Who’s supporting whom

Christopher Mowder

Tomorrow is Election Day, and this campaign cycle has been an interesting one. Candidates on both sides of the aisle have launched verbal attacks on the other, probably making for interesting dinner table discussions. This discussion however, is meant to focus on Democratic Party candidates, and why they deserve your support tomorrow.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius possesses one of the strongest gubernatorial track records in the country. In fact, she was named “One of the 5 Best Governors in America” in the Nov. 21, 2005 issue of Time magazine. One of the reasons for this prestigious designation is that Governor Sebelius has mastered the art of bipartisan political efforts to accomplish common goals that benefit all Kansans. Examples of this non-partisanship include the appointment of Mike Hayden to her cabinet and the governor’s steadfast leadership in the passage of the education funding bill to comply with Judge Bullock’s court order.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Gov. Sebelius has also demonstrated political elements usually reserved for the fiscally conservative. When she first came into office, the governor appointed a special/ad hoc committee to help eliminate government waste, saving an estimated $1.1 billion taxpayer dollars. These above credentials, combined with a roughly 65 percent approval rating, serve as an example that Gov. Sebelius has done a fine job in her elected post, and the Washburn Young Democrats fully support her in her re-election efforts.

In the attorney general’s race, all we know is that we would not want to commit crime with Paul Morrison at the helm. Paul Morrison stands for one thing, and one thing alone – keeping Kansans safe. Morrison has quite a reputation for taking no mercy on domestic batterers and child predators in particular. In fact, Morrison plans to implement thorough training to help criminal justice professionals deal with these direct threats. With a full 26 years of experience as a prosecutorial attorney who spearheaded tougher domestic-violence initiatives and promoted victims rights throughout his career, Paul Morrison is very well-qualified to serve Kansans as chief law enforcement officer.

Democratic challenger David Haley is a member of the state legislature who is vying for the position of secretary of state. While Haley has achieved notoriety as the nephew of “Roots” author Alex Haley, he has demonstrated tireless leadership in his tenure with our state government. An attorney by education, Haley was elected to the state legislature back in 2000. What makes Sen. Haley unique as a Democrat is he is also a fiscal conservative; he sits on the public health and welfare committee and has worked on everything from reducing government waste to championing a bill called “Scruffy’s Law” that enhanced the penalty for animal cruelty by making the crime a felony.

Nancy Boyda is also our candidate for the Second U.S. Congressional District. What Boyda brings to the table is a platform of universal health insurance for all Kansans, working to reduce the costs of medical care and promoting a pro-business attitude that functions to benefit all Kansans.

Above all, the Washburn Young Democrats wish to take this opportunity to encourage all Ichabods to vote, regardless of political affiliation. Watch the candidates, research the issues and decide for yourself – democracy is too important to waste.