During a recent debate with Rep. Barb Wasinger, Democrat Hammond said we needed a statesman and not a warrior. Take a minute and think about those two words. A statesman is an experienced and skilled political leader, while a warrior is brave, engaged, and fights the good fight. Hammond’s record suggests that he is neither.
Hammond told podcaster Gary Shorman this summer that he only became a Democrat in May after having previously been a Republican.In other words, he chose to sign on up with the Democratic Party just as it has given us rising crime, high gas prices, and the worst inflation we have seen in decades. It’s also trying to warp our children:The Topeka Capital-Journal reported that Department of Commerce records show Kelly’s administration provided a $10,000 state grant to an organization called OpenStudios. Meanwhile, the group’s Facebook page shows it organized a drag show featuring performers with names like “Pseudocide.”
However, Hammond said that he chose to run as a Democrat because it would be too difficult to challenge Wasinger in a primary race. Are these the actions of a statesman or an opportunist?
At another point in the debate, Hammond told a story about a friend who supposedly had to travel out of state for an abortion at 8 months in order to save her life. First off, a third trimester abortion takes several days to complete, so if she was truly facing an emergency then her doctor would have ordered an emergency C-section. Second, the Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade (1973) and reaffirmed in Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey (1992) that states had to permit late-term abortion if a woman’s health would be negatively impacted. So either this story happened over 50 years ago or it didn’t happen at all. Is that worthy of a statesman?
Finally, Hammond complained about “dark money” in this year’s election. Well, I recently received a four page flier supporting Gov. Kelly. It was paid for by the Kansas Values Institute, whose donors are teacher unions, abortion related organizations and the Democratic Governors Association. Does a statesman embrace double standards?
The fact is, we need someone who is a statesman AND a warrior, and Barb Wassinger is both. She can work with others in Topeka to get things done but will fight for her principles. Barb has my vote and I hope she has yours!
Ruth Legleiter, Hays