KSHB 41 reporter Charlie Keegan covers political issues impacting the Kansas City region. Have a story idea to share with Charlie? Send him an e-mail.
—
A new political action committee wants to make politics in Kansas boring.
The group is called Kansans First, and is endorsing moderate candidates in the upcoming primary election.
Jan Kessinger, a former Kansas state senator, is a member of the PAC formed in January by a bipartisan group of former legislators and strategists.
"Boring is very good," Kessinger said. "It allows you to go on living and not say what went wrong today."
Members of Kansans First believe moderate politicians will work for the people instead of attacking each other.
"Partisan politics isn’t listening to the people," he said. "That’s what Kansans First is looking to do, is be able to have to elect people who will represent people."
The group will mostly endorse Republicans.
Kansans First is partly in response to Gov. Laura Kelly’s Middle of the Road PAC, which mostly endorses moderate Democrats.
Voters casting an advance ballot ahead of Aug. 6 primary election told KSHB 41 News they like the approach and would appreciate candidates putting constituents ahead of party politics.
"Worry more about issues for the people and stop worrying about their power and their greed, we might be getting somewhere," said Sue Reyes, a voter.
"We want representatives who are forward-looking, not backwards," Ken Fite said. "We need to be problem solvers."
“It is divisive and it gets exhausting, but, to me, I think it just motivates me to do what I have to do, and what I have to do is vote," Glenda Hernandez said.
Working together is very important, and that’s how I roll," Christina Calvert said.
Kansans First is pushing for state leaders to fully fund public education, expand Medicaid, reform taxes, and make the state more business friendly.
Skeptics of the PAC question whether the moderate approach lives up to true Republican ideals.
To the see endorsement from Kansans First in the August primary, visit this link.
—