By Greg Grisolano
ggrisolano@joplinglobe.com
PITTSBURG, Kan. — Voters in the 13th Kansas State Senate District will select between two political newcomers in the general election on Nov. 4.
The 13th District is made up of Crawford, Bourbon and a portion of Cherokee counties in Southeast Kansas.
Democratic candidate Patty Horgan is running against Republican Bob Marshall for the seat that was vacated last June when Democrat Jim Barone announced he would not seek a fourth term as senator.
Horgan, 60, is a retired executive for Regis Salons and a lifelong Pittsburg resident. This is her first bid for public office, but she has been an active campaign worker for the Democratic party in Crawford County. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business from Pittsburg State University.
Marshall, 70, retired in January as the athletic director for Fort Scott Community College. Marshall lives in Fort Scott and defeated 20-year-old Jacob LaTurner in the August primary. He holds a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the University of Kansas in Lawrence.
Both candidates said they see expanding the U.S. Highway 69 to four lanes through their district as a top priority.
“No doubt, U.S. 69 Highway is a ‘hot issue’ in each election. The 2009 Legislative year, however, makes the completion of U.S. 69 even more crucial,” Horgan said. “In 2009, the Kansas Legislature will approve a multiyear transportation plan, and as federal dollars dry up for highway projects and other infrastructure projects, it is imperative that we get this done before all opportunities are lost.”
Marshall said the key to getting the highway project complete would be continuing to push for funding from Topeka.
“We will still need to be vigilant in fighting for funding for its completion,” he said. “I have worked actively for almost a decade on the Highway 69 committee to make this four-lane a reality and will remain committed until it is completed.”
If elected, Marshall said his priorities would be economic development and education. He said he anti-abortion and a Second Amendment advocate.
Horgan said her priorities would be focusing on health care for uninsured Kansans, economic development and advocating for the use of the E-Verify program to help Kansas companies avoid hiring undocumented workers.
Marshall lost Crawford and Cherokee counties in the primary, but had a strong enough showing in Bourbon County to win the nomination. He said he doesn’t believe geography will play a role in the general-election contest.
“For me, this race isn’t about Republicans versus Democrats or Bourbon County versus Cherokee or Crawford counties,” he said. “It’s about finding solutions to the issues that matter most to our neighbors.”
Horgan agreed, but said she was predicting a close contest.
“I knew, before I ever decided to run for this office, that it would be a tight race,” she said. “The breakdowns on likely voters, party affiliation and socioeconomic demographics make this district one of the most diverse in the state. Voters need to decide who will care for the people of Southeast Kansas, and who will stand up and fight for what’s right and what’s moral.”
A third-party candidate is also running for the 13th Senate District seat. Larry Monaghan, 59, of Arcadia, is a disabled Army veteran, who has several times run for public office representing the Libertarian party, but has never been elected.
14th District
The 14th Senate District post also is up for election, but Democratic challenger David L. Miller admits he’s a long shot to oust longtime Republican incumbent Dwayne Umbarger.
“If by some miracle I got elected, I’d be in a unique position to shake things up in Topeka,” said Miller, a union plumber from Parsons.
Umbarger, who was first elected to the seat in 1996, now serves as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, which crafts the Senate’s budget proposal.
The 14th District encompasses Labette, Neosho and portions of Cherokee and Montgomery counties.
Miller, a former state representative who served in the Kansas house from 1973 to 1977, said his primary issue is government ethics.
“I’ve come to the conclusion that there’s not much ethics in Topeka, among either political party,” he said.
Umbarger said he did not know how to respond to such a broad statement from his opponent.
“I talk about the issues; I don’t get down in the mud,” he said. “I think people are tired of the mud slinging, and they want to hear about the issues and what we’re doing about it.”
If re-elected, Umbarger said he planned to use his position as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee to make sure the state had a balanced budget in light of the current nationwide economic woes.
“There’s been a lot of reports that Kansas is one of the few states that has its financial house in order,” he said.
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