FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:

Emma O’Brien
emma@kansasdems.org
August 4, 2022

 

ICYMI: REPUBLICAN LEADERS STAND BEHIND GOVERNOR LAURA KELLY OVER DEREK SCHMIDT HEADING INTO GENERAL ELECTION

Topeka, KS – Yesterday, Republican former elected officials came together to explain their support of Governor Laura Kelly for re-election this fall, over Derek Schmidt. Former Senate President Stephen Morris, former Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger, and former Representative Jan Kessinger all cited Governor Kelly’s bipartisan, moderate approach to governing, ability to bridge the political divide, and accomplishments she’s made in her first term as to why they were supporting her for re-election. The three agreed changing course by electing a new Governor – especially one that stood behind Sam Brownback and his reckless “tax experiment” – was unwise.

Read more here, or key quotes below: 

  • “Former Kansas Senate President Steve Morris, former Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger and former state Rep. Jan Kessinger affirmed their endorsements of Kelly during a Wednesday event set up by the Kansas Democratic Party. Each outlined why reelection of the Democratic governor was in the state’s interests, including Republicans.”
  • “‘Now is certainly not the time to change course,’ Praeger said. ‘We’ve come a long way in four years. She inherited a pretty dismal budgetary situation.’ ‘She was focused on policy and not on partisan politics, which I found to be very refreshing,’ Kessinger said.”
  • “‘Who is the real Derek Schmidt?’ said Kessinger, who served four years in the Kansas House. ‘That’s a question I would have.’”
  • “A feature of Kelly’s campaign has been her ability to convince Republicans to cross the partisan divide to endorse her candidacy. Earlier this year more than 160 GOP members, including former National Committeewoman Alicia Salisbury and former Attorney General Robert Stephan, joined a coalition backing her.”

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