Rep. Mike O’Neal, R-Hutchinson, assessing his chances to become speaker of the Kansas House, told the Hutchinson News that he is aligned with the members of the south-central Kansas delegation, and suggested that electing him as speaker would serve Wichita-area legislators’ wish to have a speaker from the vicinity. If he wins in Monday’s voting, O’Neal should expect that some will see such a suggestion as a promise.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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13 Comments
Great. Nobody in the Wichita delegation has ever shown any leadership abilities or even desire to try. Maybe we do need to outsource it. I wonder though if he realizes the depth of the pit he is volunteering to leap into.
I know O’Neal as a competent guy. I don’t know who he is running against, but Mike would certainly have the incentive to do more for this area than someone from NE Kansas.
I’m wondering if this is evidence of a growing split in the legislature; the Northeastern part of the state against the rest. With the Senate President being from Hugoton, it seems to me that there will be great pressure to have the Speaker from the Northeast. Thus, O’Neal trying to align himself with the Southcentral Kansas delegation; an admission that he needs the Wichita area group to achieve his ends.
I will not be surprised if Mr. O’Neal loses the race; I will be mildly surprised if he wins it. The NE is growing, in population and, perhaps more importantly, in economics. Should he win, Mr. O’Neal will most definitely need to work with the NE Kansas folks to achieve his goals. This “fact” leads me to believe the prospect of benefit to this area of the state, implied by Rhonda’s header, from Mr. O’Neal’s election as Speaker is more limited than she hopes.
I’m with Outlander. If he’s not from the NE or West, then it’s all right!
Yeah O’Neil is an ultra neocon, I believe all of you would support him fully.
He should never be allowed into the most powerful seat in Kansas if the voters are looking for moderation.
The apparent candidates for Speaker of the Kansas House of Representatives to be selected on Monday by Republican legislative members are: Melvin Neufeld (sp?) from Ingalls, west of Dodge City; Mike O’Neal from Hutchinson; and Ken Wilk from Lansing, Kansas.
The most important issue is the candidates’ stand on issues, not necessarily where they live.Hopefully, they would all do their best for Kansas.
I believe Mr. Neufeld has the potential to be the best Speaker of the Kansas House.
So lets watch to see how this hotly contested legislative leadership race turns out on Monday.
“An ultra neocon” Could you expalain? As a trial lawyer I see Mike from time to time. He is a pretty good defense lawyer working medical mal. cases. As a matter fact he has never lost a trial in over 25 years, Suffice it to say, having fought him in some trials I have:(Anyways, I have always found him to take a reasonable approach to issues. Always humble in victory and a real pleasure to work with. He’s not my rep., therefore I don’t watch his every move; so maybe pol mom can expand and explain her statement.
I have not watched him carefully so I do not know his politics all that well. However, being from Hutch does at least give South-central KS some possible clout in the Legislature. That is smething this region has not had for a long time.
He’s a decent guy and will align well with the Wichita delegation. He is a conservative, and that is okay by me.
Defense lawyer for medical malpractice insurance. Well that I didn’t know, but it figures he’d protect doctors that have screwed up.
O’Neil (and Neufeld) supported TABOR, something that failed miserably by the people of Kansas- and aligned with the Kansans for Prosperity and Kansas Taxpayer Networks.
These are Mr. Controversy’s words I thought were pretty profound in just HOW far right these guys are…
“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.
So ease the rape laws, and have to have a doctor’s prescription to buy toys? Give me a break.
Lets not forget that none of these guys are pro-woman, every one of them claim to be pro-life (read anti-woman, anti-life), but at least Wilks is pro-stem cell research.
in other words, three of a kind.
Man, wouldn’t it be nice to have some variety to represent us? I’m soooo tired of the judgemental, moralistic right telling us what to do.
Early reports from Topeka say that Melvin Neufeld was elected earlier today as speaker of the Kansas House of Representatives. This position might be more important than being elected Governor in our state government. Neufield is from western Kansas (Ingalls??), west of Dodge City so he should understand the drawdown of the Ogallala. He does carry political baggage on some issues that I don’t agree with but all three candidates did.
Also good news for Wichita is that Dennis McKinney from Greensburg and Wichita’s Jim Ward will be minority leaders on the Democratic side of the legislative aisle.
So let the 2007 Kansas Legislative games begin|
Well, from a radio report I heard on WIBW, Mr. O’Neal garnered the fewest votes in the first round, and it came down to Mr. Neufeld and Mr. Wilks. It would appear to me that Mr. Neufeld’s election was a statement against the Northeastern part of the State.