drill the wells that gave us life the first time. They will refresh and renew us again!
We rebuild our families so that [future] Kansans can know the value of a family---none of which is perfect. Yet we all aspire in them to be better, virtuous, just and righteous... that we might be blessed and a blessing.
Our dependence is not on
Big Government but on a Big God that loves us and lives within us. Our future is bright. Our renaissance is assured IF we move from dithering to action. Which way to choose? We know the way. God wrote it in our hearts.
Source: 2014 State of the State Address to Kansas legislature
Jan 15, 2014
Milton Wolf:
Obama is my cousin, but I oppose ObamaCare
When Barack Obama and I first met he had already become president and was furiously erecting the government-controlled health care system that bears his name and I had already begun a very public crusade to save America from it.
Fate would never reunite our mothers who grew up together as young girls, cousins and friends, after they were separated decades ago, but now their sons bridged a divide in our family that was created by decisions not our own.
It's not often that a president's most vocal critic comes from his own family, but I believe the inviolable oath I took to my patients demands that I oppose ObamaCare.[-- Milton R. Wolf, M.D., is a diagnostic radiologist, medial director and
cousin of President Barack Obama. He is the author of "First, Do No Harm" (Broadside Books "Voices of the Tea Party" series).]
Source: Milton Wolf OpEd on FoxNews.com: 2014 Kansas Senate race
May 10, 2011
Sam Brownback:
Five measurable, significant, achievable goals
My Administration will put forth five measurable, significant goals that cumulatively will help push our great state forward into better times with courage, humanity, and hope. They are: - Increase in net personal income
-
Increase in private sector employment
- Increase in the percentage of 4th graders reading at grade level
- Increase in the percentage of high school graduates who are college or career ready
- Decrease in the percentage of
Kansas' children who live in poverty
We are certainly subject to global currents largely out of our control, but we are not rudderless.
I believe these goals to be significant and achievable; successfully reaching them will change countless lives for the better and make the future of Kansas brighter.
Source: 2011 Kansas State of the State Address
Jan 12, 2011
John McCain:
5 principles for a great nation’s diplomacy
First, seek no substitute for American leadership in the defense of American interests and values. Second, we must protect our interests to promote our values and vice versa. Third, force has a role in but is not a substitute for diplomacy. Fourth, build
coalitions to protect our interests and values, don’t neglect our interests and values to build coalitions. Fifth and last, credibility is a strategic asset.
Source: Landon Lecture at Kansas State University
Mar 15, 1999
Page last updated: Oct 13, 2021