By Sherman Smith | editor-in-chief
Good morning! Monday is the filing deadline for candidates, and election season is already heating up. Anna Kaminski has more reporting on the conflict between Democrats in the U.S. Senate race, Tim Carpenter examines an Iowa gubernatorial candidate’s close ties to Kansas, and Baya Burgess covered Scott Schwab’s unveiling of his running mate for Kansas governor.
Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector
Kansas Democrat’s campaign manager created website with documents used in attack on political rival
TOPEKA — Kansas U.S. Senate candidate Patrick Schmidt’s campaign manager left his digital footprint on documents uploaded to a website that linked a political rival to complaints about how he handled reports of child sex abuse.
The website appeared hours after a similar-looking one featuring Adam Hamilton’s name and photo at the top disappeared, which Schmidt denied being associated with.
Schmidt and Hamilton are among 11 Democrats who have announced a run to secure the nomination to challenge Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall. Hamilton has been considered the Democratic frontrunner since he declared in early May.
Schmidt, a state Senator from Topeka, went public with accusations Wednesday, calling for Hamilton to withdraw from the race. Schmidt claimed Hamilton, pastor of the Kansas City-area United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, didn’t do enough to protect children who suffered abuse at the hands of a church youth camp volunteer in 2005 and 2006.
Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch
Co-founder of Wichita private school contending for Iowa GOP’s gubernatorial nomination
TOPEKA — Private school founder, farmer and businessman Zach Lahn is running an insurgent Republican campaign for governor in Iowa.
The former Kansan has labeled this outsider bid as an “Iowa First” campaign. He’s opposed abortion and high taxes, but defended gun rights, school vouchers and religious freedom. He told Iowa voters he admired President Donald Trump’s tenacious fight against the political establishment.
Getty Images
OPINION
10,000 Kansas children have lost food assistance because voters sat on the sidelines in 2024
By Clay Wirestone
Political indifference will kill Kansans.
In 2024, 57.2% of Kansans voting in the presidential election cast their ballots for Donald Trump. At the time, commentators pointed out that a tidal wave of rightwing proposals would shortly swamp the United States, harming the most vulnerable.
Of the state's 2 million registered voters, more than 700,000 abstained. They could have made a difference. Now that crimson wave has begun to hit, and Kansans are being harmed — including many who voted for Trump or decided against participating.
GOP secretary of state files to run for Kansas governor, picks representative as running mate
Republican Secretary of State Scott Schwab officially filed to run for Kansas governor on Friday, selecting Rep. Ken Rahjes of Agra as his running mate.
Rahjes represents the Graham County area in western Kansas and chairs the House Agriculture Committee.
Trump’s ‘anti-weaponization’ fund blocked for now by federal judge
A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from moving forward with a fund that opponents fear will be used to pay off the president’s political allies.
Flesh-eating screwworms head for American livestock
Southern states are bracing for a potential invasion of the New World screwworm that could disrupt livestock markets and raise already high meat prices.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Kansas Reflector staff will participate in the following free public forums.
6:30 p.m. June 12, Kansas Museum of History in Topeka. Opinion editor Clay Wirestone will join a panel discussion: "From the Desk of William Allen White: What Can Journalism Today Learn from the Sage of Emporia?"
5:30 p.m. June 16, Bradbury Alumni Center at Washburn University in Topeka. Editor-in-chief Sherman Smith will lead a discussion on the proposed constitutional amendment to elect Kansas Supreme Court justices. Host: Kansas Appleseed. Register here.
6 p.m. June 24, Groover Labs in Wichita. Editor-in-chief Sherman Smith will lead a discussion on the proposed constitutional amendment to elect Kansas Supreme Court justices. Host: Kansas Appleseed. Register here.
6 p.m. June 25, Clint Bowyer Community Building in Emporia. Editor-in-chief Sherman Smith will lead a discussion on the proposed constitutional amendment to elect Kansas Supreme Court justices. Host: Kansas Appleseed. Register here.
7 p.m. June 27, Park City Senior Center. Host: Park City Community Pride.
2 p.m. Sept. 27, Red Rocks Visitor Center in Emporia. Host: Red Rocks.
If you're interested in having us talk in your town, email Sherman Smith at [email protected].
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