Visiting Republican candidates vowed to wipe the slate clean of Democratic officeholders at a rally Thursday in the Little Theatre in Riverside Park.
“I’m dedicated to sending Nancy Pelosi an eviction notice come January,” said Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins. “If we could sell tickets to see John Boehner take the gavel from Nancy Pelosi, our national debt would be settled,” she said of what she sees as national disgust with Pelosi in particular as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and Democrats in general.
Jenkins said her goal as Representative of the 2nd Congressional District is to “lower taxes, lower spending and build trust in the national government.”
Jenkins was one of six candidates to address about 35 citizens at the noon rally. Another 15 or so of the traveling entourage fleshed out the crowd. The Republicans of Allen County sponsored the rally, which included lunch.
Sen. Pat Roberts, now in his third term and not up for re-election, gave the longest speech of the group.
“We’re not the Party of No,” Roberts said. “It’s just as important to defeat bad legislation as to pass good legislation.”
He said the country’s mounting debt “is child abuse,” because of the burden on future generations to reduce it.
Roberts also criticized new health care legislation and singled out a predicted $100 million in cuts to the Medicare Advantage program.
Seniors can purchase Medicare Advantage — offered by private insurers — to receive benefits that seniors with traditional Medicare don’t get.
“It’s not right,” Roberts said of the predicted cuts to the federal subsidies.
Roberts said the rallying cry of Kansas Republicans is “I want my country back!”
IN HIS BID for governor, Sen. Sam Brownback said Kansans need to prepare for a time of “tough choices” to get the state back on a strong financial footing. “It’s the time and the place if we are to grow and prosper,” he said.
“When I look to see what was so great about previous generations, I see they’re no bigger or stronger. But what they did have was a willingness to sacrifice for their kids and grandkids so they might have advantages.”
Brownback said the Republican ticket “is as united a GOP ticket as we’ve ever had. We’ll be awfully hard to beat next Tuesday.”
After the rally Brownback said the funding of Kansas schools “needs to be reworked,” and challenged state legislators to take responsibility for the task.
RON ESTES, candidate for state treasurer, said he knew “people are tired of big government in their lives. It’s not the Kansas way,” he said.
Estes has been treasurer of Sedgwick County since 2004.
A highlight of his service has been to speed up renewals for license tags, he said, making it a more efficient operation.
“We need to take the same concepts to the state level,” he said.
State Sen. Jeff Colyer, running mate to Brownback, likened the campaign to Iola’s resurgence from the 2007 flood. “We, too, can pull together,” he said of Kansas Republicans.
With a forecast of showers on Election Day, Colyer said “It’s going to rain Republicans.”
State Sen. Derek Schmidt wrapped up the speeches with a similarly brief plug for Kansans to vote Tuesday and to “elect a Republican ticket.”
In an earlier discussion he said he supported the local ballot measure for a new hospital in Allen County.
“An area’s health and education infrastructures are critical,” Schmidt said. “These are important measures for a community. I see them as a generational investment.”
The road-weary candidates boarded their “Clean Sweep” bus while Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again,” played over the speaker system. Next stop, Fort Scott.
