Clarification: Robin Jackson with the Reno County GOP disputes Rep. Waggoner's assertion that the party had anything to do with the Monday night event hosted by. Sen. Steffen. In an email to Hutch Post, she wrote, "None of our officers were involved planning or questions asked or any organization nor of any procedures or conduct of the event." The quotation from Waggoner is word for word, as it pertains to his actual statements on the radio Wednesday.
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas State Rep. Paul Waggoner called in to the KWBW Phone Forum on Wednesday and gave contrast between the different opportunities for Republicans to speak that have happened in the past few days.
"I've been at both of the [Hutchinson] Chamber debates that they had here a week ago," Waggoner said. "The County Commission one was just last night. I thought they were very well run, a very fair debate."
Waggoner contrasted that with an event held for Republicans and unaffiliated voters on Monday by State Sen. Mark Steffen.
"I was very disappointed, actually, in what was put on by our current state senator and the Republican Party of Reno County," Waggoner said. "You know, as far as a forum, you actually ended up with one of the major House races, where there's two candidates, only one candidate was allowed to speak."
Waggoner is referring to the 102nd House District primary between Republicans Tyson Thrall and Kyler Sweely. Sweely was not allowed to speak at the Monday event.
"There were radio ads that were ran on your station announcing, it was called the 2024 Reno County Republican Party legislative forum, presented by me, this of course, Senator Steffen, in conjunction with the Reno County Republican Party," Waggoner said, referring to KWBW "It's a real kind of black eye to the party locally. The fact that they would be associated with something that was clearly partisan. On a primary election, you do want to hear all the candidates, all the Republican candidates speak. That didn't happen on Monday night. It's really disappointing."
Sen. Steffen called in later to the program to explain why he didn't feel it was appropriate for Sweely to speak.
"Mr. Sweely, I don't mean to discredit him in any way," Steffen said. "He's a pawn being played. You have the [Kansas] Chamber, AFP, the House leadership, came up with the idea of planting him in this district, take this seat, so they can have an extra chip to play with."
Steffen's point is simple. He would contend that Sweely's not from here. In fact, there was a challenge to his candidacy in Topeka last month based on his late move into the district that ultimately resulted in his remaining on the ballot.
"They dropped this guy in the Friday before the deadline of the election," Steffen said. "He has no history in this area, no job in this area, no earned income in this area. He has no tie to this area whatsoever. This is the crap that I am standing against. I don't care if he's a Democrat, a Republican, purple or a Martian. I'm going to call this out."
To mangle a phrase from Lesley Gore, it's Steffen's party and he'll deny if he wants to.
"There is no possibility that I, at my party, am going to provide a venue to promote a, a false candidate, a guy who has no business being on that ballot, other than, our Kansas statutes are an incredibly low crossbar."
The voters ultimately get to make the decision at the ballot box.
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