I'm Rick Rupp and I'm a registered Democrat. Back in 2020 the pandemic hit us all very hard and my business was declared non-essential. I got hit very hard by that. I have been in business for over 50 years. I do a lot of work in this area for universities, schools and other businesses throughout most of Kansas.
I was very concerned because this is my livelihood. I frantically started calling around, talking to people to find out what was going to be happening. If schools, universities and businesses started closing, how am I going to make it? I heard the Kansas Department of Labor would let self-employed individuals apply for unemployment benefits and that if I wanted to participate, I needed to call the Department of Labor and was given a number.
I tried for three weeks — every single day for three weeks straight and I could not get through. Every single time I would be put on hold or they'd say something to the effect of "our lines are busy and we cannot accept any more calls at this time. Please call back. "
I became frustrated and worried because I was going through all of our savings that I worked very hard to build up. I needed help and I needed someone to talk to.
I happened to be in Hays one day and I was talking with a friend about what was going on. He gave me Barb Wasinger's phone number. I know Barb and her husband so I told him I would give it a try and let him know.
For the next two or three days I contemplated what I was going to say. So I did it. I called her. I asked her if there was any way she could help me. She asked me a few questions and told me she would make a few phone calls for me and would call me back.
Wow — she never asked me if I was a Republican or a Democrat — she just said she was going to help me. Two days later she called me back and told me someone from the Labor Department would call me. This was a Wednesday and on Friday they called me! The whole thing caught me off guard. They said your Representative Barb Wasinger has requested that we call you about your benefits. They went through the whole process with me and filled out papers for me. Within 2 weeks I had my benefits! My business would have closed without Barb's help.
So, I'm encouraging people to give Barb another 2 years and let's keep her in office!
She's working for us and she's for the people. She's not doing it for the political title she holds, she's doing it for the people in our District. Whether Republican or Democrat.
Vote for Barb and let's keep her in office!
Rick Rupp, Victoria