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Up To Date

As Kansas Races Heat Up, Candidates Hope To Draw Voters Of All Stripes

Lawmakers and the state Supreme Court face off over school funding, every single seat in the state legislature is up for grabs, and the budget is millions of dollars in the red. It may sound like the plot of a political thriller but the battle for control of the Kansas Statehouse is real, and things are heating up.

Guests:

  • Democratic Sen. Anthony Hensley is the Kansas Senate minority leader and represents the 19th District, which includes parts of Lawrence, Topeka and Osage County.
  • Michael Smith is an associate professor of political science at Emporia State University and the author of State Voting Laws in America: Historical Statutes and Their Modern Implications.
  • Hutchinson Republican Ed Berger is running for the 34th District seat in the Kansas Senate, currently held by Majority Leader Terry Bruce. Berger previously served as president of Hutchinson Community College.
When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
As culture editor, I oversee KCUR’s coverage of race, culture, the arts, food and sports. I work with reporters to make sure our stories reflect the fullest view of the place we call home, so listeners and readers feel primed to explore the places, projects and people who make up a vibrant Kansas City. Email me at luke@kcur.org.