Brenda Bandy could flip a competitive State House District

 

Brenda Bandy (D) is running against Stacy Kohlmeier (R) for the Kansas House, the lower chamber of the Kansas Legislature, in District 67.

Dist. 67 is located in the western part of Manhattan, Kansas.

Brenda Bandy is a co-founder of the Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition.
Stacy Kohlmeier is a former chair of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce.

 

The election is for an open seat, because incumbent State Representative Angel Roeser (R) chose not to run for reelection. 

Here is a map of Dist. 67. 

Dist. 67 is one of the most competitive State House districts in Kansas.

In 2022, Mike Dodson (R) won Dist. 67 by 4.8% or 420 votes.

In 2024, Angel Roeser (R) won Dist. 67 by 4.9%, or 529 votes.

On a good night for Democrats, Brenda Bandy could flip Dist. 67 from red to blue.

And Democrats only need to flip 5 seats to break the Republican Supermajority in the Kansas House.

The Candidates

Here is the article the Manhattan Mercury wrote about Brenda Bandy.

Here is the article the Manhattan Mercury wrote about Stacy Kohlmeier.

Stacy Kohlmeier won a contested Republican Primary.

Brenda Bandy and Stacy Kohlmeier are reasonable candidates.

Their campaigns focus primary on their goals, rather than on specific policies they support to achieve those goals.

While these lofty aspirations aren’t particularly specific, they illuminate the kind of campaigns the candidates are running.

Brenda Bandy wants to lower costs, support working Kansans, invest in public education, and restore common sense at the Capitol, according to her campaign website.

Stacy Kohlmeier wants to support strong public schools, invest in our local workforce, encourage economic growth, practice responsible fiscal stewardship, and strengthen our communities, according to her campaign website.

On her campaign website, Brenda Bandy (D) says she opposes school vouchers and tax breaks for parents who send their children to private schools.

Bandy also wants the Kansas Legislature to fully fund special education.

In interviews with the Manhattan Mercury, both Brenda Bandy (D) and Stacy Kohlmeier (R) called attention to the State Legislature's failure to fully fund Special Education.

In September, Brenda Bandy (D) discussed her Manhattan Roots at the Rally for Democracy.

The Republican Supermajority

Because Brenda Bandy (D) and Stacy Kohlmeier (R) are very similar candidates, voters should consider how each candidate would affect the balance of power in the Kansas Legislature.

As far as I can tell, Stacy Kohlmeier is a reasonable candidate.

But the Republican Supermajority in the Kansas Legislature has been a disaster for the state.

Since 2011, Republicans have held two-thirds supermajorities in both chambers of the Kansas Legislature.

The Republican supermajority allows Republican legislators to override a governor’s veto with only Republican votes.

This grants Republicans the ability to pass laws without support from any Democrats.

Kansas Republicans have been focused on passing anti-trans laws.

It has been one of their top priorities in recent years.

Earlier this year, Republicans in the Kansas Legislature overrode a veto from Gov. Laura Kelly (D), to pass a draconian anti-trans bill into law.

All of the members of the Kansas Legislature who voted to overturn Kelly's veto were Republicans.

The law prevents transgender people from obtaining identity documents that reflect their gender identity, and makes it illegal for transgender people to use certain restrooms and locker rooms in government buildings.

The Republican two-thirds supermajority also allows Republicans to advance constitutional amendments to a public vote, without the need to secure support from any Democrats in the Legislature.

In Jan. 2021, both chambers of the Kansas Legislature advanced a state constitutional amendment that would give the Legislature the legal authority to ban abortion.

All members of the Legislature who voted for the proposed amendment were Republicans.

In Aug. 2022, Kansas voters decisively rejected the proposed amendment by 18%.

Kansas Republicans remain determined to eliminate abortion rights in the state, although their efforts to overturn a State Supreme Court decision protecting abortion rights have thusfar been unsuccessful.

Kansas Republicans have also tried to cut taxes for the rich by replacing the state's progressive income tax with a flat income tax.

The Republican Supermajority in the Kansas Legislature has been a disaster for the state.

They pass draconian anti-trans laws, try to take away abortion rights, and attempt to cut taxes for the rich.

They do this while refusing to adopt policies that would actually help the state, such as Medicaid Expansion.

Conclusion

Both Brenda Bandy (D) and Stacy Kohlmeier (R) are fine candidates.

But Republican Leadership in the Kansas Legislature has been absolutely horrible.

I endorse Brenda Bandy (D) for State Representative in Dist. 67 for the Kansas House.

We only need to flip 5 seats to break the Republican Supermajority in the Kansas Legislature.

Dist. 67 would be a great place to start.

Sydney Carlin

I don't plan to write a separate article about the election for the Kansas House in Dist. 66, located in the eastern part of Manhattan, Kansas.

I endorse Sydney Carlin for State Representative in Dist. 66 for the Kansas House.

Sydney Carlin (D) spoke at the Rally for Democracy, where she discussed her time in Kansas Politics.