Citizens For Higher Education Endorses 163 Candidates For Kansas House & Senate

They Support Jobs And Economic Development Through Quality Higher Education

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Jul 23, 2012, 10:09 ET

LENEXA, Kan., July 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Citizens for Higher Education, a business group that promotes quality higher education as the engine that creates well-paying jobs and economic prosperity in Kansas, has endorsed a bi-partisan group of 43 candidates for the Kansas Senate and 120 for the Kansas House of Representatives.

"We strongly endorse the election of these Kansas leaders from both political parties who understand that there is an undisputed link between quality higher education and the long-term economic well-being of our state," said Bill Hall, Chairman of Citizens for Higher Education. "Kansans who receive a quality post-secondary education from one of our fine Regents institutions earn more, pay more taxes, rely less on government programs and contribute more to their communities over their lifetimes. Plus, they are more likely to create jobs by starting and growing their own businesses. That's why pro-higher education legislators deserve our endorsement and support in this year's elections.

"When you go to the polls on primary election day, August 7th, we urge voters who are concerned about soaring tuition and student loan costs, quality jobs and economic growth, to cast their vote for their party's pro-higher education candidate," Hall said.

Candidates were endorsed based on recommendations from higher education and legislative leaders, and the candidates' positions on issues of importance to the state's public universities and community colleges. Many of the incumbent legislators have also been active in the Kansas Legislative Higher Education Caucus hosted by Citizens for Higher Education. Due to redistricting, primary races or other reasons, some districts have multiple pro-higher education candidates. In those cases, more than one candidate received CHE's endorsement.

"We are pleased by the strong level of support higher education receives from these legislators and candidates," Hall said. "Our state's community colleges and universities, and the graduates they produce, are the engines that drive our economy, both statewide and locally. In these difficult times we desperately need their creativity, ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit to create new businesses and jobs for the 21^st century.

Kansas Citizens for Higher Education is an organization of business leaders who believe the economic well-being of our state is highly dependent on a top quality higher education system that can produce the well-trained, highly skilled workers our state requires. To learn more visit www.kshighereducationworks.com or visit the Higher Education Works page on Facebook.

Kansas Senate

District 1 – Steve Lukert (D)
District 2 -- Marci Francisco (D)
District 3 – Tom Holland (D)
District 4 -- David Haley (D)
District 5 -- Kelly Kultala (D)
District 6 – Pat Pettey (D)
District 7 -- Kay Wolf (R) & Kyle Russell (D)
District 8 -- Tim Owens (R) & Lisa Johnston (D)
District 10 -- Tom Wertz (R) & Mark Greene (D)
District 11 -- Pat Colloton (R) & Michael Delaney (D)
District 12 – John Coen (R) & Denise Cassells (D)
District 13 -- Bob Marshall (R)
District 14 – John Grange (R)
District 15 -- Dwayne Umbarger (R)
District 17 -- Jeff Longbine (R)
District 18 -- Laura Kelly (D)
District 19 -- Anthony Hensley (D)
District 20 -- Vicki Schmidt (R)
District 21-- Joe Beveridge (R) & Juanita Roy (D)
District 22 -- Roger Reitz (R) & Tom Hawk (D)
District 24 -- Pete Brungardt (R)
District 25 -- Jean Schodorf (R) & Perry Schuckman (D)
District 27 – Diana Cubbage (D)
District 28 – Keith Humphrey (D)
District 29 -- Oletha Faust-Goudeau (D)
District 30 – Patrick Cantwell (D)
District 31 -- Carolyn McGinn (R)
District 32 -- Miranda Allen (R)
District 33 -- Ruth Teichman (R)
District 34 – Mark Treaster (D)
District 35 -- Jay Emler (R)
District 37 -- Pat Apple (R)
District 38 – Johnny Dunlap (D)
District 39 -- Steve Morris (R)
District 40 – Allen Schmidt (D)

Kansas House of Representatives

District 1 -- Grant Randall (D)
District 2 -- Bob Grant (D)
District 3 -- Julie Menghini (D)
District 4 -- Shirley Palmer (D)
District 5 -- Bill Feuerborn (D)
District 7 -- Richard Proehl (R)
District 8 -- Sheryl Spalding (R)
District 9 -- Judy Brigham (R)
District 10 -- John Wilson (D)
District 11 – Jim Kelly (R) & Darrel Harbaugh (D)
District 12 – Jack Kopfman (R) & Tina Bumgarner (D)
District 13 – Larry Hibbard (R)
District 14 – Janet King (R) & Roberta Eveslage (D)
District 15 – Elliot Lahn (R)
District 17 – Jason Leib (R) & Larry Meeker (D)
District 18 – Milack Talia (D) & Neal Sawyer (R)
District 19 -- Stephanie Clayton (R) & Zachary Luea (D)
District 20 – Mark Read (R)
District 21 -- Barbara Bollier (R)
District 22 – Nancy Lusk (D)
District 23 – Dave Pack (D)
District 24 – Emily Perry (D)
District 25 -- Melissa Rooker (R)
District 28 – Mark Hagen (R) & Kelly Jackson (D)
District 29 -- Jim Yonally (R) & Nancy Leiker (D)
District 30 -- Ron Worley (R) & Liz Dickinson (D)
District 31 -- Louis Ruiz (D)
District 32 – Michael Peterson (D)
District 33 -- Tom Burroughs (D)
District 34 – Valdenia Winn (D)
District 35 – Broderick Henderson (D)
District 36 – Kathy Wolf-Moore (D)
District 37 – Stan Frownfelter (D)
District 38 – David Anderson (R) & Pete Henderson (D)
District 39 -- Stephanie Meyer (R) & Marlys Shulda (D)
District 40 – Janette Holdeman (R)
District 41 -- Melanie Meier (D) & Mark Preisinger (R)
District 42 – Harold Fevurly, Jr. (D)
District 44 -- Barbara Ballard (D)
District 45 – Tom Sloan (R)
District 46 – Paul Davis (D)
District 47 -- Ramon Gonzalez (R) & Bruce Hanson (D)
District 50 -- Sean Gatewood (D)
District 51 – Dee McKee (R)
District 52 – Scott Hesse (R) & Ted Ensley (D)
District 53 -- Annie Tietze (D)
District 54 -- Ann Mah (D)
District 55 -- Annie Kuether (D)
District 56 – Virgil Weigel (D)
District 57 – John Alcala (D)
District 58 -- Harold Lane (D)
District 59 – Blaine Finch (R) & Caleb Correll (D)
District 60 -- Don Hill (R)
District 61 – Trent LeDoux (R)
District 62 – Leslie Scoby (R) & Dennis Stones (D)
District 63 -- Jerry Henry (D)
District 64 – Vern Swanson (R)
District 66 -- Sydney Carlin (D)
District 67 -- Tom Phillips (R)
District 68 -- Tom Moxley (R)
District 69 -- Bruce Wyatt (R)
District 70 – Doug Lindahl (R)
District 71 – Diana Dercks (R) & Alan Jilka (D)
District 72 – Glenda Reynold (D)
District 73 – Clark Shultz (R)
District 74 – Don Schroeder (R)
District 76 – Bill Otto (R)
District 78 – Ron Ryckman, Jr. (R)
District 79 -- Ed Trimmer (D)
District 83 – Carolyn Bridges (D)
District 84 -- Gail Finney (D)
District 86 -- Judith Loganbill (D) or Jim Ward (D)
District 87 – Chris Florquist (D)
District 88 – Patricia Sloop (D)
District 91 – Robin Clements (R)
District 92 -- Nile Dillmore (D)
District 94 – Mario Goico (R)
District 95 -- Tom Sawyer (D)
District 96 – Brandon Whipple (D)
District 97 -- Dale Swenson (D)
District 98 -- Geraldine Flaharty (D)
District 103 -- Ponka We-Victors (D)
District 104 – Steven Becker (R)
District 105 – Liz Hicks (D)
District 106 -- Clay Aurand (R), Sharon Schwartz (R) & Nick Levendofsky (D)
District 107 – Susan Concannon (R)
District 108 – Steven Johnson (R)
District 109 – Troy Waymaster (R)
District 110 – Philip Martin (D)
District 111 -- Eber Phelps (D)
District 113 – Marshall Christmann
District 114 – Tom Simpson (R) & Carol Moore (D)
District 116 -- Vincent Wetta (D)
District 117 -- Dennis McKinney (D)
District 118 – Don Hineman (R)
District 120 – Ward Cassidy (R)
District 122 -- Russ Jennings (R)
District 123 – John Doll (R)
District 124 -- Stephen Alford (R)