Retiring Kansas House Speaker Doug Mays, R-Topeka, may be right that “not more than 1 percent of people could tell you who the speaker is.” But he’s also right that “it’s unquestionably the second-most powerful political job in Kansas.”
Our editorial on Saturday’s Opinion page notes that no Wichitans are running for the top job — as usual — but commends those area lawmakers who are seeking leadership posts: Rep. Joe McLeland of Wichita, currently assistant majority leader, who is running for speaker pro tem; Rep. Steve Brunk of Wichita, current majority whip, and Rep. John Grange of El Dorado, who are vying to be assistant majority leader; and Rep. Jim Ward (in photo), D-Wichita, who is expected to remain assistant minority leader.
The well-qualified nominees to replace retiring House Speaker Doug Mays of Topeka are Rep. Melvin Neufeld of Ingalls, Mike O’Neal of Hutchinson and Kenny Wilk of Lansing. As we note, the winner “will make or break pieces of legislation — and determine whether Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ big re-election win translates into a productive second term.”
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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11 Comments
Rhonda – It makes no difference which person they put into leadership. The legislature will do what the legislature will do. You are so hung up on the idea that if Wichita does not have a legislator with a leadership title they are of no use.
What have any of the people you listed from Wichita really done? What do they stand for? The answer is nothing. If they can’t do anything without a title they are not going to be able to anything with a title.
It appears to me that the legislature has been bringing home the stuff you keep asking for like the arena (that I voted against), the airport money, bond money for downtown and several other things. How did they do it without all of the leaders you keep looking for?
I for one would like to see them start holding the line on spending and do more in the way of tax cuts. They are not elected to bring home the beacon. They should leave us money to buy our own bacon. Reduce our taxes and then we can decide locally how to spend it.
Politics – it’s not about making sense it’s about spending cents.Keeping government small makes sense but it limits their cents – which to them makes little sense.
Media attention goes to the big mouth with the big cents while the real work is performed by the little guy and gal with a few cents but a lot of sense, common sense!
I don’t think people realize how very crucial this position really is. This is the person who will decide WHO heads the committees, what bills are divvied out to those committees. That is VERY important stuff.
Mays was notorious for sending anything remotely liberal/moderate to hard-line conservative committees where they had NO chance of passage onto the floor for a vote.
If anyone says this job isn’t vital to the Kansas people (I’d even put it up there with Governor), they really need to learn more about Government.
I think it does make a difference.If the education-hating conservatives succeed in electing Melvin Neufeld as Speaker, it will be as if the Republicans gave everyone with a degree from a Regents’ institution the finger.Mike O’Neal would be better… but only because he’s running against Neufeld. Let us not forget that he’s the guy who refused to hold hearings on a bill that would have removed the intoxication of the victim as a defense against rape…then held hearings on a bill that would require a doctor’s prescription to purchase “marital aids”.Here’s hoping reason prevails (against all odds, because, after all, this is Kansas), and Kenny Wilks is elected Speaker.
There are certainly a lot of rumors going around. If Kenny Wilk wins he plans on keeping the special education committee and making Brenda Landwher the chair of that committee. I thought we were going to take her out. If she gains anymore power than she has now I don’t know what we are going to do. So maybe it is better to have Mike O’Neal win.
None of the three are ideal. I Think Wilk is the best choice though.
Neufeld and O’Neil are supporters of TABOR.
What Mr Controversy said about O’Neil should absolutely disqualify him….my gosh!
Neufeld would be sure to run the House the way he’s run the Appropriations Committee…as an extension of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce and Koch Industries. O’Neal is the guy who threw away tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars grandstanding on the Nuss matter. Wilk is clearly the only rational choice.
I don’t know where you get that O’Neal is a supporter of TABOR. I’m sure we are not going to have to worry about it in the future because of the elections on TABOR across the country this last election. I’m more worried by Kenny Wilk letting Brenda Landwher take a lead on education. Why didn’t we take her out?
I got that O’Neil is a supporter of TABOR from this site:
http://www.kansastaxpayers.com/2006_taxpayers_pledge_judicial.html
It may be a non issue legislatively, but it shows where his loyalties and beliefs lie.
Interestingly, there USED to be a Voter guide posted on this site, which ranked all the members by how they supported TABOR and TABOR-like bills. In the last column, there was a point for if they supported TABOR in itself, and both O’Neil and Neufeld had rank in there.
All but Wilk were rated very very high. Some names were on other items supported by the Kansas Taxpayer Network site.
Jim Ward is going to run for Congress against Tiahrt next time!! He told me so himself when he came to my door this fall. I’m so excited!!
Jim Ward would be a better choice than that Rajeev Goyle guy that says he is the chosen one to run against Tanker Todd.