Kansas is at a turning point. Governor Laura Kelly cast her ballot today in the 2026 primary — for the first time in over two decades without her own name on it — and that moment is a reminder of something important: the power to choose Kansas's next leader belongs to Kansas voters, not to outside interests trying to tilt that process before we even get to November.
What worries me is the pressure I'm seeing to let federal influence shape who leads our state. Kansas has always been a place where we settle things ourselves. Our governor's race, our rules, our voters. When outside forces — whether through money, messaging, or political maneuvering — try to override what Kansans actually want, that's not democracy. That's someone else deciding they know better than we do. I've watched this state make hard choices through tough times, and I trust my neighbors to make this one, too. What I don't trust is anyone working to make that choice for us.
I'm asking you to stand up publicly for a clean, transparent, Kansas-run election process for the 2026 governor's race — free from federal overreach and outside interference. Make sure every eligible Kansan can participate, that the process stays accountable to state law, and that our Secretary of State's office has what it needs to run this election right. Kansas voters deserve to make this decision on our own terms.
Please take a clear public stand for keeping this election accountable to Kansans.
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