Date: September 12, 2026
Location: Kansas State Fair, Heartland Credit Union Pavilion, Hutchinson, Kansas
Broadcast: 580 WIBW Radio & Kansas Radio Networks
Moderator: Greg Akagi (Farm Director, 580 WIBW)
Media Panel: Michael Schwanke (KWCH-TV), Tim Carpenter (Kansas Reflector), Donna Sullivan (Grass & Grain)
Candidates: Senator Ty Masterson (R), Senator Cindy Holscher (D)
Crowd:
[Cheering, applause, chants of “USA! USA!”]
Greg Akagi:
Check, check, check. There we go.
All right, hello everyone, and welcome to the 2026 Kansas State Fair. I’m Greg Akagi, Farm Director at 580 WIBW Radio and the Kansas Agriculture Network in Topeka. It is our honor and privilege to bring you two legislative debates on the first Saturday of the Kansas State Fair. Later today, we’ll have a U.S. Senatorial debate, but we’re first going to focus on the gubernatorial debate.
Before we go any further, we’d like to thank our sponsors for today’s gubernatorial debate. They include: AARP Kansas, Kansas Soybean Commission and Kansas Soybean Association, Kansas Chamber of Commerce, Kansas Corn, CoBank and Farm Credit Associations of Kansas, Kansas Wheat, Kansas Bankers Association, and KanEquip.
Before we came on stage, two coin flips took place. The first one was to determine which option they would choose: if the candidate won the toss, they would have their choice of doing their opening statement first or their closing statement last. The other candidate would have the other choice the first candidate didn’t take. The first flip of the coin was won by Senator Holscher, and they chose that she will do her closing statement last. So Senator Masterson will do his opening statement first—my apologies.
The second coin flip was to determine the order of who will answer the first question, and that coin flip was won by Senator Masterson, so he will answer the first question. And then we will rotate in order throughout the rest of the debate.
Now, as far as the debate is concerned, we have three esteemed members of the media who will ask questions on a rotating basis. So let me introduce the media panel members. First is an anchor at KWCH-TV in Wichita, please welcome Michael Schwanke. [Applause]
Next, he is a senior reporter at the Kansas Reflector, please welcome Tim Carpenter. [Applause]
And finally, she is the editor/publisher of Grass & Grain newspaper, please welcome Donna Sullivan. [Applause]
As for the debate format: each candidate will have two minutes for an opening statement. After that, the media panel will direct questions to the candidates. The candidate who answers will have 90 seconds to respond to the question. The other candidate will also have 90 seconds to respond as well. The candidate who answers first will then have 45 seconds of rebuttal time, and this will alternate throughout the debate.
Now, word to tell you: if the candidate is interrupted by the crowd to the point that they have to stop, the timekeeper and moderator has the discretion to add additional time for the candidate. I know that each side has plenty of supporters here in attendance. I can tell by the sounds and the loudness of the crowd. You also have voters that may be undecided right now, and they want to hear from both candidates. Of course, you can cheer on your candidate as you have already, but also understand that you may be taking away from that undecided voter in hearing from the candidates.
By the way, our timekeeper today is Kevin King, news director at KWCH-TV in Wichita. The timekeeper will have printed signs: 30 seconds, 15 seconds, and stop. If the candidate goes overtime, the moderator will state that the candidate is out of time and will continue to do so until the candidate stops speaking. And at the end of the debate, the candidates will be allowed closing statements of two minutes each, and depending on who answered the last question first and second, we will continue to go in that order.
All right, now we’ve got that out of the way, so let’s say we have a debate. [Applause]
Please let me first introduce the Democratic candidate, Cindy Holscher. [Cheers and applause]
Let me also introduce the Republican candidate for governor, Ty Masterson. [Cheers and applause]
All right, let’s get it going here. Mr. Masterson, you have the first of the opening statements. You have two minutes for your opening statement.
Ty Masterson:
Well, thank you, Greg. I gotta tell you, the stakes have never been higher or the choice is more clear in a governor’s race than it is today. I was actually born not too far from here, Butler County, on a little farm. Spent my life raising a family, serving my fellow man, and building businesses.
My wife and I raised eight children—eight children, six children, eight grandkids, all choosing to live their lives here in Kansas. That’s why I’m running for governor: to make sure working families can afford to live, and that our communities are safe and strong, and that our economy is growing so it brings opportunity so you can build your future here. I’m also running to protect our freedoms and the Kansas values we hold dear.
We have a property tax crisis in this state. We can no longer look to the side. We have to stop people from being taxed out of their homes, off of their farms, or out of their businesses. My Homeowner’s Bill of Rights will stop that runaway property tax. We have to leverage the values and the benefits of Kansas. We are an ag producer, we are an energy producer, and we have an amazing workforce and a work ethic, and we can attract new jobs, new businesses to this state. I will be the most pro-ag, pro-business, pro-oil and gas governor this state has ever seen. That is how we bring opportunity to our people.
My opponent is the opposite. She’s the most radical, liberal, socialist Democrat ever to be on a statewide ticket in the state of Kansas. It’s in the record. It is in the record. She has voted for boys in girls’ sports, men in women’s bathrooms. She has protested herself law enforcement, making this state less safe. She’s voted time and time again for higher property taxes, not to cut them. She subscribes to the most radical tenets of the socialist agenda.
This is about two directions. Two directions: if you want families that can afford to live, businesses that can afford to grow, if you want farmers that can prosper, students that can succeed, and safe communities, I bring that type of leadership, and that’s why I’m asking for your vote today.
Greg Akagi:
All right. Senator Holscher, your opening statement. You have two minutes to respond.
Cindy Holscher:
Well, first of all, we didn’t shake hands.
Good morning, Kansas! [Cheers] I’m Senator Cindy Holscher, working to be your next governor. [Cheers]
I’m excited to be here. My running mate, K.C. Ohaebosim, representative from Wichita! [Cheers]
For those of you who don’t who don’t know me, here’s a little bit of background. I grew up on a farm. I come to you the granddaughter of tenant farmers, the poorest of the poor. I come from a military family, as well as a union family. [Applause] That hard work, public education, and good union job are what propelled my family upward out of poverty. And that’s why I fight so hard for working families and to ensure our schools are fully funded. [Applause]
Folks, we’re in the midst of an affordability crisis, and it’s hitting everywhere across the entire state: young and old, as well as urban and rural areas. And that’s an area we have to fix. But my opponent, unfortunately, is out of touch with that situation. He’s taken home over a million dollars from a no-show job in Wichita State, all while the rest of us are struggling, working two and three jobs just to get by.
And you’re going to hear a lot of things today that are untrue. You’re going to hear attacks on tweets from old, old information, out of context and just not true, because that’s all he’s got: no record to stand on. I’m ready to lead, I’m ready to fight for the people. Let’s go, Kansas! [Cheers and applause]
Greg Akagi:
All right. Let’s go to the questions now. Let’s first start off with Michael Schwanke with KWCH-TV in Wichita.
Michael Schwanke:
Greg, thank you. Thank you to WIBW, Ty, and Cindy. We know you’re busy, so thank you for taking the time here at the Kansas State Fair.
It was mentioned in the opening statements: it’s probably, by far, the number one topic to voters we talk to, and that’s property taxes. It has become a defining issue of both campaigns. Senate Masterson, you’ve proposed putting limits on how much local governments can increase property taxes. Senator Holscher, you’ve argued those limits could simply shift the burden and make it harder for those communities to fund some essential services. When we talk to viewers, they both acknowledge that you’ve talked about lowering property taxes, but they say both plans lack specifics. So with that question, who has the better solution, and specifically, how would you lower property taxes without cutting critical services or shifting that burden to local governments?
Greg Akagi:
Senator Masterson, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Ty Masterson:
Thank you, Greg. I assume I’ll get a little marker of time, too. Thank you for the question. That is the main reason I’m running. I want to make your life more affordable, and property tax is a big part of that.
We have—I had a neighbor across the street from me that was paying double in property taxes alone than he had been for his mortgage, interest, insurance, and taxes combined when he paid his house off, right? You think that’s—that is the one tax that taxes you on an unrealized gain, all because your house may or may not be worth more the next year if you sold it. Doesn’t mean that’s more money in your pocket.
And so that—we have to—so the solution is what we’re going—I have a Homeowner’s Bill of Rights, I have a plan, she doesn’t. We are going to constrain and cap property taxes to where we are protecting you from out-of-control property taxes. My opponent has the opposite record. She has spent years in the Kansas Senate voting against property tax relief and adding—if you’ve got a choice between government and the people, every choice has been her. And this is a matter of record, this isn’t calling an accusation. Go look at it. There’s a website out there that says holscherrecord.com. Go—it’s not even my website! Go look at the record. Her record is socialist, and we are going to be driving businesses out.
Greg Akagi:
All right. Senator Holscher, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Cindy Holscher:
Thank you. Property taxes—when we talk about that topic, we’ve got to ask the question: why are they so high? And there’s two main reasons. Because year after year, this legislature, which is dominated by Senator Masterson and his allies, a supermajority, keep giving tax breaks to corporations and the wealthy. That’s right. Year after year, exemptions for the wealthy, corporations, and billionaires.
Secondly, the other area which causes it to shift the burden: not funding our schools fully. That’s the responsibility of the state legislature: to fund our schools. Yet this legislature doesn’t want to do—we have to fight every single year. And while we’ve been fully funding general education, Ty and his allies don’t want to fund special education. And that burden gets shifted to the local level and makes your property taxes go up.
He’s had 20 years to solve the issue, six years as Senate President with a supermajority, where he said, quote, “We can do whatever we want because we’re in charge.” He either doesn’t want to do this or doesn’t know how. I will get it done.
Greg Akagi:
All right. Senator Masterson, you have 45 seconds for a rebuttal.
Ty Masterson:
Yeah, thank you, Greg. I said, just listen to the words coming out of her mouth. You think the answer to affordability is more government spending? You think that’s the answer? Right, it’s that’s the opposite of what is true. The truth of why your taxes are so high: because people like Cindy have not met one of your tax dollars she didn’t want to spend two of. That is that is why taxes are so high. You have to put constraints on the local government. It is in the record. Holscherrecord.com, go look at it. It is a constant—a choice between government or a bureaucrat and you and the people, it is the government every time.
Greg Akagi:
All right. The next question will be first addressed to Senator Holscher, and this will go to—uh, be asked by Tim Carpenter of Kansas Reflector.
Tim Carpenter:
All right, thank you both for being here. The legislature and Governor Laura Kelly agreed to massive income tax rate reductions that could reduce revenue by billions of dollars. In the past couple years, the state has spent about $700 million more than it annually collects in revenue, and that is unsustainable. How will you, as governor, prevent a crisis while meeting the needs of Kansans?
Greg Akagi:
And Senator Holscher, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Cindy Holscher:
Yeah, it kind of goes back to what we just talked about. Um, you know, if you keep doing these big giveaways to corporations and billionaires, you’re going to end up in a precarious situation, and that’s the key. Here’s the fact of the matter: we take in revenue every year, but we can do better. There are new paths we can take.
How about we legalize cannabis and get that revenue? [Cheers and applause] So if we want to increase revenue, there are viable paths. But guess who stood in the way? Ty Masterson. Ty’s the guy who stood in the way.
But under my plan, not only do we bring something to the state that is being done everywhere around us, but we keep the revenue here. And we do a better job of funding our schools, roads, and highways, and give the tax breaks to the people who deserve it: the working people. I stand with the people. Not the corporations, not the billionaires. I stand with the people.
Greg Akagi:
All right. Senator Masterson, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Ty Masterson:
Thank you, Greg. Just listen to it: the answer is more tax revenue, right? You think—talk about that. A deficit has two sides of the ledger. And one of us want to reduce spending, go after waste, fraud, and abuse and take that out of government. The other one wants just to raise your taxes. That’s what they want to do: raise your taxes.
Matter of fact, it is—she says she’s for the people. She’s for—she’s for the government every time. She even voted for taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal immigrants. That is what she’s had for. And it stood—that is waste. That is waste, fraud, and abuse. Those benefits were meant for you, and we can peel that back. That revenue is meant for you and your people.
And we have—closing that deficit is about reducing spending as every much as it is about—it’s not about raising taxes, it’s about reducing spending. And she—this is proving she is the most radical, liberal, socialist Democrat ever been on a ticket in Kansas.
Greg Akagi:
All right. Senator Holscher, you have 45 seconds for a rebuttal.
Cindy Holscher:
So he brought up illegal immigrants. I think what he was talking about was in-state tuition, which members of his party brought forward as an amendment, which members of his party also supported because they want to ensure we have a workforce here. Again, members of his party brought forward that amendment and supported it unanimously, I believe, in the House.
He also likes to throw around a whole lot of labels. You know why? ‘Cause that’s all he’s got. But I stand on my record of delivering for the people. That’s where I stand.
Greg Akagi:
One announcement I do need to make: if you are planning on attending the legislative luncheon, and that’s for you legislators out there who aren’t staying on stage right at the moment, that legislative luncheon does start at 11:30, and that will be at the Bison Arena. That is from the State Fair officials. Just a reminder to those of you who are planning on attending the legislative luncheon, that will be at 11:30 at the Bison Arena.
All right, the next question will be addressed to Senator Masterson. And of course, agriculture is the number one industry in the state of Kansas. That’s why we’ll also look at it as an ag angle. We’ve got a great colleague of ours who is here, that is Donna Sullivan, with editor and publisher of Grass & Grain in Manhattan.
Donna Sullivan:
Thank you. As you said, agriculture is the state’s largest industry, with food and agriculture sectors sectors providing $63.6 billion in output and over 137,000 jobs to the Kansas economy this year. But agriculture on the western eastern portion of the state looks very, very different than it does on the western side. And the best example of this is in the issue of water. Your two predecessors put a great deal of emphasis on the state’s water issues: Governor Brownback with the 50-year vision for water in Kansas, and Governor Kelly has held multiple listening sessions around the state and worked to keep the issue at the forefront. If elected, how would you build on the work that’s already been done and continue to address the issue of water in Kansas?
Greg Akagi:
Senator Masterson, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Ty Masterson:
Thank you. And, you know, running for governor is about the whole state, right? And so understanding what the needs are in western Kansas. It’s—and water is an issue, and we have continued to support that. I was there to put the resources behind water, and we continue to do that. We have appropriated more money for the water issue than ever has been before because water is like oxygen: you have to have it, right? And that’s not something that you can appropriate based on population, because we have low-population areas that need water.
The issue we have there is we have so much money in that direct—go in that direction, it needs to be accountable, right? The locals need to make decisions, but we need to be accountable. It’s a balance between the water rights of our irrigators and the ability to have access in our small towns.
Well, you want to destroy agriculture? Elect the most liberal Democrat socialist you’ve ever had in Kansas. I mean, it’s—it’s Green New Deal, it’s Waters of the U.S., it’s the lesser prairie-chicken. It is—it’s all about that. You want to destroy agriculture? Try try the Holscher experiment. And it’s not names, it’s not calling. It is in the record. Holscherrecord.com. Everybody have a smartphone? Go look it up. Go look it up, it’s a record. We’re not talking about titles, we’re talking about votes that were cast. So just go check it out.
Greg Akagi:
Senator Holscher, you also have 90 seconds to respond.
Cindy Holscher:
Well, there he goes again with labels and accusations because he doesn’t have a record to stand on.
Water—it’s very personal to me. The very first speech I gave in high school through FFA was about the Ogallala Aquifer and its impending depletion. And in my first term in the legislature, I was on the water committee working with Tom Sloan. We put together a great plan. But guess what? Brownback wouldn’t fund it. So here we are years later, getting to a crisis point. And I give credit to Governor Laura Kelly for the focus she has put on this.
So what will I do as governor? First and foremost, I will listen to the farmers. Because they know they often know what’s at stake, and they know exactly what’s at stake and how to address the problems. They’ve brought forward methods of irrigation that are more efficient. We’ve just got to take that across the state.
But secondly, we have to fund the plan. But what I won’t do: I won’t put data centers all across the state to suck up your water! We can build data centers, but we gotta have the appropriate guardrails. You’re not gonna get that from Ty. The AI tech industry spent over $800,000 on ads for him to buy his primary. So Ty is gonna put a data center on every corner in every cornfield, but I’m gonna look out for you and the farmers.
Greg Akagi:
All right. Senator Masterson, you have 45 seconds for a rebuttal.
Ty Masterson:
Yeah, I think what’s personal to me, too: all of my adult children are building their families here, and I need a future for this state. There’s no question: destroy ag—she wants to turn Kansas into California, and there are businesses fleeing that state. Fleeing that state! It is one of the most divinely blessed pieces of planet of dirt on this planet, and there are more people leaving than coming, and it’s because of those type of policies. That is what you will get, and it’s in the record. And thank you for bringing up Laura Kelly, ’cause remember the quote: she said she was too extreme for the state of Kansas.
Greg Akagi:
The next question will be directed first to Senator Holscher, and it comes from Michael Schwanke with KWCH-TV.
Michael Schwanke:
Senator Holscher, you just mentioned data centers. Kansas is being aggressively pursued by data centers. We just saw Harper County approve a data center, possibly generating up to $10 million in revenue for the county. But we’re also hearing significant opposition and communities concerned about electricity costs, water use, and land use. So to both of you, have either of your positions changed on this issue over time, and what are the protections you need to—you believe need to be in place before another major data center is approved?
Greg Akagi:
Senator Holscher, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Cindy Holscher:
Yes. First and foremost, I want to address something from the prior statement. Laura Kelly endorsed Cindy Holscher! [Cheers and applause] We—we may have had disagreements on different policies, but I’m not afraid to stand up whenever there is something that is worth fighting for. That’s called leadership, and that’s what I do.
More people coming and going from our state—yeah, he’s been here 20 years. He could have solved it.
Data centers: the question was, has there been a change? You know what? Initially, we were brought this beautiful picture of what data centers could do in Kansas: the economic opportunity. That was about two years ago. Since that time, things look a lot different, and I’ve done 80 town halls across the state where I listen to people! And the people are worried. They don’t want their water depleted, they don’t want their utility rates going up, and farmers don’t want viable land taken out of production.
So look, we can build these, we just have to do it the right way. And that means we have the appropriate guardrails: protecting water, protecting our utilities, and making sure union labor is used for construction. [Cheers and applause]
This all feels like the Brownback experiment again: it’s gonna bring beautiful, great things. But we’ve gotta have the guardrails in place to protect our resources and our people, and that’s what I’ll do.
Greg Akagi:
Senator Masterson, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Ty Masterson:
Thank you. Sure, well, my position’s never changed, and it is about growth and opportunity for our kids. It is guardrails first, right? And we’ve got guard—we put guardrails in the law. We did that here and after to make sure they’re covering all their cost of power. We want to make sure that not a dime gets raised on any anybody backs of any neighbors. Protecting water, land resources, doubling down, making sure eminent domain can’t be used. Whether or not there’s a—I’m just learning about some sound issues, but that all need those guardrails need to be in place.
But when the guardrails are in place, and it is not throwing any cost on a neighbor, and you don’t have overuse of water and land, let the locals make the decision! That has been the beginning, right? Let the locals decide. ‘Cause there are places they don’t make sense, and there’s places they do make sense. And let them, like down in Harper, where they’re estimating property tax will go down 40% for people. Why wouldn’t you do that?
And thank you for the reminder of have our have our opinions ever changed, ’cause this was an example of a perfect politician that flip-flops on an issue however the winds blow. ‘Cause she was for it before she was against it, now we’re back on another train. Let our—where they make sense, let our labor guys build it, if it makes sense and it’s not costing it anything.
Greg Akagi:
All right. Senator Holscher, you have 45 seconds for a rebuttal.
Cindy Holscher:
Here’s a very big difference: I accept new information, and I listen to the people! [Applause] And the people have said we need to address this issue with the appropriate, appropriate guardrails in place. Ty, he’s got no credibility on this topic, and he’s trying to have it both ways, saying, “Trust me,” while at the same time he he accepted or benefited from close to a million dollars in advertising by AI data companies. He’s not gonna listen to you, he’s gonna listen to the people buying the election for him. And local governments are asking us for their for our help, and I am here as a leader ready to help them.
Greg Akagi:
All right. Before before we go to our next question, this is radioland, so first thing we have to do is pause 10 seconds for station identification. You can yell and scream if you’d like here. You’re listening to the 2026 Kansas Gubernatorial Debate.
[Audience chants: “USA! USA! USA!”]
All right, we are back at the Heartland Credit Union Pavilion at the Kansas State Fair. The Kansas Gubernatorial Debate is underway, taking place. So let’s move on to the next question. This will be directed to Senator Masterson, and it will come from Tim Carpenter with Kansas Reflector.
Tim Carpenter:
Thank you. Kansas voters voted down in 2022 an amendment to the Kansas Constitution that would have made it easier to restrict abortion. In August, by a wider margin, voters defeated an amendment that would have required election of Kansas Supreme Court justices in a bid to move the judicial needle closer to the conservative column on abortion and school finance. What is your take on those amendments, and you will will you be championing future ballot measures touching on abortion politics?
Greg Akagi:
Senator Masterson, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Ty Masterson:
Thank you. I don’t know that the two of those are—one was about abortion, one wasn’t. But it is on abortion live, I mean, I am I have a long record as a pro-life individual that has a culture of life. But you don’t have to we don’t have to worry about that. I respect the will of the voters, number one, as we move forward.
However, even abortion is an 80/20 issue, and that’s in Kansas. They want fewer abortions, no late-term abortions, no taxpayer-funded abortions. They want people they want parents involved. And you’ve got the opposite of that right here: they want abortion until they breathe air. That is what this It is in the record! Go look at it. That is why she’s the most liberal, socialist Democrat. She has no value of life, and that’s what that’s about. But short answer: I value the I value the vote of the people, and we will just continue to move forward. It’s in the record.
Greg Akagi:
All right. Senator Holscher—Senator Holscher, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Cindy Holscher:
So I think once again—I think once again we heard something that wasn’t true, didn’t we? Do not pretend like you know my position on these issues, Senator Masterson.
And here’s what I will tell you: the people have spoken when it comes to these amendments. The people have spoken, but Ty won’t listen! I think he said that I support last-minute abortions or something. I do not. So again, don’t make up those things.
The 2022 amendment was voted down by the people. But that wasn’t good enough. He came back in 2026 and said, “Let’s try it again.” And again, the people said no to his amendment. He keeps attacking voting rights, he keeps attacking reproductive health care, and that’s what he will keep doing if you elect him governor. The attacks will be unrelenting on your rights. You do not want this person in office to take away the things we have all fought so hard for here in Kansas, the Free State.
Greg Akagi:
All right. Senator Masterson, you have 45 seconds for a rebuttal.
Ty Masterson:
Sure, don’t know that I’ll need 45, but I mean you just listen to the words, and it’s in the record. This is—she supports elitists. She wants the power in the smallest group of people possible, right? She wants the power for our judiciary in the hands of five people. She wants the power of education with the bureaucrats. She would allow our children to be subject to transgender surgeries without your knowledge! It’s in the record. Look it up! Look it up. Look it up. This is not up for debate. It’s in the record. You’re denying truth. And this is what they say: you call truth a lie, and a lie a truth. The truth is, she wants that in the power. You would have children subject to trans surgeries without parental consent.
Greg Akagi:
All right. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s go on to the next question. This will be addressed first to Senator Holscher, and it comes from Donna Sullivan with Grass & Grain.
Donna Sullivan:
So diesel prices hit $6 a gallon this week, and fall harvest is now underway. Along with the additional cost to harvest the fall crops that that represents, another area that is less obvious and maybe less talked about is in fuel surcharges for transporting those crops. According to the USDA, the fuel surcharge for a Union Pacific rail car from Canton, Kansas to Houston, Texas was $254 on September 11th, 2025. A year later, on September 10th, 2026, it was $433. When transportation costs go up, that tends to get passed disproportionately to the producer in the form of a lower price that they can sell their crops. As governor, would there be options available to you to offset diesel prices to help give relief to producers who have already seen serious hits to their profitability?
Greg Akagi:
Senator Holscher, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Cindy Holscher:
So I just want to say something. I believe it was said just a minute ago that the smallest group voted down the amendment. When did 60% become the smallest group? That’s some weird math to me.
When it comes to ag issues, I am all over this. I come from the farm, I grew up on the farm, I understand farm policy. And I know it’s important to listen to the farmers. What we’ve been seeing happen with this administration is standing by while tariffs are hurting our farmers. We see someone who is standing by while beef is being imported, hurting our farmers and ranchers.
So here’s what I’ll do: I will stand up to that. I am not gonna let any administration make these types of rules and decisions that hurt our farmers. Because with me, farmers will always have a place at a table where we will work together to solve the problems and get these costs under control.
Greg Akagi:
All right. Senator Masterson, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Ty Masterson:
Thank you, Greg. I mean, this goes right to that affordability, which is the key thing, right? I mean, the cost of fuel is in everything we do. And I understand when there is—so here, you want to you want to have permanent high energy prices? Go here, right?
When the things are solved, Iran’s been causing us fuel problems since the 1970s. You want to fix that problem, we have to fix that problem there. You want to have the diesel problem isn’t even a supply problem right now, it’s a refining problem that’s caused by the policies of the left! We are actually restricting refining. We have a bottleneck for diesel fuel that we have.
I will be the most pro-oil and gas, ag governor this state’s ever seen. And do you think for one minute we’ll have a voice with the administration with a socialist in the governor’s office? We have to have a voice, and I have pushed back. I have been the voice of this state. They will take my call, and we will change things. We will make sure our farmers have lower input costs so they can deliver lower costs at the grocery store for you and me.
Greg Akagi:
Senator Holscher, you have 45 seconds for a rebuttal.
Cindy Holscher:
I am no socialist. But Ty keeps saying socialist and extreme. Do you know what’s extreme? Opposing health care when people are struggling. That’s what he does.
What else is extreme? Opposing raising the minimum wage for our people, while he’s collecting a million dollars from a no-show job! That’s extreme.
And opposing things like cannabis, which 65 to 70 65 to 70% of the people support, and he opposes. I’m not extreme, I am mainstream.
Greg Akagi:
Let’s move on to the next question. This will be addressed to Senator Masterson first, and it will come from Michael Schwanke with KWCH-TV.
Michael Schwanke:
President Trump has significant influence on both state and local politics. Just this week, he threatened to block Bombardier, a US company headquartered in Wichita. It supports more than a thousand jobs. If you’re elected governor, how should Kansas align itself with the Trump administration when you believe that federal policy is good, and how willing would you be to publicly oppose the president if you believe the policy hurts the state?
Greg Akagi:
Senator Masterson, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Ty Masterson:
Thank you, Greg. And I’m on the record with this one, right? I mean, I’m I’m running for governor to grow this state and and build jobs and opportunity. And by the way, I’m on the record on this as well, right? My father worked in aviation in Wichita for 40 years. There’s nobody more concerned about that industry in Wichita than I am. And I am on the record saying, by the way, agreeing with the overall goal, right? I love the way we go after we want things made in America. I want them made in Kansas, built in Kansas. So we’ll see how that turns out.
But I pushed back and said this isn’t the way to do it, because we have thousands of jobs. But you want to see jobs flee this state? Turn Kansas into California. It is exactly where we’re headed.
So this is we’re talking about one business. It is you go look at those states, and there are businesses fleeing those states. It is not even close. The kind of policies that you will see, and it is not just a statement, it is a matter of record. Go look it up: holscherrecord.com. It is out there. It is voting for the government every time. It is more regulation, it’s higher taxes, it’s it’s higher spending. None of that brings business. Those are all the wrong direction.
And if we want and we need a voice with the administration to change direction on some of those things, you think that’s going to come from there? Of course not. We have a voice, and we will change those things. We will make sure and protect our jobs. We need our young people working. That is what allows them to stay. We have to have jobs. And that’s lower taxes, less regulation, less spending, and more money in your pocket.
Greg Akagi:
Senator Holscher, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Cindy Holscher:
You know, first and foremost, I’ll say this: I’m the most effective Democrat in the Senate. [Cheers] And I’m actually more effective than 90% of the Republicans at getting good bills implemented. [Cheers]
I’ve shown I will work with people across the aisle to get things done. And I’ll do that if President Trump has something good to offer that’s good for the people, we’ll work on it. But what I won’t do: I will not stand by while he tries to put our farmers out of business. [Cheers] I will not stand by when he hurts small businesses.
Now, Ty, he loves Trump. He even said it: they love each other. So he’s going to keep going down that same path. Ty’s answer: the Brownback experiment. He was the chief architect. And when I formed a coalition of Republicans and Democrats to end the experiment, what did Ty say? He said it was a piece of garbage. The very thing that got our state back on track, he loved it, and he said it didn’t go far enough.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is Brownback 2.0. Supported by the same people that brought you Sam Brownback and the disastrous Brownback experiment.
Greg Akagi:
Senator, you’re out of time.
All right. Senator Masterson, you have 45 seconds for a rebuttal.
Ty Masterson:
Thank you, Greg. I agree she’s not standing by, she’s actively destroying jobs in the state of Kansas. [Laughter] You don’t have to wait you don’t have to wait for President Trump to do it. I’m telling you, it’s in the record: it’s higher taxes, it’s more regulation, it’s coming after you. You cannot have affordability and the policies that she has voted for. It’s just the bottom line. That is just the fact. You can call names, you can call things, but the truth is in the record. Go look it up.
Greg Akagi:
All right. The next question will go directed to Senator Holscher, and it will come from Tim Carpenter with Kansas Reflector.
Tim Carpenter:
Thank you. When economics of personal finance—think fuel costs, food prices, and the affordability issue—is so important to Kansans, why has the legislature focused focus so intently on regulating transgender and gender identity issues? I’ve heard I’ve heard it said many times in the Capitol that parents know best when it comes to their kids’ education and religious upbringing. Why not their health care?
Greg Akagi:
Senator Holscher, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Cindy Holscher:
You know, I hear that same question all across the state. Again, after 80 town halls, what people keep asking me is: we’re in an affordability crisis, why doesn’t the legislature address this?
Again, Senator Masterson’s been there 20 years, hasn’t addressed this issue. Six years as Senate President, with a supermajority, he can pass anything he wants. Could have brought affordable housing, could have brought raising the minimum wage, could have increased access to health care. But no, you’re absolutely right: the focus has been on trans issues, because they have nothing else to stand on! [Cheers and applause]
So I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: Ty has said that they have control and they can do whatever they want. So he either doesn’t know how to solve the affordability crisis, or doesn’t want to.
With him in power, you can expect the same culture wars, the same things over and over, while real Kansans are struggling every single day, and he’s fleecing the government through his no-show job collecting a million bucks.
Greg Akagi:
Senator, you’re out of time.
Senator Masterson, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Ty Masterson:
I’m sorry, Tim, that felt like a very Reflector-style question, because we have not had this undue push.
Here’s what we have done, if you’ll give me a second, here’s what we have done to put more money in your pocket: we took the state out of the property tax business, the money that was for that. We did it against her vote no. She voted no to reduce property tax.
We took the we took the income tax off Social Security for every one of you who are on Social Security, we took the She voted no. That put more money in your pockets.
Should we took we took the income tax down, right? Even that was even in a part of a question: you lowered income tax so much that we got a deficit, right? And you’re going to say we did nothing? That was putting more money in your pocket, everyone in your pockets. She voted no on all those! All those things that go to affordability.
Just listen to the words that are coming out. You cannot tax your way to prosperity. It is what government does to put more money in your pockets is take less! We take less of what you earn.
And yes, I’m not going to I am not going to apologize for protecting my children. I don’t want boys playing against my girls! I don’t want men in my in my in my wife’s private space! I will stand up for those kids every day of the week. And do you know why we took care of that? Because that is a 90% issue in Kansas! It is not The people do not want boys in girls’ sports, period! [Cheers and applause]
Greg Akagi:
Senator Holscher, you have 45 seconds to respond for a rebuttal.
Cindy Holscher:
I don’t want boys in girls’ sports. I don’t want boys in women’s bathrooms. Again, he’s got nothing to stand on with his record, so he’s gonna throw out things that aren’t true.
And he takes credit for a tax break that a number of us voted on that Laura Kelly signed. His property tax bills have been gimmicks, and his own party knows it and rejected it.
What’s his biggest success? Bankrupting the state, and bankrupting his own business, leaving small businesses on the hook for close to a million dollars. He can’t solve this issue. He doesn’t know how.
Greg Akagi:
All right. The next question is first addressed to Senator Masterson, and it will come from Donna Sullivan with Grass & Grain newspaper.
Donna Sullivan:
As you know, dairies are a large part of the economy in Kansas. According to a report from the National Milk Producers Federation, immigrant labor accounts for 51% of all dairy labor. And dairies that employ dairies that employ immigrant labor produce 79% of the U.S. milk supply. Yet they aren’t eligible for the H-2A program for seasonal workers, because their work is needed year-round. The report says that if the U.S. dairy industry lost its foreign-born workforce, it would nearly double retail milk prices and cost the U.S. economy more than 32 billion. As governor, how would you address this issue while still upholding and enforcing immigration laws?
Greg Akagi:
Senator Masterson, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Ty Masterson:
Thank you, Greg. Sorry, I jumped over you a little bit there. Um, just a little aside, it’s kind of fun: I’m probably the only one up here knows how to actually hand milk a cow. [Laughter] So I understand dairy importance.
And here I know the the greater question, right, is about the workforce. And there’s nothing wrong with a foreign-born worker, but they need to be legal. That is that is the problem. We have because anytime you have somebody here illegally, it is taking away from the legal resident in a way when it comes to decision-making.
So you have we can control immigration. By the way, thank God for President Trump shutting off the border! [Applause] Not only is that alone has dropped the amount of fentanyl that’s flowing through Kansas. It’s helped us with sex trafficking.
And the H the the visa deal is a federal issue, right? And so we need a voice. I am for more more visas for those workers, because that gives them a legal status here. And and do you think for a minute we would have a better voice with the administration to operate that and get that done for our Kansas farmers and dairies with a Democrat liberal socialist as a governor? We would get nothing.
So it’s about having the workers here, having them here legally. We can control it. She has literally stood and protested law enforcement herself physically. That that is against that weakens law enforcement. It stops them from keeping us safe. There again, the most radical, liberal, progressive that’s ever been on a ticket: to go and protest law enforcement doing their duty.
Greg Akagi:
Senator Holscher, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Cindy Holscher:
And there he goes again, throwing out things that just aren’t true. We should have done a drinking game for this, you all would be drunk by now. [Laughter]
I want to address something. He just said something about law enforcement. I wholeheartedly support our law enforcement, believe they need more funding! [Cheers] But who cut funding? Ty’s the guy! Ty’s the guy through the Brownback experiment cut funding to our schools, law enforcement, and corrections. And then he said it didn’t go far enough.
Let me make this very clear: we need strong borders. Both parties have failed us on this. We want to make sure we stop criminals from coming into our state. We want to make sure we stop drugs like fentanyl from coming into our country.
But ICE, they’re taking farmhands! They’re taking workers in meat processing plants. And what does that labor shortage do when they take law-abiding citizens? It drives up your cost!
So I will work with members of Congress to get appropriate policy in place, because the Biden administration didn’t take this seriously, and the Trump administration has gone the wrong way.
But what’s Ty gonna do? He’s gonna keep working to divide us. That’s not me.
Greg Akagi:
All right. Senator Masterson, you have 45 seconds for a rebuttal.
Ty Masterson:
Well, she talks about drinking games, she might be drunk already. I don’t know what to Just proving a typical politician says one thing, does another. Say you’ll support law enforcement? Those votes were no. Go look it up, the votes were no.
We had a bill just this last time to protect our law enforcement. We didn’t want to see Minneapolis come to Kansas, where you have all that engagement, protesters were dying. We had in there a halo bill to keep them back 25 feet to protect law enforcement and the protester. It wouldn’t take any away any any First Amendment right, they can still yell their nasty thing and have their stupid sign, but you had to stay back and not endanger anybody. That’s what you had to do. And the vote was no! The vote was no, we will not protect our law enforcement. It’s in the record.
Greg Akagi:
All right. The next question the next question is addressed to Senator Holscher, and it will come from Michael Schwanke with KWCH-TV.
Michael Schwanke:
Many of our rural hospitals are in trouble. A recent study found more of our hospitals are at risk of closure than any other state in the nation. About 30% of them are at risk of immediate closure. So what’s the single most important thing your administration would do to help keep those rural hospitals open?
Cindy Holscher:
The most important—
Greg Akagi:
Oh, go ahead. You have a minute a minute and a half to respond.
Cindy Holscher:
The most important thing we can do to protect those rural hospitals: expand Medicaid! [Cheers and applause]
Our people support it, chambers support it, people in rural areas support it, in the urban areas support it, close to 70%. But who keeps stopping it? Ty’s the guy.
A hospital in a rural area is six times more likely to close without Medicaid expansion. But what else do we have to do? We have to stand up to the insurance companies, and make sure that they don’t prohibit care when it’s already been prescribed by our doctors.
So that is, first and foremost, the most important thing we can do. Because here’s what else I’ll tell you: I’m from a community that’s lost a hospital. You lose your hospital, you lose care, and you lose good jobs, and you lose people, because people don’t want to live there. So I will expand Medicaid.
And I want to go back to something he just said: I protested CoreCivic, not law enforcement! CoreCivic, the private prison that wants you to send people there without due process. But what’s he gonna do? He’s gonna stick with the corruption of CoreCivic, which was described as a hellhole!
Greg Akagi:
Senator, you’re out of time.
Senator Masterson, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Ty Masterson:
Thank you, Greg. And that’s another reason I’m running. In our rural areas, we do need access to high-quality health care, and we’ve got some system issues.
I met with the Kansas Hospital Association, and it was unanimous amongst the leaders that what we were doing, that Medicaid expansion was not the answer for them, and that we are helping them through financing a provider assessment with Medicaid reimbursement rates.
I’m very grateful to our Senator Roger Marshall for what they’d helped put $50 billion in rural health care. That money that money is helping these rural hospitals.
What you’re ignoring: Medicaid expansion is displacing disabled people, frail and elderly, young mothers and children. It is taking people out of the system. And by the way, it is not saving rural hospitals. That’s in the math. Their rural hospitals are closing just as fast, if not faster, in expanded states than they are here. It is not the answer. You are displacing people that that program was meant for. That program is for disabled people, for our frail and elderly. It is not for able-bodied adults without dependents. That is what that is for.
She wants to give Medicaid to illegals! She wants to give she wants to take your health care away, put you all on Medicaid. She wants Medicaid for All. You talk about that’s a socialist program to its core. That is stripping away from you private health insurance and putting you on Medicaid. Our friends in the union that want to build things, it would take their health care away and put them on Medicaid. That’s what you have right here. That is not the answer. We have to fix it where we have quality of your life.
Greg Akagi:
Senator Holscher—Senator Holscher, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Cindy Holscher:
Once again, he’s not listening to the people. He’s not reading the reports. Hospitals are six times more likely to close without Medicaid expansion.
I’m not gonna stand by and watch our hospitals close, and I’m definitely not gonna stand by and watch people suffer and die. That’s what he’s done all this time period. I will not do that.
Greg Akagi:
All right. That was my mistake there, that was for rebuttal, so but thank you.
All right, let’s go to the next question. This will be directed to Senator Masterson, and that will come from Tim Carpenter with Kansas Reflector.
Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, please please when they’re asking questions when they’re asking questions, please let them ask the questions so that everyone can hear the questions.
Tim Carpenter:
Do either of you have heartburn about the generous financial package handed to the billionaire owners of the Kansas City Chiefs to hop over the state line and bring the franchise to eastern Kansas? Fundamentally, how will you shape an economic investment as governor?
Greg Akagi:
Senator Masterson, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Ty Masterson:
Yeah, thank you. There’s and there’s a lot there’s so much misinformation about that in the public sphere. Because what that is, I mean, this the Chiefs, it is not billions of dollars going to some billionaire, that’s not true. We didn’t have to raise a single tax. Not one tax went up or got diverted of existing revenue.
But what that does bring is jobs. We have thousands and thousands of new jobs. You have billions in private investment coming to Kansas instead of going to Missouri. You have hundreds of millions of dollars in income tax alone coming from the NFL. People don’t even understand. Philadelphia Eagles comes and plays in Arrowhead in Kansas, 16-game schedule, they mostly 1/16th their income made in Kansas. It’s hundreds of millions of dollars and total growth in the area, and it’s bringing all this growth around it. And we have to bring jobs.
And for people to say, “Well, those are only service jobs,” there’s dignity in service jobs, too. Getting people off generational welfare and getting them to work? I mean, what a great thing to do! We need those jobs, and those are job killers in the other.
And by the way, another example of my opponent, typical politician: for it before you’re against it, and changing your mind, coming back. You don’t know where she is ’cause she blows with the political wind on everything we do. We need those jobs and we need growth, and I will always be the most pro-business governor this state has ever seen.
Greg Akagi:
Senator Holscher, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Cindy Holscher:
I have a very personal connection to the Chiefs. A lot of you know I grew up on a farm, raised a lot of animals. At one point, our family had a raccoon that was shot by a neighbor. My mom wrote a letter to the Kansas City Star hoping that someone would step forward and fill that void. And who did it? The Kansas City Chiefs did it! [Laughter and applause] They didn’t bring us a raccoon, they brought us a horse. We named him Chief. So of course, I was excited about the prospect of bringing my team to my state.
But when this deal was put together by people like Ty, you know what, here’s what I thought: billionaires should pay for their own stadiums, not you! [Cheers and applause]
So as governor, I’m gonna work to make sure that all the promises come to fruition. I’m gonna work to make sure that these jobs are union jobs, livable wages! [Cheers] And the $1 billion of investment into the economy, I’m gonna make sure those are local jobs that the Hunt family invest. Because far too long, our local businesses get overlooked.
So I’m excited about the Chiefs coming, my team coming to my state, and I’m going to oversee and make sure that we have all of the economic benefits that we were promised.
Greg Akagi:
Senator Masterson, you have 45 seconds for a rebuttal.
Ty Masterson:
I’m just I’m glad she came back around. [Laughter] Here we here we go, right? Before and against.
It is you know the problem with those type of deals is those those revenues don’t get passed on enough to the locals. Think about the Kansas Speedway, right? When Speedway was built, that was 1,200 acres of grass throwing off a couple hundred dollars. Now that same 1,200 acres throws off $30 million in local property tax and a local portion of a billion in sales. That should be passed on.
The problem we have is that local government’s run by people in her party that refused to pass that on, because they’re all about government. And the Chiefs will be the same. If you want to make sure those benefits go on, you need to make sure you have a local government that will pass all that growth onto the people. You should be paying lower property taxes in Wyandotte County when those things finish up, and we will make sure that happens.
Greg Akagi:
All right. The next question directed to Senator Holscher, and it comes from Donna Sullivan with Grass & Grain newspaper.
Donna Sullivan:
How would your administration work to support and bolster the biofuels industry in the state?
Greg Akagi:
Senator Holscher, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Cindy Holscher:
You know, once again, I think it comes down to listening to the farmers. Again, this is where I come from: FFA as well as 4-H prepared me with a lot of economic policy and background. But first and foremost, I believe it’s important to listen to the farmers, because they have the answers to most of these questions if we will just listen and invite them to the table.
But too many times, they’re not, and that’s what I hear as I go across the state. And right now, what I’m hearing from the farmers is sure, they want investments in that area, but their biggest concern right now: data centers. They’re afraid Ty’s gonna come in and put a data center everywhere, and suck up their water, and then they won’t even have farms! And they’re afraid they’re not gonna be able to pass their farms on to the next generation because it’s become even harder and harder.
So here’s the fact of the matter: if we’re pricing them out of the market, there’s not going to be anything to do in that way in that regard. So I’m gonna listen to the farmer. If Ty has his way, he will put a data center on every corner and in every cornfield! And then that market is gone.
I’m gonna listen to the farmers and put the appropriate guardrails in place to make sure that we ensure that these don’t suck up all the water, they don’t jack up our utility rates, and that labor is used that is union and livable wages. That’s what I’m gonna do.
Greg Akagi:
All right. Senator Masterson, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Ty Masterson:
Thank you, Greg. And by the way, this goes to the point of affordability, right? I mean, so we have to I’ve been a long and strong supporter of our ag industry, ethanol in particular, right? To have I’m a supporter of E15 year-round. We’ve got like like Casey’s or the Jump Start stores that now sell a tremendous amount of ethanol. They you go look and look at the price at the pump. Go buy at Jump Start and look at the price at the pump: you’re going to pay 30 to 60 cents less per gallon.
And that also produces a market for our crops. We need a domestic market while you have the tumult tumultuousness of the global climate. We can produce domestic crops and put that into energy and build our ethanol industry. We want I support higher blends of ethanol, because I’m burning it in my car. I go out of my way to go to some of the shops to be a to be part of those and to and help with ethanol.
You’re going to you’re going to destroy agriculture with this. You are going to destroy agriculture, because it is go look at it. Agriculture is struggling in the blue states. Go look at California. You have the most liberal, socialist Democrat on the ticket, just go look at the record. She is not going to help farmers, she’s That’s the answer, “I’m going to listen to a farmer”? We do need to listen, but we also have we have records on this issue, and that’s what you have with Cindy. You’re going to destroy agriculture in this state.
Greg Akagi:
And Senator Holscher, you have 45 seconds for a rebuttal.
Cindy Holscher:
Come on, Ty. Once again, throwing out things that aren’t true and aren’t accurate.
I come from the farm. I understand farming. And I will be working every day to ensure that our farmers have what they need, that they can pass their farms on to the next generation. That’s what I’ll be doing.
Greg Akagi:
Okay, the next question directed to Senator Masterson, and it will come from Michael Schwanke with KWCH-TV.
Michael Schwanke:
Kansas has built an economy on agriculture, aviation, and energy for years, yet many of our rural communities continue to lose population. We’re being outcompeted by some of our neighboring states on jobs. So what do you believe are the biggest opportunities for Kansas outside of those industries to attract new investment into our state?
Greg Akagi:
Senator Masterson, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Ty Masterson:
I mean, at the core of that question is right, what outside of those? Because but we do need to, by the way, we need to continue with our strengths. I mentioned that in my opener, right? Because ag is a strength, and we have so much more to do there. Aviation’s a strength, mentioned my father was in that industry, we have so much more to do there.
There are opportunities around some of the entertainment you’re seeing with the Chiefs, and some of the big parks that are coming in around there, to where we get some more sales tax revenue. I’d love to see more of us grow in this entertainment side where you can have more of our revenue funded by people that come from out of state, and there’s real opportunity with that. And so things like the Chiefs.
Now, we need to build, you know, in the like Panasonic, the up there in De Soto, thousands of jobs there, building batteries in different way to propel cars. There’s a lot of opportunity.
We also have to just strengthen and create a climate for our small businesses. That’s our main employer. And to do that, you have to have lower taxes. We have to have tax parity with the states around us, so there’s not an advantage to go to the other side of the line. And we have that very acutely up in Johnson County, Wyandotte County, where you can go across the state line and people can make that decision. So number one thing we have to do is create tax parity.
And this is a listen, you are getting nothing but higher taxes with a Democrat in the office, but with the most radical, liberal Democrat in office, you will get higher taxes. She has voted for higher taxes, she supports higher taxes, she resorts government spending. There is no way to tax yourself to prosperity. We have to lower them. That puts more money in your pockets, and allows small businesses of all kinds of all kinds to grow inside the borders of Kansas.
Greg Akagi:
Senator Holscher, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Cindy Holscher:
Right there’s a very big difference. My opponent, he’s gonna give tax breaks to his donors and corporations and wealthy folks. Me, I’ll invest that money in our communities so they can thrive! [Cheers and applause]
We’ve lost people because when we lose the things that keep people there, they’re going to leave. Hospitals: again, when we lose hospitals, people have to go further for care. They’ll just move. So I’ll expand Medicaid so we don’t lose more hospitals, and we’ll keep people in our communities.
But every cycle, my opponent attacks our public schools. He did it under the Brownback experiment, worked to defund our schools. You know what chases people away from communities? When they don’t have hospitals, and they don’t have schools!
I brought together a bipartisan team to end that experiment after it had devastated our state and crushed our schools. And he said it didn’t go far enough. Brownback 2.0 wants to bring it back. And every year, he pushes vouchers to defund your schools.
If he gets his way, we will lose our public schools, and people will continue to flee from those small towns. I will support our schools, and our hospitals, and our people.
Greg Akagi:
Senator, you’re out of time.
Senator Masterson, you have 45 seconds for a rebuttal.
Ty Masterson:
Thank you, Greg. Listen to the words that are coming out of her mouth. This is you did you catch it? Did you catch it? On taxes: “I’m not giving it back. I, I, Cindy Holscher, will invest that money.” That is your money! That is not her money.
That’s what, “I will invest it.” That’s not how You guys think you’re going to get more affordability by higher taxes? I mean, process that through your brains! This is not the way you make something more affordable. That is not a government’s money, that is your money!
Greg Akagi:
All right. We go to the next question, and more than likely it will be the last question, because this has gone awfully, awfully fast. This is directed to Senator Holscher, and it will come from Tim Carpenter with Kansas Reflector.
Tim Carpenter:
Senator Holscher, you mentioned the topic at hand. Would you support or oppose allocation of significantly more public tax dollars to support private school vouchers, a reality in many states? For example, in Iowa, they spend more than $300 million a year on private schools.
Greg Akagi:
Senator Holscher, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Cindy Holscher:
So first and foremost, I will give tax breaks, but to the working people, not the billionaires or the corporations! [Cheers and applause]
That money for billionaires and corporations that he’s given to his donors needs to be invested in our communities. But tax breaks for working people!
When it comes to vouchers, you bet: my opponent has been pushing them every single cycle because he wants to destroy public schools. It’s part of his agenda. 90% of our children attend public schools, yet he wants to take them away.
He markets vouchers as a way to help poor students escape failing schools. But what happens? Those vouchers go to folks who make over six figures! Seven out of ten times going to folks whose kids already went to private school, who are making over six figures, not poor families.
I am proud to say I’ve brought together a coalition of Republicans and Democrats every year to push back on vouchers, because they will destroy our communities! I helped end the Brownback experiment that was destroying our schools, I’ve helped stop these vouchers. I am going to defeat him so we don’t lose our schools.
Greg Akagi:
All right. Senator Masterson, you have 90 seconds to respond.
Ty Masterson:
Thank you. I’m glad we have an education question, ’cause that’s the number two thing I’m running for governor for, right? It is for these kids. It is the because we have a real literacy crisis in the state of Kansas. That is just factual. It’s across the nation, but it’s acute here: three out of four fourth graders can’t read at grade level. That is unacceptable.
We can strengthen our public schools at the same time and give parents choices. We need to give parents the freedom to choose. Do you think it’s acceptable we have kids in areas where the only building they can attend is failing? You think that we can leave them there? That is wrong! We cannot leave those kids in that position. They’ll learn they’ll learn generational welfare or they’ll learn crime pays. We cannot leave them alone. We have to invest and give those parents choices, and that’s for people that can’t afford it.
Rich people have choices. You go to some private school. Those people don’t, and we have to we can’t leave those kids languishing. We have to make in our public schools, we have to bring the Mississippi miracle. We have to get so serious about literacy. Mississippi’s gone from 49th in the country to 9th! And we have to bring that here.
We have to make the teacher the most valuable person in the building, ’cause we get this perverse incentive to people, we turn our teachers into administrators, because we do that through our retirement. You can’t fault the teacher, it’s right for them, but we have to fix that and make the teacher the most valuable person in the building, ’cause that’s what we want everybody to be, ’cause those are the ones producing our product, which is a kid. All this is blindness to those kids that are trapped.
Greg Akagi:
Senator Holscher—Senator Holscher, you have 45 seconds for a rebuttal.
Cindy Holscher:
I don’t know what you’d expect: you defunded our schools to the crisis point! You’re the person that made it difficult for children to do well on these tests! Your defunding caused us to lose teachers! [Cheers] You can’t have good scores without teachers. Your defunding caused us to not have supplies. Your defunding caused us to have shower curtains instead of doors for classrooms!
The past 10 years while he’s been pushing vouchers, it’s been like trying to rebuild from one tornado with another tornado going on called Ty Masterson!
So I will say this: thank you, teachers, for being educators! Thank you for doing that wonderful, important job! I see you!
Greg Akagi:
Senator Holscher, you’re out of time.
All right. Folks, we have to keep this very tight, so let’s go quickly to the closing statements. We’ll start with you, Senator Masterson, for your two-minute closing statement.
Ty Masterson:
Thank you, Greg. By the way, thank you all for coming out. This was a lot of fun. [Laughter] It’s uh Thank you for the “USA” chant, the “Ty’s the Guy” signs, I love that.
This—I don’t even need my full two minutes. I think what you see here is the choice is very, very clear on which direction you want to go, right? You got Kansans for for families, Kansans for parents, and then Kansans for government. Someone else making the decision for you.
Here’s where we’re at: if you want working families that can actually afford to live, if you want businesses coming to this state and growing, if you want students succeeding, if you want farms to prosper, and if you want safe communities, the choice is clear: I am the guy. And that’s why I’m asking for your vote.
Greg Akagi:
Senator Holscher—Senator Holscher, your two-minute closing statement.
Cindy Holscher:
You’ve heard a lot of promises today, and you’ve heard a lot of things that just weren’t true. But I will I will tell you this: I agree with Ty! The choice is absolutely clear! [Cheers and applause]
You have one person who has spent 20 years fleecing the system with a no-show job for a million dollars! And you have another person who ended the Brownback experiment fighting for the people! [Cheers and applause]
So there are two paths here. One path for billionaires and corporations: keep in mind, he can’t manage a budget, he bankrupted the state and a personal business. The other: for the people. Again, I’ve been fighting for 10 years to deliver to the good people of this state. That’s what I do, that’s what I’ll focus on.
People all across Kansas are tired of this swampy corruption that we’ve been seeing from the right! It’s time to put working people first, our schools first, our communities first! That’s what I’ve been doing, that’s what I’ll continue to do. I’m ready to lead, I’m ready to fight for you. Let’s go get it done! [Cheers and applause]
Greg Akagi:
Ladies and gentlemen, that will conclude the Kansas Gubernatorial Debate. My thanks to on-site engineer Spencer DuPree, uh thanks to studio engineer Nick Bowers as well. My thanks once again to everyone who uh came today. Also like to thank our timekeeper, Kevin King, our media panel: Michael Schwanke, Donna Sullivan, and Tim Carpenter as well.
This has been the Kansas State Fair 2026 Kansas Gubernatorial Debate here on 580 WIBW Radio and the Kansas Radio Networks.