By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas House District 114 Democratic candidate Jeff Stroberg believes change is needed in the makeup of the Kansas Legislature.
"When I moved back, what I came back to is a state that's had, for the last nearly 30 years, a single party in control of our legislature in Kansas," Stroberg said. "I don't think that they have done south central Kansas the kind of job that we need to have. We certainly haven't had the growth that we need. We've seen rural migration and it's time for a change."
One change that Stroberg wants in particular is Medicaid expansion. He believes it's an economic issue.
"It would be very, very difficult for us to get any new businesses in Kingman," Stroberg said. "If the small hospital in Lyons were to close, what would that do to Sterling or if we had diminished healthcare in Hutchinson, what would that do to Reno County? In all of those cases, we need to bring back those dollars that we are sending off to other states."
Stroberg argues that we are at a competitive disadvantage now.
"We're turning into an island, with states around us that have taken actions that are going to help their states economies grow," Stroberg said. "We need to do the same."
Stroberg will face Michael Murphy November 3.