JOHNSON COUNTY, Kan. — Kansas' third district now is a swing district. A democrat held the seat at the turn of the century, followed by a republican, then current representative Sharice Davids flipped it again.
Republican Amanda Adkins, who’s vying for the congressional seat in Tuesday’s election, said she believes canvassing neighborhoods is the way to make strides in getting residents to give her a fighting chance.
"Once people actually understand who I am, they understand, you know, what I've done in business and in health care right here in this community,” Adkins told 41 Action News on Monday, “understand that I chose to raise my children here, that I've been married here for more than 20 years.”
So far, it's already convinced some voters.
Adkins is up against democratic incumbent Sharice Davids, who flipped the house seat blue in 2018.
On this election eve, Davids took time to thank those working to keep her on Capitol Hill. This time around, Davids said it goes beyond name recognition.
"People are really looking at candidates that are on the ballot and asking the questions like, ‘Who are you here for? Are you here for the community? Are you here for special interests?’" Davids told 41 Action News.
It's a message she took to supporters Monday night in Overland Park.
"We got to be part of something so huge in 2018,” Davids said. “We got to be part of resetting expectations, who we elect about who runs for office, about the ways that we support people.”
It resonated with Lisa Ryder and her children, who were among the dozens in attendance.
"It is the most important election that I've ever been a part of since I've been able to vote," Ryder said. "And so for them to see how important it is and for years to come, how important things are, to get out [to] vote and to be a part of something bigger."
A spokesperson for Davids' campaign said the representative voted early, two weeks ago.
Her challenger, Adkins, will cast her ballot Tuesday morning at a church in Leawood.
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