Missouri Gov. Parson wades into Kansas politics, endorses Schmidt for governor
Missouri Republican Gov. Mike Parson waded into Kansas politics on Wednesday and endorsed Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt in his race against Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.
“Derek Schmidt is a fifth-generation Southeast Kansan who shares your values and who - most importantly - listens to you. He will stand up to Joe Biden, not stand by silently as Biden wrecks our country,” Parson said in his endorsement of Schmidt, the likely Republican nominee for Kansas governor.
“He will put forth real solutions to help your family recover from Biden and Kelly’s disastrous economy. He’s got my full support, and I encourage all Kansans to vote for Derek this fall.”
Schmidt welcomed the support of the neighboring Republican.
“I appreciate Governor Parson’s support and his strong leadership in Missouri, and look forward to working with him on regional projects that benefit both of our states next year and beyond,” Schmidt said.
Parson has served as Missouri governor since 2018, the same year Kelly was elected. In 2019, the two governors agreed to a truce in the economic border war between Kansas and Missouri that saw companies receive state incentives to cross to the other side of the Kansas City metro.
The two governors took starkly different approaches to the COVID-19 pandemic. Parson resisted mask mandates and stay-at-home orders, a contrast with Kelly, his Kansas counterpart, which the Missouri Republican noted in his endorsement of Schmidt.
“Throughout the pandemic and beyond, I’ve led Missouri with a steady hand, trusting our citizens to make their own decisions,” Parson said.
Emma O’Brien, a spokesperson for the Kansas Democratic Party, pointed to the fact that Kelly’s approval rating was higher than Parson’s in a statement to The Star.
“Governor Kelly is focused on delivering for the people of Kansas, and it’s resonating – look no further than the two Governors’ approval ratings,” the statement said.
Kelly’s 55% approval rating was higher than Parson’s 50%, but both governors had net positive ratings, according to an April poll from The Morning Consult that compared all 50 governors.
This story was originally published July 13, 2022 at 2:22 PM.
