By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/03/state-legislative-races-democrats-hoping-to-dismantle-republican-supermajority-on-election-night/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA —
 Republicans retained their supermajority hold over the Kansas House and
 Senate on Tuesday, handing a crushing defeat to the Democratic Party 
despite record turnout and fundraising.

Many
 eyes were on the top of the ticket ahead of Tuesday’s election, but 
results in races for the Kansas Legislature could influence other 
elections for years to come with redistricting on the docket for the 
next batch of legislators.

Republicans
 have held a supermajority in the Kansas House for a decade and in the 
Kansas Senate for even longer. If Election Night results hold, 
Republicans will be able to override any vetoes made by Gov. Laura 
Kelly, a Democrat elected in 2018.

The
 Democratic Party’s easiest path to avoid this scenario was to flip one 
seat in the 125-member Kansas House. Flipping three seats in the 
40-member Senate would have also done the trick.

Results
 thus far, albeit unofficial as more mail-in ballots and provisional 
ballots will be counted in the coming days, indicate Democrats won’t 
just fall short of that goal, they may lose seats. Republicans gained two seats in the state House and one seat in the Senate on Election Night.

In the 19th Senate 
District, Rick Kloos, the Republican nominee, defeated incumbent Anthony
 Hensley, the Kansas Legislature’s longest-serving member, by 800 votes.
 Kloos, who celebrated his victory at the Pizza Parlor in East Topeka, 
said he felt he was chosen for this moment.

“All of us were placed 
here for a reason and I believe that I was placed here to serve the 
people of District 19 and the state of Kansas for a reason,” Kloos said.
 “I will do my best to reach out and continue to reach out to the 
community around us.”

In
 the neighboring 18th Senate District, Kristen O’Shea, a Republican 
business owner, leads Tobias Schlingensiepen, a local pastor by 6,000 
votes. Both sides had characterized the other as <a href="https://www.cjonline.com/news/20201012/in-senate-district-18-race-both-view-other-side-as-rsquoextremersquo">“too extreme” for Kansas</a>.

Terry
 Frederick, a Republican, leads Democratic incumbent Jennifer Day with 
all precincts reporting in the 48th House District and 23-year old Avery Anderson, a Republican, knocked off Democratic Incumbent Tim Hodge in the 72nd House District.

In
 Johnson County, several competitive races garnered attention for their 
potential to flip from red to blue. Results show this is not likely to 
occur, barring an influx of by-mail or provisional ballots.

In the State House, 
Johnson County voters put their backing behind Speaker of the House Ron 
Ryckman, an Olathe Republican, for his fifth consecutive term. 
Democratic challenger Kathy Meyer fell short by over 600 votes.

“I’m proud to have run on 
our record of common sense,” Ryckman said. “Together, I know we can get 
our schools, our economy and our lives safely back to normal.”

Republican
 nominee Beverly Gossage, 21,688 votes, holds a lead over Democratic 
nominee Stacey Knoell, 19,641 votes in the 9th Senate District with all 
precincts reporting. Gossage was chosen to replace Sen. Julia Lynn, who <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/09/11/judge-grants-sen-julia-lynns-request-to-be-removed-from-november-ballot/">withdrew to provide care for her sister</a>.

The 8th Senate District, the vacancy left
 by retiring Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning, did flip as Democratic 
nominee Cindy Holscher, who currently represents the 16th House 
District, leads Republican opponent James Todd by just under 3,500 votes with all precincts reporting. 

Next
 door in the 7th Senate District, the Democratic seat vacated by U.S. 
Senate candidate Barbara Bollier, newcomer Ethan Corson, the Democratic 
nominee, leads Laura McConwell, the Republican Nominee, by nearly 9,000 
votes with all precincts reporting.

Kansans
 will have to wait beyond Tuesday night for results in some legislative 
races, although it appears the supermajority will hold. Thousands of 
by-mail ballots have yet to be returned, and provisional and write-in 
ballots will not be counted until after the election.

In
 Wyandotte County, that means Democratic incumbent Stan Frownfelter, who
 launched a write-in campaign after losing to 19-year old Aaron Coleman 
in the primary, will have to wait to see any votes for him counted. Republican Kristina Smith is also running a write-in campaign in the 37th, a district that leans strongly Democratic.

When votes are counted, it
 appears Coleman will take home the victory. The Wyandotte County 
election office reported Coleman received 3,496 and thus far only 2,013 
write-in ballots have been cast for any candidate.

The
 outcome is not likely to affect the fight for or against the 
Republican-held supermajority, barring a miracle comeback from Smith.

With
 all seats up for reelection in both the State House and the Senate, 
Democrats had felt confident in their ability to flip the needed seats.

“We
 are in a good place,” Kelly said before the majority of results came 
in. “We have Democrats all across the state running really aggressive 
campaigns to take back our state.”

House
 Minority Leader Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat currently in the lead in
 the 95th House District, echoed Kelly in confidence that the Republican
 supermajority would end this election cycle.

Democrats raised a record amount of money this election cycle, Sawyer said.&nbsp;

The
 outcome of the 2020 election could have a lasting impact because the 
legislators elected this year will be tasked with redrawing lines for 
federal congressional districts and state legislative districts based on
 results from the 2020 census. With a supermajority, Republicans could 
dismiss any vetoes made by the governor on their maps.

Attention
 to redistricting has increased in the wake of retiring Senate President
 Susan Wagle’s call to redraw districts to the advantage of Republicans.

“So
 redistricting, it’s right around the corner. And if Governor Kelly can 
veto a Republican bill that gives us four Republican congressmen that 
takes out Sharice Davids up in the 3rd — we can do that,” Wagle <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/09/senate-president-susan-wagle-embraces-gerrymandering-to-benefit-gop-in-kansas/">told a gathering of Republicans in September</a>.
 “I guarantee you we can draw four Republican congressional maps. But we
 can’t do it unless we have a two-thirds majority in the Senate and 
House.”

Wagle’s
 comments inflamed Democrats who accused state GOP legislators of using 
gerrymandering tactics to benefit their agenda rather than the needs of 
Kansans. The Kansas Democratic Party called on Republican legislators 
and candidates to reject Wagle’s position and instead support a 
bipartisan approach.&nbsp;

“Instituting
 a nonpartisan redistricting commission would guarantee fair electoral 
maps in 2020,” said KDP chair Vicki Hiatt. “Voters should choose their 
elected officials, not the other way around.”

If
 Democrats had been able to break the Republican supermajority, GOP 
legislators would have needed to work with the other party to guarantee 
the maps were approved by Kelly.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604500323522.png" alt="Republicans have held a supermajority in the Kansas House for a decade and in the Kansas Senate for even longer. Democrats hoped to change this by flipping one seat in the 125-member Kansas House or three seats in the 40-member Senate. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Republicans have held a supermajority in the Kansas House for a decade and in the Kansas Senate for even longer. Democrats hoped to change this by flipping one seat in the 125-member Kansas House or three seats in the 40-member Senate. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/03/state-legislative-races-democrats-hoping-to-dismantle-republican-supermajority-on-election-night/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA —
 Republicans retained their supermajority hold over the Kansas House and
 Senate on Tuesday, handing a crushing defeat to the Democratic Party 
despite record turnout and fundraising.Many
 eyes were on the top of the ticket ahead of Tuesday’s election, but 
results in races for the Kansas Legislature could influence other 
elections for years to come with redistricting on the docket for the 
next batch of legislators.Republicans
 have held a supermajority in the Kansas House for a decade and in the 
Kansas Senate for even longer. If Election Night results hold, 
Republicans will be able to override any vetoes made by Gov. Laura 
Kelly, a Democrat elected in 2018.The
 Democratic Party’s easiest path to avoid this scenario was to flip one 
seat in the 125-member Kansas House. Flipping three seats in the 
40-member Senate would have also done the trick.Results
 thus far, albeit unofficial as more mail-in ballots and provisional 
ballots will be counted in the coming days, indicate Democrats won’t 
just fall short of that goal, they may lose seats. Republicans gained two seats in the state House and one seat in the Senate on Election Night.In the 19th Senate 
District, Rick Kloos, the Republican nominee, defeated incumbent Anthony
 Hensley, the Kansas Legislature’s longest-serving member, by 800 votes.
 Kloos, who celebrated his victory at the Pizza Parlor in East Topeka, 
said he felt he was chosen for this moment.“All of us were placed 
here for a reason and I believe that I was placed here to serve the 
people of District 19 and the state of Kansas for a reason,” Kloos said.
 “I will do my best to reach out and continue to reach out to the 
community around us.”In
 the neighboring 18th Senate District, Kristen O’Shea, a Republican 
business owner, leads Tobias Schlingensiepen, a local pastor by 6,000 
votes. Both sides had characterized the other as <a href="https://www.cjonline.com/news/20201012/in-senate-district-18-race-both-view-other-side-as-rsquoextremersquo">“too extreme” for Kansas</a>.Terry
 Frederick, a Republican, leads Democratic incumbent Jennifer Day with 
all precincts reporting in the 48th House District and 23-year old Avery Anderson, a Republican, knocked off Democratic Incumbent Tim Hodge in the 72nd House District.In
 Johnson County, several competitive races garnered attention for their 
potential to flip from red to blue. Results show this is not likely to 
occur, barring an influx of by-mail or provisional ballots.In the State House, 
Johnson County voters put their backing behind Speaker of the House Ron 
Ryckman, an Olathe Republican, for his fifth consecutive term. 
Democratic challenger Kathy Meyer fell short by over 600 votes.“I’m proud to have run on 
our record of common sense,” Ryckman said. “Together, I know we can get 
our schools, our economy and our lives safely back to normal.”Republican
 nominee Beverly Gossage, 21,688 votes, holds a lead over Democratic 
nominee Stacey Knoell, 19,641 votes in the 9th Senate District with all 
precincts reporting. Gossage was chosen to replace Sen. Julia Lynn, who <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/09/11/judge-grants-sen-julia-lynns-request-to-be-removed-from-november-ballot/">withdrew to provide care for her sister</a>.The 8th Senate District, the vacancy left
 by retiring Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning, did flip as Democratic 
nominee Cindy Holscher, who currently represents the 16th House 
District, leads Republican opponent James Todd by just under 3,500 votes with all precincts reporting. Next
 door in the 7th Senate District, the Democratic seat vacated by U.S. 
Senate candidate Barbara Bollier, newcomer Ethan Corson, the Democratic 
nominee, leads Laura McConwell, the Republican Nominee, by nearly 9,000 
votes with all precincts reporting.Kansans
 will have to wait beyond Tuesday night for results in some legislative 
races, although it appears the supermajority will hold. Thousands of 
by-mail ballots have yet to be returned, and provisional and write-in 
ballots will not be counted until after the election.In
 Wyandotte County, that means Democratic incumbent Stan Frownfelter, who
 launched a write-in campaign after losing to 19-year old Aaron Coleman 
in the primary, will have to wait to see any votes for him counted. Republican Kristina Smith is also running a write-in campaign in the 37th, a district that leans strongly Democratic.When votes are counted, it
 appears Coleman will take home the victory. The Wyandotte County 
election office reported Coleman received 3,496 and thus far only 2,013 
write-in ballots have been cast for any candidate.The
 outcome is not likely to affect the fight for or against the 
Republican-held supermajority, barring a miracle comeback from Smith.With
 all seats up for reelection in both the State House and the Senate, 
Democrats had felt confident in their ability to flip the needed seats.“We
 are in a good place,” Kelly said before the majority of results came 
in. “We have Democrats all across the state running really aggressive 
campaigns to take back our state.”House
 Minority Leader Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat currently in the lead in
 the 95th House District, echoed Kelly in confidence that the Republican
 supermajority would end this election cycle.Democrats raised a record amount of money this election cycle, Sawyer said.&nbsp;The
 outcome of the 2020 election could have a lasting impact because the 
legislators elected this year will be tasked with redrawing lines for 
federal congressional districts and state legislative districts based on
 results from the 2020 census. With a supermajority, Republicans could 
dismiss any vetoes made by the governor on their maps.Attention
 to redistricting has increased in the wake of retiring Senate President
 Susan Wagle’s call to redraw districts to the advantage of Republicans.“So
 redistricting, it’s right around the corner. And if Governor Kelly can 
veto a Republican bill that gives us four Republican congressmen that 
takes out Sharice Davids up in the 3rd — we can do that,” Wagle <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/10/09/senate-president-susan-wagle-embraces-gerrymandering-to-benefit-gop-in-kansas/">told a gathering of Republicans in September</a>.
 “I guarantee you we can draw four Republican congressional maps. But we
 can’t do it unless we have a two-thirds majority in the Senate and 
House.”Wagle’s
 comments inflamed Democrats who accused state GOP legislators of using 
gerrymandering tactics to benefit their agenda rather than the needs of 
Kansans. The Kansas Democratic Party called on Republican legislators 
and candidates to reject Wagle’s position and instead support a 
bipartisan approach.&nbsp;“Instituting
 a nonpartisan redistricting commission would guarantee fair electoral 
maps in 2020,” said KDP chair Vicki Hiatt. “Voters should choose their 
elected officials, not the other way around.”If
 Democrats had been able to break the Republican supermajority, GOP 
legislators would have needed to work with the other party to guarantee 
the maps were approved by Kelly.

Kan. Democrats fall well short in effort to break GOP supermajority

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Jackson County voters have rejected a proposal to remove two statues of President Andrew Jackson that stand in front of the county's two courthouses.

Activists pushed to have the two statues removed because Jackson was a slave owner who also signed a law in 1830 that forced Native Americans east of the Mississippi River to move west, causing thousands of them to die.

The proposal to take down the statues failed Tuesday with about 59% opposed and 41% in favor.

Racial injustice protests across the country this year led to the removal of several statues of famous U.S. leaders who had racially problematic backgrounds.

Jackson County was named after Jackson in 1826 after he became famous as a general in the U.S. Army. He was president from 1829 to 1837.

The statues were erected in Independence and Kansas City in the early 20th century.

Jackson County Executive Frank White said in a statement Tuesday that he continues to believe the statues should be removed and he looked forward to "engaging in more opportunities to eliminate racism and discrimination in Jackson County as we continue the fight for equal rights and justice for those we serve.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593276153738.png" alt="Vandals used spray paint on the statue in July -photo courtesy KSHB TV" />
 <figcaption>Vandals used spray paint on the statue in July -photo courtesy KSHB TV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Jackson County voters have rejected a proposal to remove two statues of President Andrew Jackson that stand in front of the county's two courthouses.Activists pushed to have the two statues removed because Jackson was a slave owner who also signed a law in 1830 that forced Native Americans east of the Mississippi River to move west, causing thousands of them to die.The proposal to take down the statues failed Tuesday with about 59% opposed and 41% in favor.Racial injustice protests across the country this year led to the removal of several statues of famous U.S. leaders who had racially problematic backgrounds.Jackson County was named after Jackson in 1826 after he became famous as a general in the U.S. Army. He was president from 1829 to 1837.The statues were erected in Independence and Kansas City in the early 20th century.Jackson County Executive Frank White said in a statement Tuesday that he continues to believe the statues should be removed and he looked forward to "engaging in more opportunities to eliminate racism and discrimination in Jackson County as we continue the fight for equal rights and justice for those we serve.”

Kansas City votes to keep Andrew Jackson statues

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican Rep. Roger Marshall won an open Senate seat in Kansas on Tuesday in a tougher-than-expected race that saw his Democratic opponent raise far more campaign cash than he did.

Marshall, who has represented western and central Kansas in Congress for two terms, prevailed over Democratic state Sen. Barbara Bollier. After a tough campaign, he struck a conciliatory tone in his victory speech, saying his prayer was “for healing.”

“We’re always Kansans first. We’re Americans first,” Marshall said. “We will fight to end the divisions.”

Marshall entered the fall campaign with the GOP’s traditional advantages in a state that tends to vote for conservatives. But Bollier excited fellow Democrats because her campaign was able to raise more than $25 million and set a Kansas record that Marshall couldn’t match.

In a concession statement, Bollier said, “Remember, this race was never ‘supposed’ to be competitive at all.”

“Of course, this wasn’t the finale we hoped for,” she said. “But at a time of deep national cynicism — when faith in our democratic institutions hangs by a thread — I consider it a sacred, patriotic duty to accept tonight’s outcome.”

Republicans haven’t lost a Senate race in Kansas since 1932. Marshall will replace retiring four-term Republican Sen. Pat Roberts, who chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee and didn’t seek reelection.

The race for Roberts’ seat was the most expensive in Kansas history. Spending on advertising by outside groups topped $41 million, with three-quarters of it coming from the Senate Leadership Fund aligned with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other GOP groups to boost Marshall’s campaign. It also was the Democrats’ best shot to pick up a Kansas Senate seat since 1974, when then-Republican Sen. Bob Dole narrowly won reelection in the aftermath of the Watergate scandal that forced President Richard Nixon to resign.

Like other Democratic Senate candidates around the country, Bollier received millions of dollars in campaign contributions from outside of her home state as the party sought to overturn the GOP’s 53-47 Senate majority. While Marshall raised $6.5 million, outside groups poured more than $41 million into advertising, and three-quarters came from GOP organizations.

Marshall also benefitted from President Donald Trump carrying the state. He played up his loyalty to the president on the campaign trail and that resonated with some voters such as Thora Bean, an 83-year-old retired nurse and Republican. Bean voted Tuesday in Belle Plaine, south of Wichita, and backed Trump and Marshall, citing Bollier’s support for abortion rights.

As for Marshall, she said: “I think he will go along with Trump with whatever Trump decides. He will be good for him.”

Bollier, a Kansas City-area state senator, was a lifelong moderate Republican who switched parties at the end of 2018, partly over her dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump and the Kansas GOP’s strong opposition to LGBTQ rights. She pitched herself as an independent and commonsense centrist.

She emphasized health care issues, such as protecting insurance coverage for pre-existing medical conditions. That appealed to Haley Miller, a 28-year-old health care scheduler and Democrat from the Kansas City suburb of Mission.

“I have family that has had cancer and I don’t want them to lose their insurance and not be able to get it back,” Miller said. “My mom had breast cancer, both breasts removed and things like that.”

Marshall and his allies portrayed Bollier as too liberal and too radical for Kansas, attacking her over her strong support for abortion rights and for gun control measures. They circulated video from an October event near Kansas City in which Bollier praised an Australian gun control law passed in response to a 1996 mass shooting that forced the owners of 700,000 firearms to sell them to the government.

The race also featured two physicians who have taken different approaches to the coronavirus pandemic. Bollier, a retired anesthesiologist, began her campaign by avoiding public events and later insisted on masks and social distancing.

Marshall, an obstetrician before he entered Congress in 2017, said he tried to have outdoor events, but he sometimes was indoors with people who didn’t wear masks or maintain social distance and he refused to endorse mask mandates. He also said at one point that he was taking the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as an anti-coronavirus measure, even though experts say it isn’t effective against the disease.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican Roger Marshall won the most competitive U.S. Senate race in Kansas in decades, while President Donald Trump carried the state again, as expected.

The marquee race in Tuesday’s election was the Senate contest between the two term-congressman Marshall and Democratic state Sen. Barbara Bollier in what was the most expensive political contest in state history. Marshall and his allies attacked Bollier for her strong support of abortion rights and gun control measures. Bollier was among the Democratic candidates around the country who attracted millions of dollars in contributions from outside their home states as the party tried to take control of the Senate.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas has had its most competitive U.S. Senate race in decades, though President Donald Trump carried the state as expected. 

The marquee race in Tuesday’s election was the Senate contest between two-term Republican U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall and Democratic state Sen. Barbara Bollier, and it was the most expensive political contest in state history. Trump’s grip on the state’s six electoral votes always seemed secure because no Democrat has carried the state in a presidential race since 1964. Republicans were likely to retain Marshall’s congressional seat and elect a new eastern Kansas congressman.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas has had its most competitive U.S. Senate race in decades, though President Donald Trump is expected to carry the state again and voters appear likely to elect two new Republican congressmen.

The marquee race heading into Tuesday’s election was the Senate contest between Republican Roger Marshall, a two-term congressman for western and central Kansas, and Democrat Barbara Bollier, a Kansas City-area state senator. The race was the most expensive in Kansas history, with Bollier setting a record for any Kansas political race by raising more than $25 million to Marshall’s $6.5 million and outside groups pouring in $41 million on advertising, the bulk of it from GOP groups backing Marshall.

The two are vying for the seat held by retiring four-term Republican Sen. Pat Roberts, and two of the state’s four U.S. House seats were also up for grabs this year.

Polls were to open statewide at 7 a.m. and were to stay open until 7 p.m. local time.

Here’s what to know about the election.

Democrats have not won a Senate race in Kansas since 1932, but the Marshall-Bollier contest represented their best shot since 1974, when then-Republican Sen. Bob Dole won reelection by less than 2 percentage points following the Watergate scandal that forced President Richard Nixon from office.

Bollier, a former lifelong moderate Republican who switched parties at the end of 2018, was one of several Democratic candidates around the country who attracted millions of dollars in contributions from outside their home states as the party tried to take control of the Senate. Bollier pitched herself as an independent centrist.

Marshall and his allies attacked Bollier for her strong support of abortion rights and gun control measures, and he hoped wavering GOP voters would drift back to the fold, as they had in past elections.

Trump’s hold on Kansas’ six electoral votes seemed secure heading into Election Day, given that no Democratic presidential candidate has carried the state since incumbent Lyndon Johnson in his 1964 national landslide. Trump won Kansas by nearly 21 percentage points over Hillary Clinton in 2016.

But with Trump’s support in suburban areas eroded, Democrats at leased hoped that presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden would do better than Clinton, particularly in the Kansas City area. Democrat Barack Obama topped 41% in 2008, and Jimmy Carter approached 45% in 1976.

The state’s top elections official forecast a 70% turnout, predicting that a record 1.35 million of the state’s nearly 1.94 million registered would cast ballots. The coronavirus pandemic led to an unusual surge in early voting, with more than 813,005 ballots cast before Election Day by mail or in person. Even before polls opened on Election Day, the state had reached a 42% turnout rate, and election officials said they expected to exceed their initial forecast turnout by the time all ballots were cast.

Marshall’s decision to run for the Senate opened up his seat representing the sprawling 1st Congressional District in central and western Kansas. The district is among the safest in the country for Republicans, making it an near-certainty that former Lt. Gov. Tracey Mann, a commercial real estate broker from Salina, would defeat Democrat Kali Barnett, a Garden City elementary school teacher.

Republicans also were expected to retain the 2nd District seat representing eastern Kansas after State Treasurer Jake LaTurner ousted Rep. Steve Watkins in the GOP primary. Watkins was charged with three felonies for allegedly listing a postal box at a UPS Inc. store as his residence for voter registration late last year. LaTurner was vying for the seat Tuesday with Topeka’s Democratic mayor, Michelle De La Isla.

The lone Democrat in the state’s congressional delegation, freshman Rep. Sharice Davids, was expected to defeat Republican Amanda Adkins and win a second term representing the state’s 3rd Congressional District, in the Kansas City area. Adkins is an executive on leave from medical computer systems firm Cerner Corp. and a former Kansas Republican Party chairwoman who has political ties to unpopular former GOP Gov. Sam Brownback. After winning the seat in 2018, Davids positioned herself as a centrist in Congress. Trump lost the district narrowly in 2016.

In the 4th District in the Wichita area, Republican Rep. Ron Estes was expected to win reelection easily.

By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican Rep. Roger Marshall won an open Senate seat in Kansas on Tuesday in a tougher-than-expected race that saw his Democratic opponent raise far more campaign cash than he did.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FDrRogerMarshall%2Fvideos%2F692324678362987%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Marshall, who has represented western and central Kansas in Congress for two terms, prevailed over Democratic state Sen. Barbara Bollier. After a tough campaign, he struck a conciliatory tone in his victory speech, saying his prayer was “for healing.”“We’re always Kansans first. We’re Americans first,” Marshall said. “We will fight to end the divisions.”Marshall entered the fall campaign with the GOP’s traditional advantages in a state that tends to vote for conservatives. But Bollier excited fellow Democrats because her campaign was able to raise more than $25 million and set a Kansas record that Marshall couldn’t match.In a concession statement, Bollier said, “Remember, this race was never ‘supposed’ to be competitive at all.”“Of course, this wasn’t the finale we hoped for,” she said. “But at a time of deep national cynicism — when faith in our democratic institutions hangs by a thread — I consider it a sacred, patriotic duty to accept tonight’s outcome.”Republicans haven’t lost a Senate race in Kansas since 1932. Marshall will replace retiring four-term Republican Sen. Pat Roberts, who chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee and didn’t seek reelection.The race for Roberts’ seat was the most expensive in Kansas history. Spending on advertising by outside groups topped $41 million, with three-quarters of it coming from the Senate Leadership Fund aligned with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other GOP groups to boost Marshall’s campaign. It also was the Democrats’ best shot to pick up a Kansas Senate seat since 1974, when then-Republican Sen. Bob Dole narrowly won reelection in the aftermath of the Watergate scandal that forced President Richard Nixon to resign.Like other Democratic Senate candidates around the country, Bollier received millions of dollars in campaign contributions from outside of her home state as the party sought to overturn the GOP’s 53-47 Senate majority. While Marshall raised $6.5 million, outside groups poured more than $41 million into advertising, and three-quarters came from GOP organizations.Marshall also benefitted from President Donald Trump carrying the state. He played up his loyalty to the president on the campaign trail and that resonated with some voters such as Thora Bean, an 83-year-old retired nurse and Republican. Bean voted Tuesday in Belle Plaine, south of Wichita, and backed Trump and Marshall, citing Bollier’s support for abortion rights.As for Marshall, she said: “I think he will go along with Trump with whatever Trump decides. He will be good for him.”Bollier, a Kansas City-area state senator, was a lifelong moderate Republican who switched parties at the end of 2018, partly over her dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump and the Kansas GOP’s strong opposition to LGBTQ rights. She pitched herself as an independent and commonsense centrist.She emphasized health care issues, such as protecting insurance coverage for pre-existing medical conditions. That appealed to Haley Miller, a 28-year-old health care scheduler and Democrat from the Kansas City suburb of Mission.“I have family that has had cancer and I don’t want them to lose their insurance and not be able to get it back,” Miller said. “My mom had breast cancer, both breasts removed and things like that.”Marshall and his allies portrayed Bollier as too liberal and too radical for Kansas, attacking her over her strong support for abortion rights and for gun control measures. They circulated video from an October event near Kansas City in which Bollier praised an Australian gun control law passed in response to a 1996 mass shooting that forced the owners of 700,000 firearms to sell them to the government.The race also featured two physicians who have taken different approaches to the coronavirus pandemic. Bollier, a retired anesthesiologist, began her campaign by avoiding public events and later insisted on masks and social distancing.Marshall, an obstetrician before he entered Congress in 2017, said he tried to have outdoor events, but he sometimes was indoors with people who didn’t wear masks or maintain social distance and he refused to endorse mask mandates. He also said at one point that he was taking the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as an anti-coronavirus measure, even though experts say it isn’t effective against the disease.___-----TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican Roger Marshall won the most competitive U.S. Senate race in Kansas in decades, while President Donald Trump carried the state again, as expected.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FDrRogerMarshall%2Fvideos%2F692324678362987%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The marquee race in Tuesday’s election was the Senate contest between the two term-congressman Marshall and Democratic state Sen. Barbara Bollier in what was the most expensive political contest in state history. Marshall and his allies attacked Bollier for her strong support of abortion rights and gun control measures. Bollier was among the Democratic candidates around the country who attracted millions of dollars in contributions from outside their home states as the party tried to take control of the Senate.------TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas has had its most competitive U.S. Senate race in decades, though President Donald Trump carried the state as expected. The marquee race in Tuesday’s election was the Senate contest between two-term Republican U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall and Democratic state Sen. Barbara Bollier, and it was the most expensive political contest in state history. Trump’s grip on the state’s six electoral votes always seemed secure because no Democrat has carried the state in a presidential race since 1964. Republicans were likely to retain Marshall’s congressional seat and elect a new eastern Kansas congressman.TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas has had its most competitive U.S. Senate race in decades, though President Donald Trump is expected to carry the state again and voters appear likely to elect two new Republican congressmen.The marquee race heading into Tuesday’s election was the Senate contest between Republican Roger Marshall, a two-term congressman for western and central Kansas, and Democrat Barbara Bollier, a Kansas City-area state senator. The race was the most expensive in Kansas history, with Bollier setting a record for any Kansas political race by raising more than $25 million to Marshall’s $6.5 million and outside groups pouring in $41 million on advertising, the bulk of it from GOP groups backing Marshall.The two are vying for the seat held by retiring four-term Republican Sen. Pat Roberts, and two of the state’s four U.S. House seats were also up for grabs this year.Polls were to open statewide at 7 a.m. and were to stay open until 7 p.m. local time.Here’s what to know about the election.HOT SENATE RACEDemocrats have not won a Senate race in Kansas since 1932, but the Marshall-Bollier contest represented their best shot since 1974, when then-Republican Sen. Bob Dole won reelection by less than 2 percentage points following the Watergate scandal that forced President Richard Nixon from office.Bollier, a former lifelong moderate Republican who switched parties at the end of 2018, was one of several Democratic candidates around the country who attracted millions of dollars in contributions from outside their home states as the party tried to take control of the Senate. Bollier pitched herself as an independent centrist.Marshall and his allies attacked Bollier for her strong support of abortion rights and gun control measures, and he hoped wavering GOP voters would drift back to the fold, as they had in past elections.PRESIDENTIAL RACETrump’s hold on Kansas’ six electoral votes seemed secure heading into Election Day, given that no Democratic presidential candidate has carried the state since incumbent Lyndon Johnson in his 1964 national landslide. Trump won Kansas by nearly 21 percentage points over Hillary Clinton in 2016.But with Trump’s support in suburban areas eroded, Democrats at leased hoped that presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden would do better than Clinton, particularly in the Kansas City area. Democrat Barack Obama topped 41% in 2008, and Jimmy Carter approached 45% in 1976.RECORD NUMBERS EXPECTEDThe state’s top elections official forecast a 70% turnout, predicting that a record 1.35 million of the state’s nearly 1.94 million registered would cast ballots. The coronavirus pandemic led to an unusual surge in early voting, with more than 813,005 ballots cast before Election Day by mail or in person. Even before polls opened on Election Day, the state had reached a 42% turnout rate, and election officials said they expected to exceed their initial forecast turnout by the time all ballots were cast.NEW HOUSE MEMBERSMarshall’s decision to run for the Senate opened up his seat representing the sprawling 1st Congressional District in central and western Kansas. The district is among the safest in the country for Republicans, making it an near-certainty that former Lt. Gov. Tracey Mann, a commercial real estate broker from Salina, would defeat Democrat Kali Barnett, a Garden City elementary school teacher.Republicans also were expected to retain the 2nd District seat representing eastern Kansas after State Treasurer Jake LaTurner ousted Rep. Steve Watkins in the GOP primary. Watkins was charged with three felonies for allegedly listing a postal box at a UPS Inc. store as his residence for voter registration late last year. LaTurner was vying for the seat Tuesday with Topeka’s Democratic mayor, Michelle De La Isla.INCUMBENTS EXPECTED TO WINThe lone Democrat in the state’s congressional delegation, freshman Rep. Sharice Davids, was expected to defeat Republican Amanda Adkins and win a second term representing the state’s 3rd Congressional District, in the Kansas City area. Adkins is an executive on leave from medical computer systems firm Cerner Corp. and a former Kansas Republican Party chairwoman who has political ties to unpopular former GOP Gov. Sam Brownback. After winning the seat in 2018, Davids positioned herself as a centrist in Congress. Trump lost the district narrowly in 2016.In the 4th District in the Wichita area, Republican Rep. Ron Estes was expected to win reelection easily.___

 🎥  GOP Rep. Marshall wins unusually tough Senate race

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">Sherman Smith</a>&nbsp;

<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/03/kansas-congressional-races-republicans-poised-to-return-three-to-d-c-alongside-democrat-davids/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Republican state Treasurer Jake LaTurner extended his rapid political ascent Tuesday by defeating Topeka Mayor Michelle De La Isla in the 2nd District congressional race Tuesday.

The 32-year-old LaTurner won by a 55-41 margin after a campaign marked by his dubious assertions that De La Isla wanted to defund police. He appealed to voters with an emphasis on faith in God, the importance of family, love of country, and the dignity of work.

“There are those who would have you believe the American Dream is dead, but it is alive,” LaTurner told supporters at a block party in his hometown of Galena. “It is alive with the farmer who gets up at the crack of dawn and doesn’t know what the weather is going to bring. It’s alive with the couple that takes out a second mortgage on their home to open up a small business. It’s alive with the single parent who’s working a full-time job while taking online classes to make it through their college degree.

“It’s alive here tonight, and I want you to know that I’m going to go to Washington, D.C., and make sure we keep it alive for future generations.”

Kansas Republicans returned three delegates to the U.S. House, including LaTurner.

Former Lt. Gov. Tracey Mann, a Republican from Salina, defeated Democrat Kali Barnett, a music teacher from Garden City, by a 70-30 margin in the sprawling 1st District that covers much of the western two-thirds of the state. Republican Rep. Ron Estes defeated Democrat Laura Lombard, a business development consultant, in the Wichita-area 4th District by a 65-35 margin.

The state’s lone Democratic delegate, Sharice Davids, won her second term representing the Kansas City-area 3rd District by defeating Cerner executive Amanda Adkins. Davids won by a 54-44 margin.

“In this race, Kansans spoke loud and clear,” Davids said. “They rejected the tired politics of the past, of the slashed school budgets, being denied coverage because of having a pre-existing condition. They chose a different vision for who we send to the United States Houses.”

Democrats hoped that record turnout would place them in contention in congressional races this year. More than 813,000 Kansans cast votes by mail or in person before the election, and another 400,000 turned out to vote on Tuesday. The early leads posted by Democrats evaporated quickly as Election Day ballots were counted.

The nomination of&nbsp;Adkins and the four Democratic contenders made history as Kansas showcased more women candidates for Congress than ever before.

“I know a lot of people have just gotten really actively engaged,” Barnett said. “I ran into someone in the community a few days ago that said, ‘Wait, I know I’ve seen you somewhere. Oh, You’re the woman on TV that’s trying hard to make a difference. And I just thought, wow, you’re a breath of fresh air — a young woman who’s trying to make a difference, and I’m absolutely going to vote for you.’ ”

In the 2nd District race, De La Isla frequently battled LaTurner over false claims about her gutting police resources, and she attacked the Republican as a handpicked ally of former Gov. Sam Brownback.

De La Isla, 44, was born in New York and raised in Puerto Rico. She was homeless and a teenage mother before graduating from Wichita State University in 2001. She moved to Topeka in 2005.

Speaking at the Democratic watch party in Topeka, the mayor said she was “excited by the sisterhood” that developed among the Democratic candidates for congressional office.

“I’m proud to say we have run a race that is a model race, a clean race, a race that not only has made Kansans proud — but you know what, most importantly, it has made my daughters proud,” De La Isla said.

Brownback appointed LaTurner to fill a seat in the Kansas Senate when LaTurner was just 24 years old, then later appointed him to the treasurer post. LaTurner won election for the office in 2018, and defeated embattled incumbent Rep. Steve Watkins in the Republican primary in August.

President Donald Trump endorsed LaTurner on Saturday via Twitter: “@JakeLaTurner will be a phenomenal Congressman for the people of Kansas! He will help us Lower your Taxes, Support our Brave Law Enforcement, Build the Wall, and Protect and Defend your Second Amendment. Jake has my Complete and Total Endorsement!”

In Johnson County, the comparisons to Brownback were more damaging for Adkins, a former Brownback adviser and Brownback-appointed chairwoman of the Kansas Children’s Cabinet.

Davids, the first Native American and member of the LGBTQ community to represent Kansas in Congress, attacked the Republican for wanting to dismantle the Affordable Care Act and its protections for pre-existing conditions. Adkins touted her business experience and, as an executive of a health care technology company, railed against government-run health care.

“These delusional socialists in Congress are completely out of touch with our Kansas values,” Adkins said when she announced her campaign. “Their obsession with identity politics is unrealistic.”

Estes, a former state treasurer, won a special election in 2017 to fill the congressional seat vacated by Mike Pompeo. He then won re-election two years ago.

He described himself as a champion for tax reform, free and fair trade, and retirement security.

“I’m working to bring home the supply chain,” he told voters, “because we can no longer rely on having food, critical medicine and protective equipment made in China.

His opponent, Lombard, said she was motivated to run because Republicans like Estes had emboldened the president’s “corrupt and authoritarian behavior.”

“There is real concern about the future of our democracy and our country,” she said.

Mann arrived on the political scene in 2010 with objections to the citizenship of President Barack Obama. The commercial real estate broker finished third that year in the Republican primary for the 1st District nomination.

Colyer chose&nbsp;Mann, who renounced his doubts about Obama’s birthplace, to be lieutenant governor in 2018 after Brownback left for an ambassador role in Trump’s administration.

“I will fight to restore fiscal discipline in Congress and will support sound agricultural policy,” Mann said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/LaTurner1.jpg" alt="Republican Jake LaTurner addresses supporters Tuesday from a block party in his hometown of Galena. (Submitted by Kara Zeyer to Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Republican Jake LaTurner addresses supporters Tuesday from a block party in his hometown of Galena. (Submitted by Kara Zeyer to Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">Sherman Smith</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/03/kansas-congressional-races-republicans-poised-to-return-three-to-d-c-alongside-democrat-davids/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Republican state Treasurer Jake LaTurner extended his rapid political ascent Tuesday by defeating Topeka Mayor Michelle De La Isla in the 2nd District congressional race Tuesday.The 32-year-old LaTurner won by a 55-41 margin after a campaign marked by his dubious assertions that De La Isla wanted to defund police. He appealed to voters with an emphasis on faith in God, the importance of family, love of country, and the dignity of work.“There are those who would have you believe the American Dream is dead, but it is alive,” LaTurner told supporters at a block party in his hometown of Galena. “It is alive with the farmer who gets up at the crack of dawn and doesn’t know what the weather is going to bring. It’s alive with the couple that takes out a second mortgage on their home to open up a small business. It’s alive with the single parent who’s working a full-time job while taking online classes to make it through their college degree.“It’s alive here tonight, and I want you to know that I’m going to go to Washington, D.C., and make sure we keep it alive for future generations.”Kansas Republicans returned three delegates to the U.S. House, including LaTurner.Former Lt. Gov. Tracey Mann, a Republican from Salina, defeated Democrat Kali Barnett, a music teacher from Garden City, by a 70-30 margin in the sprawling 1st District that covers much of the western two-thirds of the state. Republican Rep. Ron Estes defeated Democrat Laura Lombard, a business development consultant, in the Wichita-area 4th District by a 65-35 margin.The state’s lone Democratic delegate, Sharice Davids, won her second term representing the Kansas City-area 3rd District by defeating Cerner executive Amanda Adkins. Davids won by a 54-44 margin.“In this race, Kansans spoke loud and clear,” Davids said. “They rejected the tired politics of the past, of the slashed school budgets, being denied coverage because of having a pre-existing condition. They chose a different vision for who we send to the United States Houses.”Democrats hoped that record turnout would place them in contention in congressional races this year. More than 813,000 Kansans cast votes by mail or in person before the election, and another 400,000 turned out to vote on Tuesday. The early leads posted by Democrats evaporated quickly as Election Day ballots were counted.The nomination of&nbsp;Adkins and the four Democratic contenders made history as Kansas showcased more women candidates for Congress than ever before.“I know a lot of people have just gotten really actively engaged,” Barnett said. “I ran into someone in the community a few days ago that said, ‘Wait, I know I’ve seen you somewhere. Oh, You’re the woman on TV that’s trying hard to make a difference. And I just thought, wow, you’re a breath of fresh air — a young woman who’s trying to make a difference, and I’m absolutely going to vote for you.’ ”<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/delaisla3-300x226.jpg" alt="Topeka Mayor Michelle De La Isla, the Democratic nominee for Congress in the 2nd District, battled her Republican opponent over police funding and health care. (Aug.. 25 file photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Topeka Mayor Michelle De La Isla, the Democratic nominee for Congress in the 2nd District, battled her Republican opponent over police funding and health care. (Aug.. 25 file photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>In the 2nd District race, De La Isla frequently battled LaTurner over false claims about her gutting police resources, and she attacked the Republican as a handpicked ally of former Gov. Sam Brownback.De La Isla, 44, was born in New York and raised in Puerto Rico. She was homeless and a teenage mother before graduating from Wichita State University in 2001. She moved to Topeka in 2005.Speaking at the Democratic watch party in Topeka, the mayor said she was “excited by the sisterhood” that developed among the Democratic candidates for congressional office.“I’m proud to say we have run a race that is a model race, a clean race, a race that not only has made Kansans proud — but you know what, most importantly, it has made my daughters proud,” De La Isla said.Brownback appointed LaTurner to fill a seat in the Kansas Senate when LaTurner was just 24 years old, then later appointed him to the treasurer post. LaTurner won election for the office in 2018, and defeated embattled incumbent Rep. Steve Watkins in the Republican primary in August.President Donald Trump endorsed LaTurner on Saturday via Twitter: “@JakeLaTurner will be a phenomenal Congressman for the people of Kansas! He will help us Lower your Taxes, Support our Brave Law Enforcement, Build the Wall, and Protect and Defend your Second Amendment. Jake has my Complete and Total Endorsement!”In Johnson County, the comparisons to Brownback were more damaging for Adkins, a former Brownback adviser and Brownback-appointed chairwoman of the Kansas Children’s Cabinet.<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/d3screen1-300x225.jpg" alt="Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, left, clashed with Republican challenger Amanda Adkins during an Oct. 22 debate with competing views on how to revive an economy wrecked by COVID-19. (Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, left, clashed with Republican challenger Amanda Adkins during an Oct. 22 debate with competing views on how to revive an economy wrecked by COVID-19. (Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Davids, the first Native American and member of the LGBTQ community to represent Kansas in Congress, attacked the Republican for wanting to dismantle the Affordable Care Act and its protections for pre-existing conditions. Adkins touted her business experience and, as an executive of a health care technology company, railed against government-run health care.“These delusional socialists in Congress are completely out of touch with our Kansas values,” Adkins said when she announced her campaign. “Their obsession with identity politics is unrealistic.”Estes, a former state treasurer, won a special election in 2017 to fill the congressional seat vacated by Mike Pompeo. He then won re-election two years ago.He described himself as a champion for tax reform, free and fair trade, and retirement security.“I’m working to bring home the supply chain,” he told voters, “because we can no longer rely on having food, critical medicine and protective equipment made in China.His opponent, Lombard, said she was motivated to run because Republicans like Estes had emboldened the president’s “corrupt and authoritarian behavior.”“There is real concern about the future of our democracy and our country,” she said.Mann arrived on the political scene in 2010 with objections to the citizenship of President Barack Obama. The commercial real estate broker finished third that year in the Republican primary for the 1st District nomination.Colyer chose&nbsp;Mann, who renounced his doubts about Obama’s birthplace, to be lieutenant governor in 2018 after Brownback left for an ambassador role in Trump’s administration.“I will fight to restore fiscal discipline in Congress and will support sound agricultural policy,” Mann said.

Republican Jake LaTurner defeats Topeka mayor; Davids wins 2nd term

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Ron Estes wins reelection to U.S. House in Kansas' 4th Congressional District.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Ron Estes wins reelection to U.S. House in Kansas' 4th Congressional District.

Ron Estes wins reelection in Kansas 4th  District

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a gyrocopter piloted Kerry E. Trent, 58, Wichita, was flying southbound into a field at 7800 NW Tawakoni Road in Butler County. 

For unknown reasons it crashed in the field.

Trent and a passenger&nbsp;Tucker, Shannon W. Tucker, 53, Wichita, were pronounced dead at the scene and were transported to the Sedgwick County Forensic Center.

POTWIN, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say two people have died after a type of aircraft called a gyrocopter crashed in south-central Kansas. 

Butler County dispatchers say the crash happened around 1:45 p.m. Tuesday just west of the Butler County town of Potwin. The names of the victims weren’t immediately released.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604446725356.png" alt="First responders on the scene of the fatal crash- photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of the fatal crash- photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>BUTLER COUNTY —The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a gyrocopter piloted Kerry E. Trent, 58, Wichita, was flying southbound into a field at 7800 NW Tawakoni Road in Butler County. For unknown reasons it crashed in the field.Trent and a passenger&nbsp;Tucker, Shannon W. Tucker, 53, Wichita, were pronounced dead at the scene and were transported to the Sedgwick County Forensic Center.---------POTWIN, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say two people have died after a type of aircraft called a gyrocopter crashed in south-central Kansas. Butler County dispatchers say the crash happened around 1:45 p.m. Tuesday just west of the Butler County town of Potwin. The names of the victims weren’t immediately released.

KHP ID's 2 Kan. men who died in gyrocopter crash 

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in his wife's murder made his first court appearance on Monday.

Craig Johnston,  43 of Sedgwick, is charged with 1st degree murder, rape, aggravated criminal sodomy, and aggravated sexual battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after 9:00 a.m. Oct. 30, deputies were sent to 7910 E 109th Street North in rural Sedgwick County to assist EMS, according to Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Benjamin Blick.

 When they arrived they found 40-year-old Amber Dawn Slankard with critical injuries. 

EMS transported her to Via Christi St. Francis and she later died of her injuries. 

The victim’s husband Craig Johnston, 42, was transported to Sheriff Investigations and later booked on requested charges of Second Degree Murder and violations of the Offender Registration Act, according to Blick.&nbsp;

 Johnston has a previous conviction from Illinois in 1997 for aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a victim between the age of 13-16, according to the Offender Registry.

He remains jailed on a $100,000 bond, according to the district attorney.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a woman and have made an arrest.

Shortly after 9:00 a.m. Friday, deputies were sent to 7910 E 109th Street North in rural Sedgwick County to assist EMS, according to Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Benjamin Blick.

 When they arrived they found a 40-year-old woman with critical injuries. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603540130048.png" alt="Craig Johnston-photo Sedgwick County." />
 <figcaption>Craig Johnston-photo Sedgwick County.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in his wife's murder made his first court appearance on Monday.Craig Johnston, 43 of Sedgwick, is charged with 1st degree murder, rape, aggravated criminal sodomy, and aggravated sexual battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Just after 9:00 a.m. Oct. 30, deputies were sent to 7910 E 109th Street North in rural Sedgwick County to assist EMS, according to Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Benjamin Blick. When they arrived they found 40-year-old Amber Dawn Slankard with critical injuries. EMS transported her to Via Christi St. Francis and she later died of her injuries. The victim’s husband Craig Johnston, 42, was transported to Sheriff Investigations and later booked on requested charges of Second Degree Murder and violations of the Offender Registration Act, according to Blick.&nbsp; Johnston has a previous conviction from Illinois in 1997 for aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a victim between the age of 13-16, according to the Offender Registry.He remains jailed on a $100,000 bond, according to the district attorney.--------------SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a woman and have made an arrest.Shortly after 9:00 a.m. Friday, deputies were sent to 7910 E 109th Street North in rural Sedgwick County to assist EMS, according to Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Benjamin Blick. When they arrived they found a 40-year-old woman with critical injuries. EMS transported her to Via Christi St. Francis and she later died of her injuries. The victim’s husband Craig Johnston, 42, was transported to Sheriff Investigations and later booked on requested charges of Second Degree Murder and violations of the Offender Registration Act, according to Blick.&nbsp; Johnston has a previous conviction from Illinois in 1997 for aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a victim between the age of 13-16, according to the Offender Registry.

Sex offender charged with wife's murder in Kansas

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating the Oct. 21 fatal shooting at a youth football game in Wichita have made an arrest.

On Tuesday morning, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, police arrested 26-year-old Maurice Hall without incident Tuesday during a vehicle stop at South Main Street and East Kellogg, according to officer Kevin Wheeler.

Hall was wanted in connection to the shooting death of 31-year-old Marquell Nolen of Wichita.

At approximately 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21, officers responded to an unknown call for police at the Stryker Sports Complex, located at 2999 N. Greenwich.&nbsp; Upon officers arriving, they heard multiple gunshots, and while on the scene, Nolen arrived at an area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.&nbsp;

The investigation revealed Nolen was at the Sports Complex, and a verbal argument ensued between him and Hall on the west side of the stadium bleachers.&nbsp; During the argument, Hall pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots, striking Nolen.&nbsp; Nolen was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle by two individuals with him at the Sports Complex, and Hall fled on foot.&nbsp; No one else was injured.

The incident was not random, and Hall and Nolen were known to each other.&nbsp; Additionally, the incident was not related to games being played or officiated.&nbsp;

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting at a youth football game and requesting assistance in locating 23-year-old Maurice Hall of Garland, Texas.

Hall is wanted in connection to fatal Oct. 21, shooting at the Stryker Sports Complex, 2999 N. Greenwich Road in Wichita that killed 31-year-old Marquell Nolen of Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

At approximately 9:30 p.m. on Oct. 21, officers responded to an unknown call for police at the Sports Complex.&nbsp; Upon officers arriving, they heard multiple gunshots, and while on the scene, Nolen arrived at an area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.&nbsp;

This was not a random incident, and Hall and Nolen were known to each other.&nbsp; Additionally, the incident was not related to games being played or officiated.&nbsp;

Through the examination of evidence, tips provided to Crime Stoppers, and tips provided to WPD from the community, investigators learned of Hall’s involvement in the shooting, according to Davidson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604494416890.png" alt="Hall photo Sedgwick County booking photo" />
 <figcaption>Hall photo Sedgwick County booking photo</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating the Oct. 21 fatal shooting at a youth football game in Wichita have made an arrest.On Tuesday morning, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, police arrested 26-year-old Maurice Hall without incident Tuesday during a vehicle stop at South Main Street and East Kellogg, according to officer Kevin Wheeler.Hall was wanted in connection to the shooting death of 31-year-old Marquell Nolen of Wichita.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603385886052.png" alt="Suspect image courtesy Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Suspect image courtesy Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>At approximately 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21, officers responded to an unknown call for police at the Stryker Sports Complex, located at 2999 N. Greenwich.&nbsp; Upon officers arriving, they heard multiple gunshots, and while on the scene, Nolen arrived at an area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.&nbsp;The investigation revealed Nolen was at the Sports Complex, and a verbal argument ensued between him and Hall on the west side of the stadium bleachers.&nbsp; During the argument, Hall pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots, striking Nolen.&nbsp; Nolen was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle by two individuals with him at the Sports Complex, and Hall fled on foot.&nbsp; No one else was injured.The incident was not random, and Hall and Nolen were known to each other.&nbsp; Additionally, the incident was not related to games being played or officiated.&nbsp;--------SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting at a youth football game and requesting assistance in locating 23-year-old Maurice Hall of Garland, Texas.Hall is wanted in connection to fatal Oct. 21, shooting at the Stryker Sports Complex, 2999 N. Greenwich Road in Wichita that killed 31-year-old Marquell Nolen of Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603385886052.png" alt="Suspect at the scene of the Oct. 21 shooting photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Suspect at the scene of the Oct. 21 shooting photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>At approximately 9:30 p.m. on Oct. 21, officers responded to an unknown call for police at the Sports Complex.&nbsp; Upon officers arriving, they heard multiple gunshots, and while on the scene, Nolen arrived at an area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.&nbsp;The investigation revealed Nolen was at the Sports Complex, and a verbal argument ensued between him and Hall on the west side of the stadium bleachers.&nbsp; During the argument, Hall pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots, striking Nolen.&nbsp; Nolen was taken to the hospital in a private vehicle by two individuals with him at the Sports Complex, and Hall fled on foot.&nbsp; No one else was injured.This was not a random incident, and Hall and Nolen were known to each other.&nbsp; Additionally, the incident was not related to games being played or officiated.&nbsp;Through the examination of evidence, tips provided to Crime Stoppers, and tips provided to WPD from the community, investigators learned of Hall’s involvement in the shooting, according to Davidson.

Police arrest Kansas youth football game gunman

TOPEKA — An Ellsworth Correctional Facility resident who died Monday, Nov. 2, had tested positive for COVID-19, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Corrections.

This is second resident death from ECF, and the ninth resident death related to COVID-19 for the department.

The resident was moved October 28 to the Lansing Correctional Facility COVID-19 Management Unit after testing positive for the virus. He was transported from LCF to the hospital on Oct. 29.

The resident was a 76-year-old while male with underlying medical concerns that contributed to his condition.&nbsp;

He was serving a 176 months sentence for two counts of aggravated indecent solicitation of a child and aggravated endangerment of a child.

TOPEKA — An Ellsworth Correctional Facility resident who died Monday, Nov. 2, had tested positive for COVID-19, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Corrections.This is second resident death from ECF, and the ninth resident death related to COVID-19 for the department.The resident was moved October 28 to the Lansing Correctional Facility COVID-19 Management Unit after testing positive for the virus. He was transported from LCF to the hospital on Oct. 29.The resident was a 76-year-old while male with underlying medical concerns that contributed to his condition.&nbsp;He was serving a 176 months sentence for two counts of aggravated indecent solicitation of a child and aggravated endangerment of a child.

Ninth Kansas inmate dies after positive COVID -19 test

The Hays Police Department had an eventful night Saturday, with a handful of arrests being made, and numerous calls for more minor crimes.

"Halloween was a busy night," said Hays Police Department chief Don Scheibler.

During one incident, HPD officers took into custody a naked Hays man following an alleged assault.

At around 1:24 a.m. on Nov. 1, officers were dispatched to the 500 block of Ash following a report of a physical disturbance, Scheibler said.

The reporting party told police that a fight between a man and a woman was occurring, with the woman screaming "Let me go," he said.

When officers arrived, the man was located and was smeared with blood, Scheibler said.

He was also reported to be completely naked.

The suspect, later identified as&nbsp;Dustin Jay Kraft, 34, then attempted to flee on foot, as officers pursued.

He continued to resist, and officers deployed a taser, but the suspect continued to assault officers while also making threats upon the life of the officer, Scheibler said.

Officers would eventually detain Kraft under suspicion of domestic battery, criminal threat against a law enforcement officer, criminal threat, drug possession and drug paraphernalia.

Kraft has previous convictions including drug possession in Ellis County from an incident in 2017, as well as convictions for battery and obstructing a legal process in Norton County from an incident in 2019.

During an unrelated incident at a local bar the night of Halloween, a man described to be wearing a "shimmering gold mermaid outfit" was arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct after refusing to leave a bar in downtown Hays, Scheibler said.

And another incident led to an individual being arrested on suspicion of aggravated battery and drug possession.

Between 2:30 a.m. and 2:40 a.m., a victim reported walking west on the 200 block of West 10th and being struck in the back of the head, which caused him to fall, Scheibler said.

He also reported being kicked in the face by the suspect and lost consciousness.

Following that incident, Cody Lohrding, 20, Hays, was arrested on suspicion of aggravated battery and drug possession.

By JAMES BELL Hays PostThe Hays Police Department had an eventful night Saturday, with a handful of arrests being made, and numerous calls for more minor crimes."Halloween was a busy night," said Hays Police Department chief Don Scheibler.During one incident, HPD officers took into custody a naked Hays man following an alleged assault.At around 1:24 a.m. on Nov. 1, officers were dispatched to the 500 block of Ash following a report of a physical disturbance, Scheibler said.The reporting party told police that a fight between a man and a woman was occurring, with the woman screaming "Let me go," he said.When officers arrived, the man was located and was smeared with blood, Scheibler said.He was also reported to be completely naked.The suspect, later identified as&nbsp;Dustin Jay Kraft, 34, then attempted to flee on foot, as officers pursued.He continued to resist, and officers deployed a taser, but the suspect continued to assault officers while also making threats upon the life of the officer, Scheibler said.Officers would eventually detain Kraft under suspicion of domestic battery, criminal threat against a law enforcement officer, criminal threat, drug possession and drug paraphernalia.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604443597740.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kraft / Ellis Co. photoKraft has previous convictions including drug possession in Ellis County from an incident in 2017, as well as convictions for battery and obstructing a legal process in Norton County from an incident in 2019.During an unrelated incident at a local bar the night of Halloween, a man described to be wearing a "shimmering gold mermaid outfit" was arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct after refusing to leave a bar in downtown Hays, Scheibler said.And another incident led to an individual being arrested on suspicion of aggravated battery and drug possession.Between 2:30 a.m. and 2:40 a.m., a victim reported walking west on the 200 block of West 10th and being struck in the back of the head, which caused him to fall, Scheibler said.He also reported being kicked in the face by the suspect and lost consciousness.Following that incident, Cody Lohrding, 20, Hays, was arrested on suspicion of aggravated battery and drug possession.

Kan. man jailed after alleged naked attack on busy Halloween 

NEW YORK (AP) — An appeals court on Tuesday upheld the conviction and 10-year sentence for a man who ran a $220 million predatory payday lending operation that cheated over a half-million people nationwide.

The ruling by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan kept intact the 2018 sentencing of Richard Moseley Sr., of Kansas City.

The appeals court said Moseley’s arguments were “unpersuasive.”

Moseley, 76, was convicted in 2017 of racketeering, fraud and identity theft for crimes committed while he ran the company from 2004 to 2014.

He was charged with abusing borrowers in New York and other states with interest rates exceeding — by many multiples — the maximum legal interest rates allowed in those states.

Prosecutors said Moseley’s loan company exploited over 600,000 of the most financially vulnerable people in the country, and then Moseley dodged disgruntled customers and state regulators by operating from the Caribbean or New Zealand.

At sentencing, a prosecutor said Moseley was "playing whack-a-mole with the regulators.”

The sentencing judge read aloud excerpts from a business plan that served as a blueprint for Moseley’s businesses, saying: “If this is a business plan, then it’s a business plan for a criminal enterprise.”

NEW YORK (AP) — An appeals court on Tuesday upheld the conviction and 10-year sentence for a man who ran a $220 million predatory payday lending operation that cheated over a half-million people nationwide.The ruling by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan kept intact the 2018 sentencing of Richard Moseley Sr., of Kansas City.The appeals court said Moseley’s arguments were “unpersuasive.”Moseley, 76, was convicted in 2017 of racketeering, fraud and identity theft for crimes committed while he ran the company from 2004 to 2014.He was charged with abusing borrowers in New York and other states with interest rates exceeding — by many multiples — the maximum legal interest rates allowed in those states.Prosecutors said Moseley’s loan company exploited over 600,000 of the most financially vulnerable people in the country, and then Moseley dodged disgruntled customers and state regulators by operating from the Caribbean or New Zealand.At sentencing, a prosecutor said Moseley was "playing whack-a-mole with the regulators.”The sentencing judge read aloud excerpts from a business plan that served as a blueprint for Moseley’s businesses, saying: “If this is a business plan, then it’s a business plan for a criminal enterprise.”

KC man's conviction, sentence upheld in payday loan scam

Docking Institute poll offers ‘sobering’ snapshot of pandemic economics

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/02/kansas-speaks-survey-covid-19-financially-stresses-one-fourth-of-households/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — One-fourth of 
Kansas households experienced serious problems during the COVID-19 
pandemic covering essential costs of food, utility and medical bills and
 dealing with obligations of loans and credit card debt.

That was among findings of
 a sweeping statewide survey by the Docking Institute of Public Affairs 
at Fort Hays State University conducted annually to check the pulse of 
Kansans on economic, political and social issues. Amid the coronavirus 
crisis factoring in the death of more than 1,000 Kansans, the survey was
 adjusted to include examination of the financial stability of 
individual households and to drill down on public attitudes about 
vaccines, masks and political leadership.

“Fairly sobering results,” Brett Zollinger, director of the Docking Institute, said on the Kansas Reflector podcast. “We have overall about 25%, around a quarter of Kansans, you know express that … at some&nbsp;point since the start of the coronavirus they’ve had a serious problem in affording food, affording medical care, paying utilities, paying credit cards and loan debt.”

Zollinger said more than 
19% had challenges dealing with car payments and nearly 19% struggled to
 make rent or mortgage payments.

In addition, 37% of 
respondents revealed household members had wages or hours reduced since 
the start of the outbreak in March. Twenty-three percent said an 
individual in the household had lost a job, 14% were furloughed and 13% 
compelled to take unpaid leave. The survey showed 5% said they had lost a
 business in the first six months of the pandemic.

The survey indicated these
 financial hardships were exprienced more frequently by women, people 
under age 45 and in households with annual incomes below $50,000, 
Zollinger said.

“It‘s not necessarily surprising, but something that we ought to&nbsp;I think keep an eye on for sure. Our elected officials at the state level&nbsp;need to know this and need to be thinking about it,” he said.

The 2020 edition of Kansas
 Speaks was conducted online from Sept. 21 to Oct. 1. A panel of 417 
adult residents of Kansas age 18 and older participated in the poll.

Zollinger said 93% of 
people involved in this survey said they wore a mask when they went into
 stores, three of 10 didn’t believe a face covering would alter course 
of coronavirus.

In addition, one third of 
people in the poll felt danger of the virus had been severely 
exaggerated. And 27% endorsed the idea of “herd immunity,” an idea 
challenged by medical professionals because it contemplats bulkd of the 
U.S. population contracting the virus and potentially overwhelming 
hospitals and escalating the death total.

“In one way, it’s heartening I suppose from a public health perspective,” he said. “Then potentially, you know, there’s some disturbing news there from a public health perspective, in a relatively small percentage who disagree.”

He said younger people 
were less likely to agree that a mask was necessary, but that group 
could have fewer secondary health issues making them vulnerable to 
COVID-19.

In terms of a vaccine for 
the coronavirus, 28% said they were unwilling to take the vaccine. 
Forty-one percent said they would get vaccinated when a treatment for 
the virus was approved. Nearly one-third of respondents were undecided 
on the subject.

The people responding to 
Fort Hays State University’s poll gave highest marks in terms of 
providing credible information during the pandemic to Anthony Fauci, an 
immunologist who has beemm director of the National Institute of Allergy
 and Infectious Diseases since 1984. In the survey, 51.5% said they 
strongly approved or approved of Fauci’s insights.

Other approval numbers in 
terms of COVID-19: Gov. Laura Kelly, 47.5%; President Donald Trump, 
42.9%; Kansas Legislature, 26.7%; and U.S. Congress, 16.9%. In terms of 
the job done by the respondent’s city leaders, 43.3% had a favorable 
view. That was slightly better than the 38.6% rating for county 
governments of those taking part in the survey.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604334238213.png" alt="Brett Zollinger, director of the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University, said the annual Kansas Speaks statewide survey chronicled household impact of COVID-19, attitudes about wearing a mask and who people trust with medical advice during the crisis. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Brett Zollinger, director of the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University, said the annual Kansas Speaks statewide survey chronicled household impact of COVID-19, attitudes about wearing a mask and who people trust with medical advice during the crisis. (Submitted to Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Docking Institute poll offers ‘sobering’ snapshot of pandemic economics</h2>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/11/02/kansas-speaks-survey-covid-19-financially-stresses-one-fourth-of-households/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — One-fourth of 
Kansas households experienced serious problems during the COVID-19 
pandemic covering essential costs of food, utility and medical bills and
 dealing with obligations of loans and credit card debt.That was among findings of
 a sweeping statewide survey by the Docking Institute of Public Affairs 
at Fort Hays State University conducted annually to check the pulse of 
Kansans on economic, political and social issues. Amid the coronavirus 
crisis factoring in the death of more than 1,000 Kansans, the survey was
 adjusted to include examination of the financial stability of 
individual households and to drill down on public attitudes about 
vaccines, masks and political leadership.“Fairly sobering results,” Brett Zollinger, director of the Docking Institute, said on the Kansas Reflector podcast. “We have overall about 25%, around a quarter of Kansans, you know express that … at some&nbsp;point since the start of the coronavirus they’ve had a serious problem in affording food, affording medical care, paying utilities, paying credit cards and loan debt.”Zollinger said more than 
19% had challenges dealing with car payments and nearly 19% struggled to
 make rent or mortgage payments.In addition, 37% of 
respondents revealed household members had wages or hours reduced since 
the start of the outbreak in March. Twenty-three percent said an 
individual in the household had lost a job, 14% were furloughed and 13% 
compelled to take unpaid leave. The survey showed 5% said they had lost a
 business in the first six months of the pandemic.The survey indicated these
 financial hardships were exprienced more frequently by women, people 
under age 45 and in households with annual incomes below $50,000, 
Zollinger said.“It‘s not necessarily surprising, but something that we ought to&nbsp;I think keep an eye on for sure. Our elected officials at the state level&nbsp;need to know this and need to be thinking about it,” he said.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/921726919&color=%232b7fb4&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/kansas-reflector-podcast" title="Reflector Podcast" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Reflector Podcast</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/kansas-reflector-podcast/survey-sheds-light-on-where-kansans-stand-on-major-issues" title="Survey sheds light on where Kansans stand on major issues" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Survey sheds light on where Kansans stand on major issues</a></div></div>The 2020 edition of Kansas
 Speaks was conducted online from Sept. 21 to Oct. 1. A panel of 417 
adult residents of Kansas age 18 and older participated in the poll.Zollinger said 93% of 
people involved in this survey said they wore a mask when they went into
 stores, three of 10 didn’t believe a face covering would alter course 
of coronavirus.In addition, one third of 
people in the poll felt danger of the virus had been severely 
exaggerated. And 27% endorsed the idea of “herd immunity,” an idea 
challenged by medical professionals because it contemplats bulkd of the 
U.S. population contracting the virus and potentially overwhelming 
hospitals and escalating the death total.“In one way, it’s heartening I suppose from a public health perspective,” he said. “Then potentially, you know, there’s some disturbing news there from a public health perspective, in a relatively small percentage who disagree.”He said younger people 
were less likely to agree that a mask was necessary, but that group 
could have fewer secondary health issues making them vulnerable to 
COVID-19.In terms of a vaccine for 
the coronavirus, 28% said they were unwilling to take the vaccine. 
Forty-one percent said they would get vaccinated when a treatment for 
the virus was approved. Nearly one-third of respondents were undecided 
on the subject.The people responding to 
Fort Hays State University’s poll gave highest marks in terms of 
providing credible information during the pandemic to Anthony Fauci, an 
immunologist who has beemm director of the National Institute of Allergy
 and Infectious Diseases since 1984. In the survey, 51.5% said they 
strongly approved or approved of Fauci’s insights.Other approval numbers in 
terms of COVID-19: Gov. Laura Kelly, 47.5%; President Donald Trump, 
42.9%; Kansas Legislature, 26.7%; and U.S. Congress, 16.9%. In terms of 
the job done by the respondent’s city leaders, 43.3% had a favorable 
view. That was slightly better than the 38.6% rating for county 
governments of those taking part in the survey.