Voters slap down amendment. Masterson vs. Holscher. Marshall vs. Hamilton.

By Clay Wirestone | opinion editor

TOPEKA — Kansas voters Tuesday overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to rewrite the state constitution and elect Kansas Supreme Court justices, spiking a plan long coveted by Republicans who want more conservative rulings on issues including abortion and school funding.

About 62% of Kansans were voting “no” on the constitutional amendment with 593,695 votes counted as of 11:15 p.m.

“This victory is beyond gratifying,” said retired Supreme Court Justice Carol Beier, who opposed the amendment. “Kansans have made their wishes known, and those wishes are noble. The Kansas Supreme Court must remain fair and impartial for every citizen. It cannot and will not be bought to give a few an unfair advantage.”

The primary ballot asked voters to evaluate a proposal that would spike a 68-year-old system for selecting justices for the highest court, a system born out of scandal from an era when justices were elected and the governor had total control over selecting replacements.

The amendment instead would give voters the power to vote on candidates for the Supreme Court, and mega-donors the power to influence court decisions.

TOPEKA — Republican Ty Masterson rode President Donald Trump’s endorsement to victory Tuesday in a volatile and expensive seven-candidate gubernatorial primary, while Democrat Cindy Holscher shrugged off Gov. Laura Kelly’s blessing of a rival candidate to win the party’s nomination.

TOPEKA — Incumbent U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall will face United Methodist pastor Adam Hamilton in November’s U.S. Senate election.

Democratic voters participated in an unusually crowded primary with 11 candidates competing for viability, and Hamilton, who entered the race relatively late compared to other candidates, quickly became the frontrunner with record-breaking fundraising.

By Clay Wirestone

They did it again.

Kansans supporting abortion rights and public education turned out en masse Tuesday to send a decisive message to Republican power brokers determined to bring the state Supreme Court to heel.

Not on our watch, voters said. Not four years ago, not today.

TOPEKA — A Kansas judge took a sledgehammer to a slate of abortion restrictions dating back to 1997, ruling the state came up short in arguing the Kansas Legislature should be able to impose waiting periods, mandate abortion reversal disclosures and require doctors to obtain patients’ reasons for seeking an abortion.

TOPEKA — Primary election results brought few surprises for statewide offices as most candidates ran unopposed.

TOPEKA — U.S. Reps. Tracey Mann, Derek Schmidt, Sharice Davids and Ron Estes won their primaries Tuesday.

OKLAHOMA CITY — U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin this weekend implored states and cities to cooperate with federal immigration officials, which he said would lead to safer and lower-profile arrests and deportations.

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