The formal 2026 Republican gubernatorial primary debate portion of Debate Night in Kansas, hosted by John Holt at Johnson County Community College, has been transcribed below. June 5, 2026.
This transcription covers the core debate beginning at [41:03] through the closing statements at [01:37:05].
Introduction and Rules
John Holt: And hello, welcome to this Republican Governor’s primary debate live from Johnson County Community College brought to you by the Republican Party of Kansas and by the Nexstar Media Group [41:03]. My name’s John Holt, I’ll be your moderator tonight leading the conversation with our candidates [41:19].
Each candidate will get 60 seconds to answer my questions [41:32]. We’ll allow for 30 seconds of follow-ups and up to 30 seconds for any rebuttals. Candidates, when your time is up, you will hear that bell [41:40]. You’ll also get 30 seconds for a closing statement. We did a random card draw prior to the debate and determined that Scott Schwab will lead us off tonight [41:54].
Topic 1: Data Centers and Local Control
John Holt: We’re going to begin with data centers. Signs like this have gone up all over the state, one around Wichita being one of the latest proposed data center locations [41:59]. Critics are concerned about power and water usage. Mr. Schwab, let’s start with you. You’ve said you feel data centers should be under local control. Explain why it should be under local, not state control, and be specific [42:12].
Scott Schwab: Thank you, John, Nexstar, and JCCC [42:34]. The reason why is because what’s good for Eastern Kansas or South Central may not be good for Western Kansas [42:45]. Every time you try to do a monolith policy out of Topeka, it works about as good as when you do a federal monolith policy coming out of DC; it just doesn’t work [42:51]. There are some communities that want data centers and embrace them, and some that don’t [43:02]. If that county commissioner or those city officials are duly elected, they can be held accountable for the decisions they make [43:07]. Some growing communities in eastern Kansas want to put their infrastructure and water treatment costs on the back of big tech as opposed to raising property taxes. That’s a legitimate conversation, but it’s a conversation made by the locals [43:13].
John Holt: Mr. Masterson, you’re up next. You want to make sure data centers are not costing the locals another dime in energy costs. That said, would you require them to provide their own power? [43:38]
Ty Masterson: Absolutely, short answer is absolutely [43:50]. The overarching battle we have in the world is what I agreed with President Trump on—one of the reasons he endorsed me—is that we do have this tech cold war with China that we can’t lose [43:51]. Ultimately, the decision has to be made at the local level; the final state needs to rest there [44:07]. They should provide for their own power or pay in excess for it. The key is to have no cost come off on any of the locals in the area, that they don’t use resources unduly, and you would never allow for eminent domain for private usage [44:12].
John Holt: Ms. O’Hara, you posted on X recently that on day one you would issue a statewide moratorium on data centers. Are you concerned that a moratorium or any kind of delay would simply send them to other states who would then reap the economic benefits? [44:34]
Charlotte O’Hara: Well, first of all, thank you [44:54]. In 2025, our Kansas legislature passed SB 98, which gives data centers 20 years of sales tax exemption. That was actually one of the reasons that we have such a stampede coming into Kansas [44:54]. Then at the local level, due to state statutes, the locals are giving these data centers huge property tax abatements. The problem is they’re being showered with tax abatements, and every time you give an abatement, it costs somebody else to provide services for that structure. That is you and me as far as the increase in power [45:21].
John Holt: Just a quick follow-up: Is it a permanent moratorium or short-term? Wouldn’t developers just move? [45:53]
Charlotte O’Hara: We need to have the moratorium until we get a hold of these tax incentives because they need to pay their fair share [46:11]. Go to another state if they want to hand out all of these goodies; it isn’t going to be good for Kansas [46:19].
John Holt: Mr. Sarnicki, you support giving voters in each county the power to decide whether they want a data center. With a patchwork of 105 counties, don’t you run the risk that developers will say, “We’re moving on from here”? [46:33]
Phil Sarnicki: Thank you, John [46:51]. Charlotte is right; the reason that data centers are pouring in is because Ty Masterson and the career politicians gave data centers 20-year tax breaks last year [46:51]. We’ve come out with a five-year plan. I don’t believe the people in Johnson County should tell the people in Lincoln or Goodland whether or not they should have a data center, and vice versa. I think the people locally should decide [47:09]. Our plan has parameters: no undue burden on water resources, no increase in electricity, and no eminent domain [47:26]. If the people of Goodland want a data center, they can absolutely have it as long as those parameters are in place while technology changes dramatically over a 5-year period [47:33].
Ty Masterson: (Rebuttal) The more I learn about my friend Phil, the more I think he’s a Democrat plant [48:03]. All he has are half-truths and lies. I know why he’s angry: because President Trump evaluated this race, saw it was not a real challenge, and completely endorsed me while wanting nothing to do with Phil Sarnicki [48:12].
Phil Sarnicki: (Rebuttal) My mom’s here tonight, so to call me a liar, be very careful [48:40]. I am not lying. You can look all of this up. I have made one donation to a Democrat in my life—it was for an insurance commissioner 15 years ago for $250. That lie came out the day after I turned Ty down to be his lieutenant governor [48:52].
Topic 2: The Kansas City Chiefs Stadium Deal
John Holt: Let’s go to the Chiefs. Who supports the Kansas deal with the Chiefs? Raise your hand [49:10]. (Ty Masterson and Scott Schwab raise hands; Charlotte O’Hara and Phil Sarnicki do not). Mr. Masterson, why do you support the deal? [49:27]
Ty Masterson: It’s about the jobs and the billions of investment, the hundreds of millions of new tax revenue coming in because our kids need opportunity [49:35]. That is again why the president endorsed me. We were trucking money out of here to Missouri, and this is a huge opportunity. We didn’t have to raise a single tax to bring the NFL to Kansas [49:51].
John Holt: Quick follow-up: The Chiefs won’t pay property taxes because it’s a sports authority. Wyandotte County and Johnson County have some of the highest property taxes in the state. How is that a good deal? [50:21]
Ty Masterson: It’s hundreds of millions in income tax off the NFL, and there’s going to be millions in property tax paid in all the ancillary development [50:38]. Look at the Kansas Speedway—that 1,200 acres paid almost nothing 30 years ago, and now that same land throws off $30 million in property tax and a billion dollars in taxable sales [50:44].
John Holt: Ms. O’Hara, you did not raise your hand. Please explain why [51:09].
Charlotte O’Hara: I have been against this from the very beginning when we passed the legislation in 2024 during a special session that was supposed to be on property taxes [51:09]. Instead, it was all about giving professional sports teams sweetheart deals. It doesn’t work. We’ve been trying this for 40 years, whether it’s the Chiefs, Panasonic, or Seraphim, a Chinese company [51:22]. It was supposed to broaden the tax base and lower taxes for everyone. Has anybody seen their property taxes go down? Post-legislative audits show that at least 70% of these companies would be here anyway [51:48].
John Holt: Follow-up: 29 teams in the NFL have public-private partnerships. Did the state really get a bad deal if the Chiefs are paying for part of it? [52:18]
Charlotte O’Hara: Absolutely, this is a bad deal. We’re going to own a stadium where we get $7 million a year that goes into the maintenance of that stadium, and we’re getting nothing out of it while being responsible for it [52:42]. There are no property taxes coming to the state. It’s the sweetest deal that’s been given to any sports team in the United States [53:02].
John Holt: Mr. Sarnicki, you didn’t raise your hand either [53:15].
Phil Sarnicki: It’s not that I’m against the Chiefs coming here; it is the timing of the deal and the deal itself [53:15]. This is what happens when you get career politicians negotiating business deals for the first time in their lives. CNBC ranked our economy 48th and gave us an F last year [53:25]. This deal happened while we have the highest income tax in the region and property taxes totally out of control. Ty and Laura Kelly gave themselves a luxury suite paid for by all of you, the taxpayers [53:45]. I just think that is tone-deaf to what’s going on right now.
John Holt: Follow-up: The Chiefs bring a billion dollars a year in economic benefits. Is it really a bad deal? [54:23]
Phil Sarnicki: The largest deal ever done in the history of sports stadiums was $1.2 billion by the Tennessee Titans; our state is giving the Chiefs about $3 billion to do this deal [54:41]. Missouri had about $1.4 billion on the table. We could have done a lot better in negotiating the deal [55:01].
John Holt: Mr. Schwab, you did raise your hand. Explain [55:37].
Scott Schwab: When people say we’re giving the Chiefs this money, that’s not true. There is no upfront cost [55:37]. This is much like what we started with the racetrack. If you look at what’s going out by the Legends in Wyandotte County, it was an absolute win [55:46]. We didn’t take anybody’s land away from them. Right now, we get no sales tax from that area because it’s just grass. Clark Hunt is putting in 25% of the retail around it—that’s tax revenue you’re not getting today [55:59]. If you want to get out of a perceived recession in the state of Kansas, you have to make investments in deals like this. This costs no State General Fund (SGF) money; nobody’s taxes are going up [56:21].
John Holt: Follow-up: We’re also not getting property taxes from the Chiefs for the headquarters or stadium. Was that a bad deal? [56:39]
Scott Schwab: Look at all the retail around it; you get the property tax because it’s being reclassified from agricultural, which is a very low rate, to commercial. It’s going to help those communities [56:39].
Topic 3: Property Tax Relief
John Holt: Perfect transition to property taxes. You all agree they’re too high. We have a multiple-choice question for you tonight: Would you cap county appraisal increases, give voters the power to block spending increases, do both, or neither and why? Ms. O’Hara, you’re up first [57:03].
Charlotte O’Hara: We need to go back to 1986 when we passed reclassification and equalization, which brought us annual property tax reappraisals [57:31]. At the same time, we passed economic development incentives. There are so many properties that have been abated and are out of the tax base that we have holes in the boat [57:48]. In 2024, in Johnson County alone, industrial revenue bonds and tax increment finance districts cost the public coffers $108 million in one year. We have to stop giving these tax abatements [58:03]. Based on the multiple-choice quiz, I would do neither. I would abolish the property tax and go with a use tax because our property tax system is broken [58:36].
John Holt: Mr. Sarnicki, would you cap appraisal increases, give voters the power to block local spending, do both, or neither? [59:03]
Phil Sarnicki: This is the number one issue for people I talk to across the state. I’ve talked to so many elderly ladies who had to sell their homes because of property tax increases [59:07]. For three straight years, Ty Masterson and the career politicians have promised property tax relief, and for three straight years, the people at home have received none. However, green energy wind farms, Panasonic, and foreign companies have all gotten property tax relief. That is because of the lobbyists and the special interests that have Ty in their back pocket [59:28]. I would do both because you can’t just do the appraisal; you have to cap the spending side as well [01:00:09].
Ty Masterson: (Rebuttal) We didn’t fail. The Senate performed, and that’s also why Trump endorsed me and sent me a letter telling us that our leadership is what positioned Kansas as a model state [01:00:24]. We passed tax relief multiple times through the Senate. A small group of phony Republicans sided with the Democrats and stopped it in the House [01:00:41].
John Holt: Mr. Schwab, your choice? [01:00:58]
Scott Schwab: You do not want a static cap on appraisals; it’s anti-free market and it’s going to hurt real estate development and opportunities to grow our economy [01:00:58]. In my plan, every time a local jurisdiction wants to raise the mil levy, let the people in that jurisdiction vote on it [01:01:22]. If it passes, clearly they are okay with their property taxes going up; if it fails, then you have to rein in spending. It’s a win-win [01:01:33]. Furthermore, our valuation system is completely jacked up with no accountability. If you sell your property for less than the valuation, you should get a property tax refund [01:01:44].
John Holt: Mr. Masterson, do you cap appraisals, allow voters to block spending, neither, or both? [01:02:03]
Ty Masterson: All of the above—you have to do both [01:02:03]. When you don’t cap either the assessed value or the appraisal, you’re taxing somebody on an unrealized gain. I had a neighbor tell me he’s paying double in property taxes alone what he had been paying for his mortgage, interest, insurance, and taxes combined when he first bought his house [01:02:16]. Property tax is something that has to be tackled; you have to have a front door cap on the appraisals or assessed value, and you also have to let the voters stop outrageous spending [01:02:50].
Topic 4: State Spending and Auditing
John Holt: The state is now on track to spend more than it collects in revenue over the next two fiscal years—there’s more than a billion-dollar deficit by my math, partly because of tax cuts and increased spending. What spending are we going to target to get it under control? Ms. O’Hara [01:03:03].
Charlotte O’Hara: This ties into education. Everyone knows that our schools are in a downward spiral. What I would do is close the State Department of Education, which costs $30 million a year for paper shufflers [01:03:31]. We have to stop taking federal funds, which would stop the federalization of our education, and put curriculum decisions back to the local districts; that would save $300 million [01:03:46]. I would also back measures to ban public money from going to illegal aliens, which would save us $600 million, and conduct audits on SNAP and Medicaid where scams occur [01:04:01].
John Holt: Mr. Sarnicki, what spending would you target? [01:04:33]
Phil Sarnicki: We have a $26 billion budget in the state of Kansas, and under Ty’s leadership in the last 7 years, $10.5 billion has been added to that spending as he’s presided over a supermajority [01:04:40]. Ty loves to spend your money. In 2015, he signed off on Sam Brownback’s budget, which blew a $900 million hole in the budget, and he got steamrolled by Laura Kelly on the budget this year [01:04:55]. We’ve had four straight months where we’ve spent more than we’re bringing in. As governor, I will come in and audit every single department and agency with an outside auditor to get out the waste, fraud, and abuse. We believe there is about $2.5 to $4 billion in waste [01:05:24].
John Holt: Mr. Schwab, 60 seconds [01:06:33].
Scott Schwab: I don’t want to be governor; I want to do governor and reflect Kansas values by creating consensus [01:06:38]. We are in technology debt in the state of Kansas. I wouldn’t say don’t take federal money for education because that’s just going to increase costs on Kansans and send more of their dollars to DC instead of keeping them here [01:07:12]. But we hand paper from building to building; it’s not online. I brought the rules and regulations process online in my office, which is saving the state $5 million a year. We’re not using technology properly, and it’s costing us money [01:07:22].
John Holt: Mr. Masterson, what spending would you target to get things back in alignment? [01:07:49]
Ty Masterson: I have a record of making the budgets work. We passed a billion dollars in tax cuts. Part of that deficit mentioned is because you’re cutting taxes, and you have to do that in government [01:07:49]. What I’ve learned in my time there is you have to choke government because even good people want to spend money on certain things. You have to keep cutting taxes, which forces the pressure down and forces you to cut spending. We will continue on that path when I’m governor [01:08:16].
Topic 5: Abortion Policy
John Holt: Kansans voted to keep abortion legal with the 2022 vote. A woman can get an abortion up to 22 weeks. The number of abortions performed in the state has gone from 7,800 in 2021 to more than 19,000 last year, with 75% of them coming from out of state. Given the current status of the court’s strict scrutiny, what specific policies would you pursue to limit the number of abortions in this state that would stand up to the Kansas Supreme Court? Mr. Sarnicki [01:08:33].
Phil Sarnicki: Heidi and I have been huge supporters of the pro-life movement for a long time [01:09:15]. The Supreme Court is a massive issue. There is a constitutional amendment on the ballot this fall regarding how we select Supreme Court justices, and we need to vote for that so the people have a voice [01:09:33]. With our current system, we have six liberals and one conservative, and nobody typically even knows who those judges are [01:09:58]. Until we change the makeup of that court, nothing is going to pass muster with them, but anything that will reduce the number of abortions, I will sign as governor [01:10:16].
John Holt: Mr. Schwab, what policies would you try to pass that would stand up to the court? [01:10:44]
Scott Schwab: On the front side, you can do a lot for crisis pregnancy centers. This governor is militant against that, and I don’t understand the lack of compassion for mothers who want to keep their children [01:10:51]. You keep putting legislation on the court’s desk and make them make their decisions. I would reintroduce a third-trimester abortion ban and a partial-birth abortion ban [01:11:11]. We are equal co-branches of government, and we keep answering these things that way so we can reduce the number of abortions in our state [01:11:28].
John Holt: Mr. Masterson, what policies would you support? [01:11:58]
Ty Masterson: We will continue to be shrewd in the environment we’re in. My record on life is a mile long, which is why I’m the solely endorsed candidate by Kansans for Life (KFL) [01:11:58]. We will continue whittling around the edges to save as many lives as we can through parental consent, informed consent, counseling, and funding pregnancy crisis centers to get more information to women so they’ll make a different decision [01:12:22].
John Holt: Ms. O’Hara, what policies would you sign that would stand up to the court? [01:12:34]
Charlotte O’Hara: I agree that we are very limited because of the makeup of the court, but crisis pregnancy centers are a light in Kansas [01:12:34]. In 2024, the number of abortions was 19,811 lives lost. It is absolutely unconscionable. The court’s 2019 Hodes decision found the right to abortion in section one of our bill of rights under life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—how twisted is that? We need to focus on crisis pregnancy centers to make sure mothers and fathers know there is help [01:13:09].
Topic 6: Affordability and Gasoline Taxes
John Holt: The average price of gasoline right now in Kansas is about $4, and diesel fuel is about $5, which relies on a roughly 25-cent per gallon fuel tax. Would you support a fuel tax holiday? Mr. Schwab [01:13:51].
Scott Schwab: I would sign it, but I wouldn’t be a huge pusher because a temporary holiday doesn’t give people that much of a break [01:14:07]. If you’re going to cut it, you need to have a true static cut on gallonage, not just for a brief window [01:14:17]. Affordability is not just gas; it’s making housing affordable, which is going to be achieved by reducing property taxes and giving more economic access to our rural communities so people have a reason to build houses there [01:14:42].
John Holt: Mr. Masterson, would you support a gas tax holiday? [01:15:02]
Ty Masterson: If you want permanent high gas prices and high unaffordability, vote for the Democrats. They hate energy and are the party of open borders and fraud [01:15:08]. Affordability is multiple things, and I will be the most oil- and gas-friendly governor the state has ever seen, including opening markets for ethanol for our farmers, which lowers the cost of fuel [01:15:25]. We also have to go after property taxes, insurance rates, and regulations for affordability to restore the ability of our children to afford homes [01:15:35]. If a gas tax holiday was sent to me, I’d sign it, absolutely [01:15:55].
John Holt: Ms. O’Hara, are you in favor of a fuel tax holiday? [01:15:59]
Charlotte O’Hara: No, I’m not in favor of that. It wouldn’t help the farmers because farmers don’t pay the road tax on the diesel fuel they use in the fields anyway [01:15:59]. Affordability is a multi-level issue, and putting a band-aid of a 25-cent tax holiday is not the answer [01:16:55]. I agree with Mr. Masterson that building codes and regulations on houses have become astronomical in the last 15 years, and we need to bring some common sense back to our building codes [01:16:41].
John Holt: Mr. Sarnicki, fuel tax holiday, yes or no? [01:17:10]
Phil Sarnicki: It’s just nibbling around the edges of the real problem [01:17:10]. We have the sixth most expensive state in the country to raise a child. We have the highest income tax of every single state in our region, the second-highest corporate tax, and our property taxes are 50% higher than the states around us if you average them out [01:17:30]. We are not growing our population because we are over-taxing, over-spending, and over-regulating the citizens of Kansas to death. That is the real problem with affordability [01:18:00].
Topic 7: 10-Year Transportation Plan
John Holt: The next 10-year transportation plan will come up under your watch as governor. What would you prioritize? Mr. Masterson [01:18:52].
Ty Masterson: I supported the last 10-year plan and the flexibility that was in it [01:19:06]. You have to be dynamic as our economy grows and where product and people move. The 10-year plan will have to adapt to those shifting infrastructure needs [01:19:18].
John Holt: Ms. O’Hara, what would your priorities be? [01:19:32]
Charlotte O’Hara: I think our Highway 69 toll project is the worst boondoggle we have had in decades; nobody is using the toll lane [01:19:32]. We spent hundreds of millions on that project, yet I drive out to Garden City on Highway 83 South and there’s not one passing lane or turn lane despite semis being all over the place. The misallocation of money in KDOT is breathtaking [01:20:06].
John Holt: Mr. Sarnicki, what priority would you have? [01:20:41]
Phil Sarnicki: I’m not a big fan of government spending and government bloat, but I do believe transportation is a core job of government [01:20:46]. We’ll take a really good look at the plan when we get it, evaluate it, and make sure that it’s efficient. As a business leader and CEO for the last 30 years, I’m best positioned to ensure we come up with an efficient plan [01:21:19].
John Holt: Mr. Schwab, priorities for transportation? [01:21:43]
Scott Schwab: Our rural communities need good roads [01:21:43]. Right now, we need to define in statute what a shoulder is, and any highway with speed limits of 50 or above needs to be shouldered for safety. Second, we need to finish Highway 50 going east out of Liberal, and then start focusing on a north-south four-lane corridor going from Liberal all the way up to I-70 so rural farmers can get products to market faster [01:22:02].
Topic 8: Rural School District Consolidation
John Holt: The Kansas Department of Education says more than half of Kansas public school districts have less than 500 students enrolled. Ms. O’Hara, what’s your stance on consolidating school districts to save money? [01:22:47]
Charlotte O’Hara: I’m the only person on this stage raised on a farm, and my area went through consolidation in the ’60s [01:23:10]. In small towns, the school is the economic center. Because population has left over the last 50 years, we have to look at administrative costs. In my small town, we had a high school principal, a grade school principal, and a superintendent for a graduating class of 35 students. It’s ridiculous, and we have to get rid of excess administration costs [01:23:45].
John Holt: Mr. Sarnicki, is it time to get serious about consolidating school districts? [01:24:17]
Phil Sarnicki: We have 286 school districts in the state of Kansas [01:24:17]. Florida, with 21 million more people than us, has 67. Utah has 41. Our schools are failing due to a failure of leadership by career politicians in Topeka. We lead the nation in ACT test score declines, and over 70% of our kids in fourth grade can’t read or do math at a fourth-grade level [01:24:51]. We need transformational change, which is why I brought on Joy Eakins as my running mate to serve as an education czar [01:25:05].
John Holt: Mr. Schwab, time to consolidate? [01:25:31]
Scott Schwab: What I would propose is setting a population threshold by a year like 2035 [01:25:36]. If a district is below that threshold, they have to merge administrative functions with the district next to them. That’s not closing the actual school buildings; it’s eliminating duplicate superintendents who protect their turf [01:25:55]. Consolidating these administrative structures would save money on health care costs, copy contracts, and computer infrastructure [01:26:23].
John Holt: Mr. Masterson, should smaller districts be consolidated? [01:26:38]
Ty Masterson: President Trump endorsed me to lead on tough issues [01:26:38]. The problem with schools isn’t necessarily the size; our parents need freedom to choose and kids need access to world-class education. We have a perverse incentive inside our education system to incentivize good teachers to become administrators at the end of their careers for financial reasons [01:26:56]. I’d love to see the highest-paid person in the building be the best teacher. Consolidation isn’t the answer unless the local community wants to do it [01:27:21].
Topic 9: Medical Marijuana and Supreme Court Selection
John Holt: The federal government recently reclassified marijuana more like a prescription medicine. Does this change your mind about supporting medical marijuana in Kansas? We’ll do quick 30-second answers. Mr. Sarnicki [01:27:56].
Phil Sarnicki: No, it would not [01:28:17]. The THC content in marijuana has gone from 3 to 4% in the 1970s to around 30% today, and up to 90% in vaping products. These are causing hallucinations, schizophrenia, and anxiety. If you look at Oklahoma or Colorado, their law enforcement and legislators are very sorry they legalized it [01:28:24].
John Holt: Mr. Schwab [01:28:47].
Scott Schwab: No, especially if it’s not FDA approved [01:28:47]. It’s incumbent that we have a rapid THC test first for drivers on our highways so we know if people are driving stoned without needing a blood draw. And we wouldn’t tax it because we don’t tax healthcare in Kansas [01:29:05].
John Holt: Mr. Masterson [01:29:20].
Ty Masterson: Short answer is no, that didn’t change anything [01:29:25]. I am supportive of research on it because I think research will show just how dangerous it has become. In many states, medical marijuana is recreational for all intents and purposes, and the revenue doesn’t cover the social costs [01:29:35].
John Holt: Ms. O’Hara [01:29:47].
Charlotte O’Hara: No [01:29:47]. I see kids coming into the juvenile detention center who have terrible drug problems. Legalizing medical marijuana is extremely dangerous and can trigger severe mental health crises in youth [01:30:00].
John Holt: Moving to Supreme Court justices, voters will decide whether to change the selection process. If passed, how should the legislature implement it? Mr. Schwab [01:30:27].
Scott Schwab: I would do it by districts so you get representation from across the state rather than seven justices from one county [01:30:37]. They do need to be partisan elections. The party system lets folks know what a candidate generally believes, which we don’t have right now with our Supreme Court [01:31:02].
John Holt: Mr. Masterson [01:31:17].
Ty Masterson: I’m going to support whatever gives the people of Kansas the biggest voice [01:31:22]. We currently have a court that does not reflect the values of Kansas citizens because everything is done in the back room by the bar association [01:31:33].
John Holt: Ms. O’Hara [01:31:56].
Charlotte O’Hara: I would support statewide elections for all of them so every person has an opportunity to participate [01:32:01]. The Kansas Bar Association has had a stranglehold on who serves on our court, resulting in six liberals and only one conservative [01:32:29].
John Holt: Mr. Sarnicki [01:32:41].
Phil Sarnicki: From our founding through the last century, we elected our Supreme Court justices; there’s nothing to be afraid of [01:32:44]. I would probably go with districts, but I would absolutely make it a partisan election so people know the political affiliation of who they are voting for [01:33:03].
Topic 10: Undocumented Immigrant Tuition
John Holt: The legislature failed to override a veto on a bill banning state tuition for undocumented workers. Would you support in-state tuition for undocumented residents? Mr. Masterson [01:33:20].
Ty Masterson: I don’t support any public benefit going to anybody here present illegally, period [01:33:49].
John Holt: Ms. O’Hara [01:33:56].
Charlotte O’Hara: No money going to illegal aliens [01:33:56].
John Holt: Mr. Schwab [01:34:12].
Scott Schwab: No in-state tuition if you’re undocumented; I’ve consistently voted that way [01:34:16].
Closing Statements
John Holt: We have come to the end of our questions. Each candidate will have 30 seconds for a closing statement. Mr. Schwab, you’ll go first [01:34:26].
Scott Schwab: The reason why I’m running for governor is because I’ve done it—I’ve never lost a statewide election [01:34:52]. I would come in and tell every agency they are either going to modernize, reduce, or both. We have to modernize state government, focus on revitalizing our rural communities, and implement true property tax reform through consensus [01:35:04].
John Holt: Mr. Masterson [01:35:25].
Ty Masterson: It was great to be here tonight. As incredibly honored as I am to have President Trump’s endorsement in this race, I am going to spend every day earning the endorsement of the Kansas people [01:35:29]. I want to make you proud of what I do as governor, and I will wake up every day trying to make your life more prosperous and safe. Please vote for me on August 4th [01:35:46].
John Holt: Ms. O’Hara [01:35:56].
Charlotte O’Hara: I’m running to be your governor to turn Topeka upside down [01:36:05]. We need to be focused on serving the people instead of the big-moneyed interests with all of the tax incentives that we are giving away. We must reduce our spending and abolish property taxes [01:36:14].
John Holt: Mr. Sarnicki [01:36:26].
Phil Sarnicki: To everyone out there tonight, we have a choice to make and the contrast could not be more stark [01:36:33]. You have the ultimate insider, a 20-year career politician, versus an outside business leader and job creator. I believe we need transformational change in the state of Kansas, and I’m respectfully asking for your vote on August 4th [01:36:42].
John Holt: Thank you to all our candidates, great job tonight. Have a great rest of your debate night in Kansas [01:37:05].
References
KSN TV. (2026, June 6). Debate Night in Kansas [Video]. YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOYzHwRPWpk