TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Latest on the Kansas primary (all times local):
8:30 a.m.
Voters are casting ballots in a hot primary race that could unseat congressman Tim Huelskamp.
His contentious race against Great Bend obstetrician Roger Marshall in the 1st District is the state’s marquee congressional primary Tuesday.
Sixty-two-year-old Randy Hatch, of Alma, voted for Marshall. The retired welder said a key issue is Huelskamp’s being booted from the House Agriculture Committee in late in 2012 amid disputes with GOP leaders over farm and fiscal legislation.
He said that, “From what you hear, Huelskamp doesn’t seem to be on the farmers’ side.”
Twenty-two-year-old Joan Davy, of Alma, voted for Huelskamp and said “a lot of the farmers around here are supporting him.” The 911 dispatcher said she was put off by the negative tone of the campaign and negative radio ads attacking Huelskamp.
7:20 a.m.
Polls have opened in Kansas’ primary election.
Republican voters in western and central Kansas are deciding a hot primary race Tuesday that could unseat congressman Tim Huelskamp.
His contentious race against Great Bend obstetrician Roger Marshall in the 1st District is the state’s marquee congressional primary.
Voters are deciding whether Huelskamp’s willingness to buck party leaders in Washington reflects a much-needed streak of independence or a character flaw that prevents him from being effective.
Meanwhile, moderate Republicans are making the election a referendum on the state’s budget problems and education funding as they try to oust conservative incumbents from the Legislature.
More than two dozen GOP legislators face primary opponents Tuesday. Most are allies of Republican Gov. Sam Brownback.
Polls are to remain open until 7 p.m. local time.
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5:55 a.m.
Republican voters in western and central Kansas are deciding a hot primary race that could unseat congressman Tim Huelskamp.
They were deciding Tuesday whether Huelskamp’s willingness to buck party leaders in Washington reflects a much-needed streak of independence or a character flaw that prevents him from being effective.
His contentious race against Great Bend obstetrician Roger Marshall in the 1st District is the state’s marquee congressional primary. A central issue is Huelskamp’s being booted from the House Agriculture Committee late in 2012 amid disputes with GOP leaders over farm and fiscal legislation.
U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran and U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder in the 3rd District in the Kansas City area also face challengers in the Republican primary. But they were expected to defeat their relatively unknown opponents easily.
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5:55 a.m.
Moderate Republicans are making Kansas’ primary election a referendum on the state’s budget problems and education funding as they try to oust conservative incumbents.
More than two dozen GOP legislators face primary opponents Tuesday. Most are allies of Republican Gov. Sam Brownback and continue to support his experiment in cutting state income taxes to stimulate the economy.
They included Senate Majority Leader Terry Bruce.
The voting occurs against the backdrop not only of the state’s fiscal woes but ongoing legal and political disputes over funding for public schools.
The state Supreme Court could rule by the end of the year on whether the Legislature is shorting schools on their state aid by hundreds of millions of dollars a year.
Polls are open until 7 p.m. local time.