Pandemic politics dominate Kansas congressional race as Davids faces GOP challengers
The four Republicans seeking to unseat Rep. Sharice Davids have signaled support for the protest movement against coronavirus-related restrictions— in one case even attending a rally— as they seek to find a message that will resonate during the unprecedented pandemic.
Davids, a first-term Kansas Democrat, has been steadfast in her support for social distancing, but she has also taken steps to distance herself from House Democratic leadership as the pandemic has intensified partisan furor in Washington and Kansas.
“Kansans need real help and we need both parties to start working on that,” Davids said Friday, lamenting division in Congress.
COVID-19 will be on the ballot this August when Republicans choose a nominee and in November when Davids for the first tie defends her seat in Kansas’ 3rd congressional district, a suburban swing district where her party represents roughly a third of the registered voters.
Coronavirus has not only transformed how candidates can campaign — placing sharp limits on rallies, town halls and other traditional events to connect with voters — it now dominates their messaging.
Mike Beehler, a former Burns & McDonnell executive seeking the GOP nomination, has been the most overt in his opposition to the government’s pandemic response, appearing at last month’s protest in Topeka against Gov. Laura Kelly’s stay-at-home order.
It was one of many in Kansas and across the country where attendees disputed the seriousness of the virus and exhibited hostility toward precautionary measures such as masks.
“I was really concerned about watching the erosion of our first amendment and our fourth amendment rights,” said Beehler, contending that measures to restrict gatherings and to trace the outbreak violate free speech and privacy protections.
Former Kansas Republican chair Amanda Adkins and former Roeland Park Mayor Adrienne Vallejo Foster did not attend protests, but offered sentiments of support.
“Those protests are really spurred on because of concerns about the preservation of liberties,” Adkins said.
Vallejo Foster was outspoken in her opposition to Kelly’s order ahead of Easter that barred religious gatherings of more than 10 people.
She acknowledged that as a Catholic that she would not have had an opportunity to attend an Easter mass in person because dioceses across the nation had already suspended physical services.
But she said other denominations should have had the right to continue, noting that were parking lot services taking place in Kansas.
“Government did not close the Catholic churches,” she said. “The Catholic Church made that decision on their own behalf.”
Sara Hart Weir, former president of the National Down Syndrome Society, said that she supported reopening the economy but would not explicitly say whether she supported the protest movement during a Friday interview.
Weir, however, made other gestures to the political right, seeking to shift a conversation about the domestic response to coronavirus to China, where the virus originated.
“I will be focused on Day 1 to make sure the Chinese Communist Party will be held accountable,” Weir said, echoing a common talking point for Republicans about China’s handling of the virus.
Scott Paradise, a Republican consultant who has worked in both Kansas and Missouri, said the pandemic presents a messaging challenge for GOP candidates. Many conservatives have bristled at restrictions but seniors, the group at greatest risk of infection, are also a key voting bloc.
“It’s an extremely sensitive issue with passionate opinions on both sides of the conservative movement,” Paradise said in a text message. “Some want to reopen yesterday, others are still nervous, especially Seniors. Ultimately, elections are still going to happen so candidates have to strike the right balance.”
‘Not a close talker’
Finding the right message can be particularly challenging in the 3rd District, where neither party has a stronghold.
Republicans account for roughly 38 percent of registered voters in the district, a slight dip from 2018. Democrats make up more than 31 percent of the electorate, unaffiliated voters about 29 percent.
Several of the GOP candidates said they have not been wearing masks as they travel around the community.
“I’m not a close talker. I’m not going to go and violate anyone’s six feet,” Vallejo Foster said.
She said she made an exception this past week when she visited a nail salon, which required her to wear a mask. “My fingers and toes needed to be done, so, hey, I will do it.”
Adkins said she admires business in the community seeking “to follow best health practices, so if a business asks me to wear a mask I’m going to do it.” But she added that if she’s walking her dog with her kids, she’ll skip the mask.
Weir said that while she and her staff donned masks when they pitched in at Hayward’s Pit Bar B Que in Shawnee, she doesn’t wear one on visits to the grocery store.
Beehler said he doesn’t wear a mask and boasted that he’s never received a flu shot, contending that he has a strong immune system. He also cast doubt on whether he would take a COVID-19 vaccine if it becomes available next year.
Davids criticized her challengers for not taking the recommendations of federal health officials. She singled out Beehler for attending last month’s rally in Topeka.
“I’m working every day to secure masks and gloves for health care workers and ensure we get a testing strategy in place across the state —both of which are necessary to safely reopen our economy,” she said in an email. “But while I’ve been working to ensure we prioritize Kansans’ health and safety as our state reopens, my opponents have been reckless in their defiance of public health guidance—one going so far as to attend an in-person rally during a statewide stay home order.”
Candidates stake out positions on federal response
All of the GOP candidates criticized the $3 trillion Democratic-crafted bill to bail out states and cities passed by the U.S. House earlier this month. Davids voted against the bill, but her opponents contended that was in response to their attacks.
Most of the Democrats to oppose the legislation represent swing districts.
Davids had participated in a phone call promoting Democratic efforts to provide aid to states and cities just days before voting against the bill with a vague criticism that it was too broad and partisan without highlighting specific policy objections.
Her vote came up multiple times during a virtual congressional town hall hosted by Fox 4 KC Thursday night. Davids repeatedly asserted her support for aid to states and cities without specifying a provision she opposed.
In a statement to The Star, Davids highlighted the process in which the speaker’s bill was drafted as her primary objection.
“In drafting the HEROES Act, congressional leaders reverted back to the partisan Washington that I promised voters I would not become a part of. The past four pieces of legislation have been the result of bipartisan negotiations, and they all were signed into law by the President,” she said.
“Kansans are pragmatic and expect their leaders to work together regardless of party - so I’ll continue to speak out when I don’t see that happening.”
Weir blasted House Democrats’ efforts to enact “bailouts for states like Illinois, New York and California,” which she contended are facing fiscal challenges unrelated to the pandemic.
Asked if there was a way to bail out Kansas—which has a $650 million budget hole because of projected revenue losses related to pandemic— without bailing out these other states, Weir said she believes there is without clarifying how.
“Our district is not at the table in Washington. We need to be put back at the table in the Capitol,” she said.
Adkins, a Cerner executive on leave during the campaign, said Congress’ focus should be on passing legislation to shield businesses from liability during the pandemic and to enact payroll tax holiday to spurt investment.
“People are at the point where they are much more concerned about the economy and unemployment than they are at the virus,” said Adkins, who said she’s been spending pandemic connecting with families and businesses about their concerns.
While all of the Republicans blasted Pelosi’s bill, Weir, Adkins and Vallejo Foster praised the bipartisan CARES Act, which passed in March and enacted the Paycheck Protection Program to provide loans to keep small businesses afloat during the pandemic.
Vallejo Foster previously served as a regional advocate for the Great Plains states with Small Business Administration, the agency distributing the loans. She said she has spent recent weeks helping small businesses throughout the district navigate the process.
Beehler, however, said he would have voted against the bipartisan $2 trillion package that passed in March, decrying the $1,200 stimulus checks sent to most tax filers as socialism.
“This election will come down to socialism vs. free market capitalism,” he said.
This story was originally published May 25, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
