At least one candidate for governor will be in Emporia before Tuesday’s primary.
Democrat Josh Svaty will appear at Billy Simms BBQ, 737 West Sixth, from noon to 1 pm Monday to meet with voters. Svaty is part of a crowded Democrat field hoping to be the party’s nominee for the general election in November, with the field including Topeka lawmaker Laura Kelly, former Wichita mayor Carl Brewer and teenager Jack Bergeson.
On the Republican side, the top two candidates — current Gov. Jeff Colyer and Secretary of State Kris Kobach — are now locking horns over how Kobach should pay $26,000 in legal fees and American Civil Liberties Union expenses after Kobach was found in contempt of court as part of a trial earlier this year on the state’s voter regulations. Colyer says Kobach should not use taxpayer funds to pay the fine. Kobach, meanwhile, says the matter will be appealed and his office is the defendant, so there is no reason for him to write a personal check for the fine.
Colyer and Kobach are vying for the party’s nomination alongside former Emporia senator Jim Barnett, current Insurance Commissioner Ken Selzer, with Patrick Kucera, Tyler Ruzich and Joseph Tutera also on the ballot.
Advance voting has now paused for the weekend and then runs between 8 am and noon Monday before ending. The primary election is from 7 am-7 pm Tuesday, and KVOE News will have complete election coverage after the polls close Tuesday night.
