By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
A Russell County candidate for county commission has reported that her campaign signs have been stolen and vandalized but expressed frustration about the response from local law enforcement.
Republican Jamie Gage, a candidate for Russell County Commissioner in District 5, said in the past month, her promotional materials, ranging from yard signs to large banners, have been stolen or defaced.
"The signs had been written all over with marker, with derogatory nasty comments and displayed them in my hometown Bunker Hill," she said.
In addition, Gage said about 500 defamatory flyers were printed and distributed in businesses and on car windshields in Bunker Hill and Dorrance. The flyers were also mailed.
Gage said two large banners have been stolen, with the most recent theft occurring on Tuesday on 193rd Street in Bunker Hill.
According to Gage, there are eight suspects involved in attempts to undermine her campaign, including family members from outside the county.
"[My mother-in-law] is the one that printed them out and displayed them at a couple of bars in Dorrance, our gas station here in Bunker Hill and a couple of businesses in Russell, one of which was Dollar General," she said.
Gage said she was the alleged victim in a pending assault case from an incident at a bar in Dorrance. She claims that individuals involved in that assault are also allegedly participating in the theft of her campaign signs.
She said she is familiar with the suspects, as she and her husband have previously offered them financial assistance and employment.
"Some of these people involved were people that my husband and I have helped," she said. "It's sad that my husband's family is doing this for no reason. There's absolutely no reason."
Gage said she has received threats and is hesitant to appear in public because of these incidents.
"There's been death threats made on my life to where I can't even go out in public or large crowds," she said.
Gage has filed a report at the Russell County Sheriff's Office, but she said she is dissatisfied with their investigation. While the sheriff's department said it is actively investigating, it did not provide a statement.
Republicans Mitch Driscoll, Kevin Mravinec, Alan Kuntzsch, Anthony Mahoney, and Jamie Gage, along with Democrat Tom Mahoney, are running for Russell County Commissioner in District 5 in the Kansas primary election on Aug. 6.