Voters in far Southeast Kansas on Nov. 6 will decide two open positions in the Kansas House of Representatives.

In the 3rd District, which includes most of Pittsburg, Republican Terry Calloway decided not to run for re-election after a single term. In the 1st District, which includes most of Cherokee County, Democrat Doug Gatewood, of Columbus, announced he wouldn’t seek re-election after serving 14 years in the Legislature.

3RD DISTRICT

Former Democratic state Rep. Julie Menghini is seeking to regain her former 1st District position, but she is running against Republican Michelle Hucke, who managed Calloway’s campaign.

Hucke, 25, moved to Pittsburg in 2008. She has a bachelor’s degree from Pittsburg State University and is pursuing a master’s degree. She works as a claims manager at Ryan Insurance and also farms and has an excavating business with her husband. This is her first campaign as the candidate.

“I really believe that we have so many opportunities that are right here in our backyard that aren’t being supported by our Legislature,” Hucke said of her reason for running. She named among the successful ventures Pitt Plastics, Watco railroad and the Kansas Technology Center at PSU.

“Us being in the poorest economic area of the state is unthinkable to me,” Hucke said. “I really believe we can get there with the right leadership. I want it to be a success story for everybody.”

Menghini, 48, of Pittsburg, has lived most of her life there. She is a graduate of Pittsburg High School and has attended PSU and the University of Kansas, but doesn’t have a college degree. She is human resources director for the Pittsburg School District. She served three terms, six years, in the House.

“I’m deeply concerned with the reckless tax bill that was passed last session that will wreak havoc on education, social services, economic development, you name it,” Menghini said. “They already have received multiple budget cuts.”

She said she doesn’t foresee enough economic growth to counteract the budget cuts and the lost revenue from tax cuts.

She said U.S. Highway 69 project remains important. She said she helped design and pass the comprehensive transportation bill and the funding package.

“I’m deeply concerned they’re going to remove the funding” from the transportation plan, she said.

2ND DISTRICT

In the 2nd District House election, incumbent Democrat Bob Grant is being challenged by Republican Jeff Locke, who also challenged Grant in 2008 and 2010. Also on the ballot is Libertarian Lawrence Monaghan. Towns in the 2nd District include Frontenac, Arma, Cherokee, Girard and a small part of Pittsburg.

Locke, 49, of Arma, has lived in the House district for 25 years. He has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from PSU. He is a teacher at Fort Scott Community College. He ran unsuccessfully in 2008 and 2010. He also had served one term on the Arma City Council.

 He said he thinks legislative redistricting will be to his benefit.

Locke said his main issue is growing the economy.

“It’s about jobs, jobs, jobs,” he said,

He said he supports the Kansas Health Care Freedom Amendment, a proposed amendment to the state constitution which he said would allow individuals to opt out of the federal Affordable Care Act, which Locke calls Obamacare.

He said he also would advance legislation protecting fetuses if they have a heartbeat.

“I don’t believe abortion is birth control,” he said. “Abortion is killing.”

Grant, 63, of Frontenac, has lived nearly his entire life in the House district. He has an associate degree from Labette Community College, Parsons. He has a catering business after selling his bar in Cherokee. He has served 19 1/2 years in the House and also had served as mayor of Cherokee.

“I don’t like the policy that the present administration has put in place in cutting schools,” Grant said. “Education is my number one priority. We have to fund schools. I don’t like the cuts that have been made.”

He said economic development is another priority.

“Economic development is needed across the state,” Grant said “Funding needs to be put in place to finish Highway 69.”

Programs for the elderly and the most vulnerable Kansans also should be protected, he said.

Monaghan, of Arcadia, didn’t respond to emails or phone calls from the Globe.

1ST DISTRICT

The 1st District, which includes most of Cherokee County features Grant Randall, who describes himself as a moderate Democrat, and Mike Houser, who describes himself as a conservative Republican.

Randall, 32, of Baxter Springs, has lived there for 27 years. He has a bachelor’s degree and a law degree from the University of Kansas, Lawrence. He runs a small health care consulting company. This is his first campaign.

He said his issues are education, jobs and property taxes. He said Cherokee County has the worst poverty and the worst health care in the state.

He said Gov. Sam Brownback’s cuts to education are counterproductive. He said improving education paired with improved infrastructure can bring economic growth.

“The job markets are looking for a more educated work force,” Randall said.

He said reforming the tax system, with less reliance on property taxes to fund local governments, is needed.

“We believe in a much more fair tax structure,” he said. “The middle class is picking up the burden of the taxes.”

A theme of Randall’s campaign is “moderate isn’t a dirty word.”

“If you have a commonsense approach, it doesn’t matter what your political affiliation is,” he said. “We want to get around those labels.”

Houser, 53, of Columbus, has lived in the district for 48 years. He graduated from Columbus High School. He is a construction estimator for Crossland Construction Co. He had a close race with Gatewood two years ago, forcing a recount.

He said economic development, paired with tax reform, is his goal.

“I would like to increase our tax base,” Houser said. “If we can increase our tax base, we can increase our education spending, eliminating the need to continue to increase property taxes. That drives everything and makes Kansas a better place and more affordable place to do business.”

He said he is conservative and firmly believes government can’t spend money it doesn’t have.

“Someday, I hope to see people from Joplin (Mo.) coming to Galena and Baxter and Columbus” to do business, Houser said.