Press Release
The Douglas County Democrats (DCC) recently held their regular monthly meeting in Baldwin City. According to Nora Murphy the DCC alternate their meetings between Lecompton, Eudora and Baldwin City. The February meeting was in Baldwin City, and their speaker was Jim Ward. Murphy said that over the next few months they will have each of the seven candidates address the group. Ward was the first of the candidates to speak.
Ward started by telling the group a little about his self and his background. A Wichita attorney, Ward said he graduated with a Bachelor's Degree from Creighton University and law from Washburn University. After graduating from Washburn Law School he worked as an Assistant District Attorney in Wichita and was a part of the team the used DNA for the first time in Kansas to convict a murder. A case in which suspect was upset that he lost a custody battle with his wife, so he murdered her. He eventually opened his own law practice.
Ward who currently serves in the Kansas House of Representatives, previously served in the Kansas Senate from 1991–1993 and on the Wichita City Council in 1991. He is a member of the Wichita Bar Association, Project Freedom, and the Wichita Youth Court Project.
One reason he is running, he said, is because he wants to change the way the state looks at education. Telling those in attendance that,
A number of those in attendance voiced concern about guns and their support for gun control. When asked about this topic, Ward said that within days of the most recent school shooting in Florida, he saw an advertisement for a gun show selling the AR-15. These gun shows, he believes should be the first thing that is banned. Asking the group after he made that statement if anyone there thought teachers should be armed in the classroom. Following up on his question, he said, that was the "nuttiest idea" he ever heard.
Speaking about elected officials afraid of a poor NRA rating, if they supported gun control legislation,
Regarding cutting sales tax on food, he believes a better plan would be a buy-down, which he likened to what he called a "water plan." A plan where the state would bank the excess to use at a later time. An idea that stems from the penalization that departments in the state for not using all of their budgeted funds. He does believe the state is in a position to not raise any new taxes.
Medicaid expansion, he said is a passion of his, the legislature will be forced to vote on it again this year, even though, Governor Jeff Colyer, has said he would not sign it. No surprise, Ward told the room, Colyer was opposed to Medicaid expansion, before former Governor Brownback. Affordable healthcare is a moral responsibility, he said. As for his running mate, he said that he had made a decision yet.
The Douglas County Democrats (DCC) recently held their regular monthly meeting in Baldwin City. According to Nora Murphy the DCC alternate their meetings between Lecompton, Eudora and Baldwin City. The February meeting was in Baldwin City, and their speaker was Jim Ward. Murphy said that over the next few months they will have each of the seven candidates address the group. Ward was the first of the candidates to speak.
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| Jim Ward, Democratic candidate for Governor, spoke to Democrats in Baldwin City on February 27, 2018. |
Ward who currently serves in the Kansas House of Representatives, previously served in the Kansas Senate from 1991–1993 and on the Wichita City Council in 1991. He is a member of the Wichita Bar Association, Project Freedom, and the Wichita Youth Court Project.
One reason he is running, he said, is because he wants to change the way the state looks at education. Telling those in attendance that,
"we have to make sure kids are ready to go to work on day one."After telling the group about himself and why he thought he should be Governor, he took questions from the group of 20 Democrats from across the county.
A number of those in attendance voiced concern about guns and their support for gun control. When asked about this topic, Ward said that within days of the most recent school shooting in Florida, he saw an advertisement for a gun show selling the AR-15. These gun shows, he believes should be the first thing that is banned. Asking the group after he made that statement if anyone there thought teachers should be armed in the classroom. Following up on his question, he said, that was the "nuttiest idea" he ever heard.Speaking about elected officials afraid of a poor NRA rating, if they supported gun control legislation,
"We have to change the mentallitythat the NRA is that powerful,"he said. Another item, he believes should be banned is the bump stock, that turns certain guns into semi-automatic weapons. It does this by replacing the rifle’s standard stock, (the part held against the shoulder). This frees the weapon to slide back and forth rapidly, harnessing the energy from the kickback shooters feel when the weapon fires.
Regarding cutting sales tax on food, he believes a better plan would be a buy-down, which he likened to what he called a "water plan." A plan where the state would bank the excess to use at a later time. An idea that stems from the penalization that departments in the state for not using all of their budgeted funds. He does believe the state is in a position to not raise any new taxes.
Medicaid expansion, he said is a passion of his, the legislature will be forced to vote on it again this year, even though, Governor Jeff Colyer, has said he would not sign it. No surprise, Ward told the room, Colyer was opposed to Medicaid expansion, before former Governor Brownback. Affordable healthcare is a moral responsibility, he said. As for his running mate, he said that he had made a decision yet.
Future Democratic Candidates to speak at Douglas County Democrat Meetings:
- March 28 - Arden Anderson @ Kanwaka Township Hall
- April 24 - Carl Brewer @ Eudora Communitive Building
- May 29 - Josh Svaty @ Baldwin (TBA)
- June 12 (tentative) - Laura Kelly @ Baldwin (TBA)
- June 26 - Robert Klingenberg @ Kanwaka Township Hall
- July 31 - Jack Bergeson @ Eudora Community Building
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