Race recap: Kansas district 2 Congressional primary

TOPEKA (KSNT) - Some big names are going head-to-head in Kansas for a highly coveted Congressional seat.

With seven names out there between the two major parties, here are the highlights of what each candidate says they would bring to the table in our nation's capital.

Democratic Primary

On the Democratic side, the district two primary includes just two candidates: Matt Kleinmann of Kansas City, and Nancy Boyda of Baldwin City.

Kleinmann played basketball for the University of Kansas from 2005 to 2009. Since then, he says he's spent most of his career working for non-profits on community development.

He says if he were elected to congress, his top priorities are making healthcare and housing more affordable and accessible for Kansas.

"I'm a kid from Kansas," Kleinmann said. "This is home. I think this is about not sort of catering to the fringe wing of a party. To say this is who we are as Kansans, these are our values, and these values are not being represented today by the modern GOP."

While Kleinmann was winning a national championship with the Jayhawks, his opponent, Nancy Boyda, was working for Kansans in Washington D.C.

Boyda previously held the district two seat and is looking to take it back. She says her first order of business would be addressing immigration.

"I believe that Kansans are going to be behind me," Boyda said. "They're done with crazy. They're done with the crazy, they want somebody to get something done."

Republican Primary

On the Republican side there will be five choices on the primary ballot: Derek Schmidt (Independence), Jeff Kahrs (Topeka), Shawn Tiffany (Delavan), Michael Ogle (Topeka), and Chad Young (Lawrence).

Schmidt is the former attorney general of Kansas and is a heavy favorite, with early poll data from 'co/efficient' showing him with a 40-point lead.

Schmidt says his top priorities are the three 'I's'; immigration, inflation and intrusion.

"We're going to work very, very hard, as we have been for the next 11 weeks until election day to earn the votes of everybody in this district," Schmidt said. "And we're going to try to build that lead, not ride its coattails."

Kahrs has also spent his career in politics and is a former Trump appointee. His 30 years in state and federal government including working under former Kansas governor, Sam Brownback. He says if he wins he'll tackle border security.

"We have to close our border down," Kahrs said. "If we have to use the military, we need to do that. And then we have to deport all of the illegals that are over here."

The other three republican candidates are seeking public office for the first time.

Shawn Tiffany entered the reace with a controversial ad showcasing his focus on transgender issues.

"Castration is for cattle, not our kids. In congress I will ban boys from girls sports and bathrooms and stop the radical left from mutilating children."

Shawn Tiffany for Congress Campaign Ad

Ogle is looking to make his political debut just five years after a Christmas day standoff with Topeka police. He eventually admitted to choking his wife after "drinking too much that day", when he pleaded guilty to felony aggravated domestic battery, among other charges.

"Felons can do a lot of things," Ogle said. "Recovery and forgiveness is very important to get back into the American swing of things."

Rounding out the Republican group is Chad Young. He says the federal government has too much oversight and wants to change that.

"We as American people, free people, definitely are under attack by our own government and that's scary," Young said.

Primary elections will take place on Aug. 6.

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