February 19, 2018

About a month ago, I formally launched my campaign for governor of the great state of Kansas. Since then, I’ve traveled the state and met with voters. I have been incredibly gratified by the response our campaign has received.

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Hundreds of Kansans have told me they’re ready for something different and know our system of government isn’t serving them. They understand that if we want to face the challenges we have as a state, we can’t keep dealing with politics in the same old way.

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We need a new approach, a new set of solutions and new leaders who can cut through the partisanship and games, and put the people of Kansas first.

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That’s why I’m running for governor as an independent candidate.

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Political independence to me isn’t an ideology. It’s about an approach to public service. It’s about putting the needs of Kansas ahead of the needs of a political party. It’s about using facts and common sense to solve problems, not clinging to dogmatically driven policies despite all evidence that they are failing. It’s about being free from obligations to special interests and party bosses who control both establishments. It’s about leaving our state a better place for our children and grandchildren, so that they can choose to build their lives in Kansas.

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Being an independent liberates me to serve Kansas in ways that no other governor can. As an independent governor, I won’t be limited to choosing from a small group of politically active partisans to form my administration. I’ll be able to recruit the best and brightest to help the state based on competence, not political loyalty.

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I’ll be able to embrace the best ideas regardless of where they came from to move us forward. I won’t be obligated to pull answers from outdated partisan playbooks, but can bring innovative solutions to wrestle with the many serious issues facing Kansas.

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I’ve heard some sideline pundits say an independent can’t win. They say an independent candidate will only spoil the race for one party or the other. The truth is that you can’t spoil a system that’s already rotten.

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If 2016 taught us anything, it’s that conventional wisdom is... Continue Reading.