By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post

When the GOP Clean Sweep bus tour rolled into Hays on Thursday morning blaring the hit song “Happy,” it was met with around 30 unhappy protestors from the Kansas National Education Association.

The tour bus was carrying Gov. Sam Brownback and several other state Republican candidates to a rally at Thirsty’s Brew Club and Grill, 2704 Vine.

“Our children can’t vote, but we can vote for them and we need to show people in Hays we care about public schools,” KNEA Cottonwood District President and Hays teacher Kim Schneweis said. “The governor keeps saying he has added money to public schools, but here we have seen much higher class sizes, we have seen program cuts, we have lost teachers — so we are not seeing it.”

In a group meeting after the GOP rally started inside the restaurant, Kansas NEA president Mark Farr spoke to the group.

“It is time to stand up, it’s time to raise our hands for public education,” Farr said, challenging protesters to continue to gin up votes for Democratic gubernatorial challenger Paul Davis.

Most polls have Davis and Brownback in a neck-and-neck race as the finish line nears.

Related story: If voters surge, Republicans win, Brownback says.