I'm Laura Kelly: This is why I want Kansas' vote in the midterm election

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I first ran for Governor in 2018 because Kansas was not living up to its potential. Our state was making national headlines for all the wrong reasons: underfunded schools, a budget in shambles, a stagnant economy, and crumbling roads and bridges. All because my predecessor put his own political agenda ahead of what was best for Kansans.

So I ran to get our state back on track, to steady the ship. And I’m proud of the work we’ve done these last four years to do just that.

We brought both parties together to deliver for Kansas. We fully funded our public schools to ensure every child in Kansas has access to a quality education no matter where they live. We balanced the budget and paid off state debt ahead of time. We implemented a bipartisan transportation plan, and now Kansas has over 1,000 infrastructure projects in the works.

We landed the largest economic development project in our state’s history, with Panasonic’s new production warehouse coming to De Soto, bringing $4 billion in new business investment to Kansas and 4,000 good-paying jobs with it.

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Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly speaks at the dedication and unveiling ceremony of a statue in honor of Amelia Earhart in Statuary Hall, at the Capitol in Washington, July 27, 2022.  (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

We also made a historic investment in law enforcement by increasing funding for public safety in the state budget by over $100 million. This funding will provide better equipment, better training facilities, pay raises for the state highway patrol, and more excellent public safety.

We cut $1 billion in taxes – including the food sales tax – for Kansas families, homeowners, teachers, veterans, and agriculture workers without breaking the bank. We also made the largest investment in Kansas’ Rainy Day fund so we are prepared for any emergency.

We invested in rural Kansas like never before, establishing the Office of Rural Prosperity to ensure rural Kansans had a seat at the table. I was the first Governor in state history to add funding for high-speed internet in the state budget, and we also established the Office of Broadband Development to help ensure rural communities could connect to high-speed internet.

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Democratic Governor of Kansas Laura Kelly delivers the keynote speech at the Emporia State University Constitution Day event for high school students, Emporia, Kansas, September 17, 2019. (Mark Reinstein/Corbis via Getty Images)

We’ve shown what happens when we elect middle-of-the-road, fiscally responsible leaders who put politics aside and work across the aisle to deliver for Kansans.

So now, with all we’ve accomplished these last four years, why would we risk going back under the leadership of one of my predecessor’s biggest enablers?

My opponent, Derek Schmidt, stood behind Sam Brownback’s agenda that tanked our economy, underfunded our public schools, and drained the Kansas Highway Fund. He defended Brownback’s cuts to public schools – opposed by our students, educators, and parents – in court, wasting at least $1.4 million taxpayer dollars in the process.

My opponent is running a campaign focusing on policies meant to divide us, not unite us. He is only focused on national partisan issues, not the issues that impact the day-to-day lives of Kansans.

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Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly plays up bipartisanship in latest ad (Laura Kelly campaign)

I am the only candidate in this race who is willing to work with both parties to get things done. The proof is in my record and the nearly 300 bipartisan bills I have signed into law. I’ve also been endorsed by many esteemed Kansas Republicans including Governors Mike Hayden and Bill Graves, Republican U.S. Senator Nancy Kassebaum, Republican Attorneys General Carla Stovall and Bob Stephan, and the hundreds of other Kansas Republicans who know I’ve spent my career putting Kansans above political party.

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Kansans face a really important choice this November. We can either stay on track – with an economy that’s growing, budgets that are balanced, law enforcement and schools that are fully funded, taxes that are lower – or, we can turn back the clock, and return to the same disastrous policies that broke our budgets and schools.

I am the only candidate in this race who is willing to work with both parties to get things done. The proof is in my record and the nearly 300 bipartisan bills I have signed into law. 

My opponent would like you to believe I’m someone that I’m not. But, I think Kansans know me. I think they know I’m pretty middle of the road. That I bring people together. Maybe I’m not flashy, but we have been effective. We’ve put party and politics aside, and instead we do what’s best for Kansas. It’s that simple.

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Now that we’ve steadied the ship, we’re well-positioned for big things. Our best days are ahead of us. And I know that we can make Kansas the very best place to live, work and raise a family in America. I hope to earn your vote again this November.

CLICK HERE TO READ AN OP-ED FROM THE AUTHOR’S OPPONENT: I’M DEREK SCHMIDT: THIS IS WHY I WANT KANSAS' VOTE IN THE MIDTERM ELECTION