Kansas sees 2 political comeback bids in primary for open congressional seat
TOPEKA, Kansas — An open congressional seat in eastern Kansas inspired two political comeback attempts in the primary state Tuesday, one from the last Democrat in power and the other from a former Republican attorney general who lost the 2022 gubernatorial election.
Former Attorney General Derek Schmidt served three terms the support of former President Donald Trump in a five-way GOP race in the 2nd District. His two most formidable opponents were Shawn Tiffany, a rancher, and Jeff Kahrs, a top regional health official during the Trump administration.
The Democratic race pits former U.S. Rep. Nancy Boyda, who held the seat in 2007 and 2008, against Matt Kleinmann, a public health advocate and member of the University of Kansas’ 2008 national championship team. Boyda has positioned himself toward the political center, angering some party activists.
The district’s incumbent GOP delegate, who served two terms Jake LaTurner no longer spins.
Republican voters would also have to decide contested primaries in two other districts where incumbents are seeking re-election.
In Kansas City’s 3rd District, physician Prasanth Reddy is running against small business owner Karen Crnkovich for the right to challenge three-term U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, the lone Democrat in the state’s congressional delegation.
In the 1st District, which includes western Kansas, two-term U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann was expected to win over Eric Bloom, a farmer and real estate investor.
There were also contested primaries in some of the state’s 40 Senate and 125 state House districts, and for offices in Kansas’ 105 counties. Polls will remain open across the state from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time.
In the 2nd Congressional District, many Republicans saw Schmidt as the leading candidate, even before Trump’s “Complete and Total” support on social media, thanks to Schmidt’s name recognition from his narrow loss in 2022 to incumbent Democratic Governor Laura Kelly.
The former president called Schmidt an “America First Patriot” and added: “HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”
Yet Kahrs has bragged that Trump picked him to be a regional director at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and that he was a district director and senior adviser to LaTurner. Kahrs’ campaign touted him as a “conservative warrior,” playing on hard-right misgivings that have surrounded Schmidt during his two decades in electoral politics.
“I’m the only conservative who’s been tested in this race,” Kahrs said during a candidate forum broadcast by Topeka public broadcaster KTWU, an event Schmidt skipped.
Tiffany has run as a political outsider, often donning a cowboy hat during public appearances. In a mid-July forum on WIBW-TV in Topeka, he said the “radical left” has attacked the American dream and that “politicians — career politicians — have done nothing to stand up for us.”
In the Democratic race, Boyda supported LGBTQ+ rights in general, but said she opposes allowing transgender girls and women to play on female sports teams. She also called on President Joe Biden to finish his race for re-election the day after his disastrous debate performance, long before other Democrats.
In a KTWU-TV forum last week, Boyda defended running a centrist, “general election” campaign from the start. She pointed to the Democrats’ 10 straight losses since her sole victory in 2006. Eight were by 14 percentage points or more.
“Frankly, a large portion of the 2nd District is not going to trust a Democrat going to Washington, D.C.,” she said. “They want to make sure you’re moderate and independent.”
But Boyda’s stance on transgender athletes drew immediate criticism, with Kansas Young Democrats calling it “disgraceful” on X.
“I believe Democrats deserve a voice,” Kleinmann, Boyda’s primary opponent, said during last week’s forum. “Some of the bravest people I know in Kansas are Democrats in a very red district because they’re fighting for Kansas values, and those are the values I want to defend in Congress.”