By Roger McKinney

rmckinney@joplinglobe.com

There are Republican primary races in Kansas Senate districts 13 and 14, but no primary contests in Kansas House districts 1, 2 and 3.

Kansas Senate, 13th District

A 50-year age difference separates the Republican hopefuls for the 13th District Kansas Senate position. Jacob LaTurner and Bob Marshall are vying for the nomination. The winner will face Democrat Patty Horgan in November. Incumbent Democratic state Sen. Jim Barone didn’t seek re-election.

Both LaTurner and Marshall said they favor the building of a coal-fired power plant at Holcomb and both favor restrictions on abortion rights. Both also said it’s important to make U.S. Highway 69 a four-lane highway for the remaining 65 miles from north of Fort Scott to Interstate 44.

LaTurner, 20, of Pittsburg, has lived in the Senate district his entire life. He graduated from Galena High School and is a student at Pittsburg State University. This is his first run for an elected office. He has served as chairman of the Cherokee County Republican Party.

“I think we need to address illegal immigration,” LaTurner said. “It’s an important issue.”

He said education also is important, and he wants to place pupils in Southeast Kansas on a level playing field with those in the rest of the state and the nation.

“I think we have to have a senator who’s working on these problems for the long haul,” LaTurner said. “These problems aren’t going to be solved in one term. I’m making a lifelong commitment.”

Marshall, 70, of Fort Scott, has lived in the Senate district since 1990. He has a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the University of Kansas, Lawrence. He recently resigned as athletic director at Fort Scott Community College. This is his first run for an elected office.

Marshall worked as an airline pilot for 33 years.

“My primary issue is economic development,” Marshall said. “We need more, better paying jobs.”

He said besides the completion of the four-lane Highway 69, there needs to be better railway access to industrial parks and better aviation assets in small towns.

Marshall said he is chairman of the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce and is executive director of the Bourbon County Economic Development Inc. He was a commanding officer of a Marine infantry battalion.