Kansas 3rd District Republican candidates battle over who can best take on Davids

The Republican candidates for the 3rd Congressional District in Kansas repeatedly clashed at a debate Tuesday over who offers the best vision for beating incumbent Democrat Sharice Davids and how the United States should respond to the pandemic.

The debate came in the final stretch of the primary campaign, as candidates scramble to shore up support ahead of the Aug. 4 election. With contenders lacking large ideological differences, the race has often centered on personal attacks and past histories.

COVID-19 also loomed over the event, held at an Olathe hotel ballroom where hundreds watched in socially distanced groups. Some wore masks but many did not.

Adrienne Vallejo Foster, a former Roeland Park mayor, said she has local, state and federal experience, before pivoting to Davids. Vallejo Foster was the executive director of the Kansas Hispanic and Latino American Affairs Commission and served as Region 7 advocate for the Office of Advocacy at the U.S. Small Business Administration.

“I am also the only woman of color on this stage, and to take on Sharice Davids — who is an American Indian, outwardly lesbian — I’m a Latina woman, married, five children. I’m the best one to take her on,” Foster said.

Foster said government shouldn’t decide when businesses close or whether masks must be worn. Gov. Laura Kelly has mandated masks in public spaces, but most counties have opted out of the requirement.

Sara Hart Weir, former president of the National Down Syndrome Society, said she was a political outsider in the race.

“I’m a proven CEO who’s actually led a multi-million dollar organization and I’m somebody who’s actually gotten things done,” Weir said.

Weir said she was the only candidate in the debate to have opposed Congress’s phase three COVID-19 package because it included “bailouts for liberal states like California, Illinois and New York.” The $2 trillion relief package included billions in aid to states as well as one-time checks to most American taxpayers.

Amanda Adkins, an executive on leave at the healthcare IT company Cerner and a former Kansas Republican Party chairwoman, said she is the only candidate with deep experience in both business and healthcare during an economic and health crisis. She called for a payroll tax holiday, which she said would help both businesses and employees.

“Most of my time has been spent with moms, with business leaders, with families, talking about the turn we need to make as a country,” Adkins said. “The silent majority is critical in this election cycle. We have to energize it and it takes somebody with deep experience who can turn this country around in this crisis.”

Weir repeatedly attacked Adkins over contributions she made to Cerner’s corporate PAC, noting the company’s political arm had given to Democratic candidates. Adkins stood by the contributions, noting Cerner is one of the largest companies in the Kansas City area. The PAC has given to both Democrats and Republicans.

Mike Beehler, a former executive at Burns & McDonnell, said he opposed a phase four COVID-19 relief package from Congress. He called for extensive cuts to federal spending, and suggested combining the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health.

Beehler touted that he had attended an April rally in Topeka to reopen the state and voiced support for recalling Kelly as governor.

“Where are the elected leaders in our community? Where are they? You can’t find them. I was there on the 23rd and I’ll tell you what, there’s going to be a move afoot, and as Republicans you should be very interested in this, we’re going to recall this governor,” Beehler said.

Whoever wins the primary will face an uphill climb in the suburban Kansas City district, the only Kansas district President Donald Trump lost in 2016.

The non-partisan Cook Political Report rates the district as “lean Democratic.” Davids captured the seat in 2018 by defeating Republican Kevin Yoder, 53.6 percent to 43.9 percent.

“From trying to rip away Kansans’ health care during a global pandemic to backing huge giveaways for special interests and wealthy corporations, the GOP candidates once again proved just how extreme and out of touch they are with Kansas voters tonight,” Davids spokeswoman Johanna Warshaw said in a statement.

Davids raised $875,000 during the second quarter of 2020 — a substantial haul for the district — and heads into the fall with $2.4 million on hand. The Republican candidates haven’t reported fundraising figures yet, which are due July 15.

But the GOP candidates, led by Adkins, have been pouring significant sums into advertising as the primary approaches.

Adkins’ campaign has spent roughly $330,000 on TV advertising as of July 10, according to an analysis by Medium Buying, a firm that tracks campaign spending. Heartland USA PAC, which has been bankrolled by Adkins’ father Alan Landes, has spent another $130,000 on ads attacking Weir.

Weir’s campaign has spent more than $160,000 on ads as of July 10.

The Star’s Bryan Lowry contributed reporting.

This story was originally published July 14, 2020 at 9:40 PM.