By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Republicans greeted local and statewide candidates, including gubernatorial candidate Kris Kobach, at Tiger Burgers in Hays on Saturday for a rally.
Kobach and the others urged voters to bring home a win for Republicans all the way down the ticket.
Kobach came on strong against his Democratic opponent Laura Kelly and the Democratic Party.
“It used to be back in the day, when Democrats wanted to win in Kansas, they acted like Republicans,” Kobach said.
Kobach used the example of former Gov. Joan Finney who went to Mike Hayden’s right on taxes, promising to reduce property taxes. She was also pro-life.
“We have a governor candidate, Laura Kelly, who is going full Bernie Sanders on us,” Kobach said. “She is taking a left-wing approach on every single issue. She is radically pro-choice. She makes [former Gov. Kathleen] Sebelius look conservative on the abortion issue.”
He noted Kelly voted against Alexa’s Law, which made it a separate charge when a pregnant woman is attacked. The fetus is considered a separate life.
“Laura Kelly voted for all of these massive taxes that makes us the high-tax state in a five-state area. You go to guns. She has an F rating from the NRA. I have an A+.
“You go to any issue — government growth, government spending. We are talking about continuing the progress [Gov.] Jeff [Colyer] and his team has made in shrinking government and making it more efficient. She is talking about all these program, and we will spend this, and spent that — millions, no, billions, and she has no idea where to pay for it. God forbid if she wins, it will be paid for by us taxpayers.”
Kobach said Kelly wants to continue to give in-state tuition to students who are here illegally.
“This is an election of stark contrasts,” he said. “Our side is consistent with the Republican Party platform, which is consistent with the beliefs of the people of Kansas. Her’s is consistent with the belief’s of the people of California.
“If we want to keep our state red, keep our state traditional, keep our state consistent with the values and constitutional principals that made our nation and our state great, we’ve got to win this thing and really fight hard.”
Republican Kansas House 111th District candidate Barbara Wasinger of Hays and Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, were also at the rally.
“Going door to door, I know that most people are tired of the negative stance that the Democrats are taking,” Wasinger said. “Their only fight against us is to pull us down with bad news, but we are the party of good news. We are the party of little government, lower taxes, and we want to be running the sate government.”
Rahjes noted the last thing conservative Republicans tried to do in the Kansas House was to give state taxpayers a tax refund based on money that came back to the state after federal tax changes. That measure failed to pass.
“Guess who did not vote to give you your money back? Every single Democrat, including and especially Laura Kelly,” Rahjes said.
Rahjes said the election will be all about turnout.
“If our friends and neighbors don’t vote, it is going to be a rough two years or four years. It is just that simple,” he said.
He continued, “The blue wave is going to be stopped by a red wall, and the Ellis County red wall is going to be strong and tall. It starts with Barb [Wasinger] and goes up. We need a Republican governor, folks.”
He also said Kansas needs a Republican governor to replace judges who will be retiring in the next four years.
Current Gov. Jeff Colyer, Lt. Gov. Tracey Mann, Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who is running for re-election, and as well as Kobach’s running mate, Wink Hartman, also appeared at the rally in Hays.