Democrats, Republicans each win a seat in Wichita-area state BOE races

Democrats and Republicans each won a seat in Wichita-area races for the Kansas State Board of Education, according to unofficial election results from the Kansas Secretary of State.

In the three-way race in District 10, Republican Debby Potter took an early lead that she maintained throughout the evening over Democrat Jeffrey Jarman and Independent Kent Rowe. She ended the night with 60% of the votes (78,318), while Jarman had 31% (40,764) and Rowe received 9% (11,720), with all precincts reporting. The Associated Press called the race at 12:38 a.m. Wednesday.

In District 8, Democratic incumbent Betty Arnold beat Republican challenger Jason Carmichael, although the candidates were separated by fewer than 2,000 votes. Arnold received 51% of votes (43,472) compared with 49% (41,493) for Carmichael, with all precincts reporting. The AP called the race for Arnold at 12:50 a.m Wednesday.

The Wichita public schools district, U.S.D. 259, is split across the two state BOE districts. District 8 covers most of Wichita plus five other school districts: Andover, Derby, Haysville, Mulvane and Rose Hill.

District 10 covers school districts in Barber, Butler, Chautauqua, Cowley, Harper and Sumner counties and part of U.S.D. 259, as well as Andover, Cheney, Clearwater, Goddard, Haysville, Maize, Mulvane, Renwick and Valley Center in Sedgwick County.

Election results are unofficial until canvassing takes place.

Potter did not answer questions for The Eagle’s voters guide or return a message Tuesday. She is an advocate for vouchers and “empowering parents,” according to her campaign materials. She has said in a campaign video that she was motivated to run for the state school board because she doesn’t want her 19 grandchildren “to be indoctrinated away from ... their faith and away from their parents.”

She homeschooled her eight children with “a Christ-centered education from a biblical worldview” and worked for three years as a substitute teacher.

Jarman, a Wichita State University professor and Maize school board member, campaigned on funding public schools and attracting and retaining more teachers. He opposes vouchers “and other efforts to divert public funds from public schools.”

He said Tuesday while attending the Young Democrats watch party at WSU that he was “really excited to have been in this race to give an option for families who need public education.”

His loss comes despite outraising and outspending Potter, who mostly self-funded her campaign. Jarman’s campaign raised almost $20,000 and spent more than $15,000 as of Oct. 28 while Potter spent less than $6,000 of the more than $9,000 she loaned her campaign account.

Arnold said Tuesday she felt “good” about the District 8 race and would continue “to be supportive of public education” no matter what. For her, the most pressing issues for Kansas schools are a shortage of teachers, declining enrollment and school safety, she has said.

“The candidates did what they’re supposed to do, and it’s up to the public. When the public speaks, that’s it,” she told a reporter Tuesday at the Young Democrats watch party.

Tuesday’s win comes after Arnold, a former Wichita school board member, defeated Republican incumbent Kathy Busch by a narrow margin in 2020. She spent more than $15,000 on her campaign during the last reporting period while Carmichael, who kept a low profile and shared little about his policy goals other than changes to school food, physical fitness and academic achievement, raised $100 from one contributor and spent just over $50.

Leading up to Tuesday’s election, conservative Republicans had been angling for more influence over Kansas public schools and needed to pick up two seats to flip the balance of power on the state board of education. Half of the board’s 10 seats were on Tuesday’s ballot.

The District 10 seat was left open after Republican Jim McNiece decided to not seek reelection and endorsed Jarman for the spot.

In the Kansas City area, Democratic incumbent Melanie Haas won against Republican Fred Postlewait in District 2, which includes much of eastern Wyandotte County and northeast Johnson County. Democrat Kris Meyer lost to Republican Connie O’Brien in District 4, which includes portions of northern Johnson and southern Wyandotte counties, along with other areas of eastern Kansas.

In central Kansas, Democrat Beryl Ann New of Topeka beat Republican Bruce Schultz of Wamego for the open District 6 seat. The district represents school districts in Chase, Coffee, Dickinson, Douglas, Geary, Greenwood, Jefferson, Lyon, Marion, Morris, Pottawatomie, Riley, Shawnee and Wabaunsee counties.

All precincts were reporting in the Kansas City-area and central Kansas races, according to unofficial results from the Kansas Secretary of State.

This story was originally published November 5, 2024 at 7:30 PM.