By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The GOP bus tour made a campaign stop in Hays on Wednesday.
Sen. Roger Marshall, Dan Hawkins, candidate for insurance commissioner, Steven Johnson, incumbent and candidate for treasurer, and Ty Masterson, candidate for governor, spoke to the crowd on the drizzling day.
“250 years, and what we know is that freedom is not free, and this is the time for patriots to stand up. And the next step is to get out and vote starting Monday morning,” Marshall said.
“The national media would like to make my race so complicated, and I think we just have to keep this real simple. What do Republicans do? What do Republicans stand for? Secure borders, a strong military and lower taxes.”
He said Democrats have voted against these key issues during the last two years.
“The Trump fence is going to be finished here in a couple of months. Fentanyl poisoning is going down. The murder rate is at a 100-year low,” Marshall said.
“I think we've seen how strong our military is out there right now, and then we gave you the biggest tax cut in American history. The Working Family Tax Cuts Bill meant $2,000 to $3,000 for a working family in the state of Kansas.”
He said moving forward, Republicans want to roll back regulations, cut wasteful spending and “throw fraudsters in jail.”
“The simplest way to save Medicare is to stop the fraud. There's $250 billion of fraud every year in Medicare, and we're going after that as well,” he said.
Marshall criticized his opponent, Democrat Adam Hamilton.
“We're here to tell you that he's the most liberal, radical Democrat to ever make it through a primary in the state of Kansas,” Marshall said.
“Don't let him fool you. He tries to be all things to all people. If he's with Second Amendment people, he's pro-Second Amendment. If he's with anti-gun people, he's anti-gun. He's pro-abortion. He's pro-life. Just depends on which group he's with. But let me tell you, he's a radical liberal Democrat, and his actions show it.”
Marshall added, “This is a guy who stands to protest police. This is a leading climate activist in the state of Kansas for decades. He's attacked the American cattle industry, farming industry, as well as the oil and gas industry.”
Marshall emphasized the importance of Republicans retaining the Senate.
“What are the consequences if Adam Hamilton would be elected? Chuck Schumer would control the Senate, and [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez], of course, would be controlling him. Cory Booker would be the head of the ag committee.
“And then let's remember the farm bill. Every Democrat voted against the farm bill. All right, every Democrat did. And what's to make us think that Adam Hamilton would be any different?”
After the rally, the Hays Post asked Marshall about the recent ICE raids in southwest Kansas.
“I've always believed in secure borders and safe families, and thank goodness we have those right now,” Marshall said. “I also want to say we have a broken immigration system, and for years I voted to fix that as well.
“I did have some concerns about ICE's operation in southwest Kansas. I've spoken to the secretary several times and continue to voice my complaints regarding that, and hopefully we can do a better job next time.”
The Hays Post asked whether Marshall was concerned about the tactics ICE used or the people targeted.
“Well, I think I'm still trying to track down what the exact truth is,” he said, “and that's why I met and continue meeting with law enforcement officers just to get to where and what the truth really was.
“I think there was lots of rumors out there, and it's too early for me to tell. But I want to. I'm trying to get to the bottom of [it],” Marshall said.
Dan Hawkins, candidate for Kansas insurance commissioner
Dan Hawkins, Kansas speaker of the House, is running for Kansas insurance commissioner.
He said he has 32 years of experience in the insurance industry, starting out as a life-only agent, and spending five years in the employee benefits arena.
“Insurance is a very complex subject, a very complex industry, as a matter of fact, and one that you want somebody that has experience, that has knowledge, and has a base that they can go from in everything we do when it comes to insurance,” he said.
He criticized his Democratic challenger, Dinah Sykes.
“Now, my opponent's a part-time personal chef. I have no idea what a personal chef has anything to do with the insurance, but I guess it's a free world,” Hawkins said.
He said the first thing he would do as insurance commissioner would be to look at rules and regulations.
“The cost affordability is an issue here in Kansas, and that's another thing. I really like seeing the Democrats finally figure out that affordability is an issue because, quite frankly, the Republicans have been dealing with it for years,” he said.
Hawkins will also face Ric Koehn, Libertarian candidate, in the General Election on Nov. 3
Steven Johnson, candidate for Kansas treasurer
“Making a plan is important. Sticking to it is also important. So that is things we've done with KPERS and other details for the state of Kansas,” Johnson said.
“I get to work to promote ownership and capitalism every day, and that's a big deal,” he said. “I enjoy that, but I believe the free market economy and entrepreneurship are what we build America on, and I believe it is the Kansas way.
“We talked about having the right message and the right people. The right message is that it is about freedom, free enterprise versus coercion, and government solutions.”
Johnson said he has 25 years of finance experience.
He said state legislators need to look critically at the budget to make sure resources are spent the right way.
Johnson will face Democrat Juan C. Luengo and Libertarian Eric Lund in the General Election.
Ty Masterson also spoke at the GOP stop. Read more about Masterson’s platform on the Hays Post.
Also attending the rally, but not speaking, were Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, 110th Kansas House District, and Barbara Wasinger, R-Hays, 111th Kansas House District.
SEE RELATED STORY: Candidates for the 110th, 111th Kansas House seats take on FHSU funding, taxes
See Hays Post questionnaires from the 111th candidates today and the 110th candidates next week.
Early voting starts Monday in Ellis County, and the General Election is Nov. 3