6A THE WICHITA EAGLE ■ WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2012 WWW..COM

SENATE STATE SENATE From Page 1A REPUBLICAN PRIMARIES of the things I think is most important is for me, I believe, Here are races in which District 12 what is good for the 31st Dis- candidates backed by pro- Southeast Kansas trict is good for our state.” Gov. orga- John Coen 44% Mason said he feels the nizations such as the Kansas Rep. ** 56% campaign forced McGinn to Chamber of Commerce face more conservative stances, candidates who are more District 13 and he said he at least moderate or who do not changed the debate. always support the gover- Southeast Kansas "I just felt we weren’t getting nor’s proposals. Jacob LaTurner** 57% representation for our district *Race settled in primary Sen. Bob Marshall 43% that was consistent with the because there is no general concerns and the beliefs of the election opponent District 15* people in this district,” he said. **Endorsed by Kansas As results slowly came in Chamber 48 of 117 precincts reporting from the Sedgwick County Results unofficial Southeast Kansas Election Commissioner’s of- All precincts reporting, ex- Sen. ** xx% fice, some grew impatient. cept where noted Sen. xx%) Kelsey sent about 50 people attending his party at the Dave Williams/Correspondent South-central District 17 Haysville Learning Center Dan and Norene Kerschen, grandaughter Abigail Kerschen and the rest of the family were Kansas home just before 10 p.m., on hand at Avivo Pizza to watch election results in his state Senate race. 89 of 91 precincts reporting complaining that it may be District 14 Emporia Wednesday before results are James Fawcett** xx% known. groups and other special in- 131 of 151 precincts report- Sen. xx% In a speech, he said that his terests picking sides in a battle ing opponent’s victory was on the for control of the Senate, Rep. John Grange 42% District 20 strength of what Kelsey esti- viewed as the last stronghold Rep. Forest Knox** 58% mates was about $100,000 for traditional Republicans Topeka spent on fliers and radio spots and the only remaining obsta- District 25 Rep. Joe Patton** 49% attacking Kelsey as a busi- cle for Brownback’s vision for Sen. Vicki Schmidt 51% nessman and as a person. Kansas. Michael O’Donnell** 59% After his speech, he said Koch That led to a deadlock on Sen. 40% District 21 Industries has targeted about reappor- a dozen Republican senators, tionment and District 26* Johnson County wanting to replace them with turned the Joe Beveridge 48% people more amenable to drawing of Sen. Dick Kelsey 42% Rep. Greg Smith** 52% Koch political beliefs. district lines Rep. ** 57% “If my opponent wins, on over to a Travis Heying/The Wichita Eagle District 22 the basis of all this money federal court, State Sen. Jean Schodorf is hugged by a supporter during District 31* spent in the last few days of which scram- her election party on Tuesday evening at the Wichita Manhattan the campaign, it will change bled the polit- Boathouse. Gary Mason** 54% Joe Knopp 28% the nature of politics in this ical land- Sen. Carolyn McGinn 45% Bob Reader** 43% state for a generation," Kelsey scape, forcing Abrams Sen. Roger Rietz 29% said. For one thing, he said, some in- District 32* many people won’t want to cumbents to District 24 run for office and risk being run against 111 of 154 precincts report- savaged, as he said he was. each other ing Salina McGinn, who was in New- and leaving Sen. ** 54% Rep. ** 56% ton, sent her supporters home some district Miranda Allen 46% Sen. 44% around 10:30 p.m. without open. final results. Both Ker- District 35* District 33* “Maybe we’ll know more, schen and and maybe we’ll find out at O’Donnell McPherson County 177 of 195 precincts report- midnight tonight watching TV received help Faust- Jesse Bryant 27% ing from our homes,” she told from the state Goudeau Sen. 73% Central Kansas supporters. and local Rep. Mitch Holmes** 53% Her opponent, Mason, said chamber Elsewhere Sen. 47% that McGinn very obviously PACs, who moved from moderate to con- sought out Kelly Glasscock/Correspondent District 7 District 39* servative during the cam- conservative Bo Graves prays for Dick and Doris Kelsey at the end of a paign. candidates watch party for Kelsey’s Senate campaign at the Learning Johnson County Southwest Kansas "I think her moving that way who tend to Center in Haysville. David Harvey** 43% Sen. Steve Morris 49% was a statement in our success be more 57% Rep. Larry Powell** 51% as a campaign and what we aligned with were able to accomplish. Brownback’s Republican senators. dorf had $115,000 to O’Don- District 8 Area "Whatever happens tonight, agenda. Snow Koch gave another $20,000 nell’s $72,000 and McGinn I think we can feel good about The Kansas to the Wichita Metro Chamber had nearly $190,000 to Ma- Johnson County Democratic that.” Mason said. Chamber of Commerce, which of Commerce PAC, fueling son’s $70,000, which included Rep. ** 60% Elsewhere in the state, Rep. made the elimination of in- similar ads aimed at knocking more than $23,000 in his own Sen. Tim Owens 40% primaries Tom Arpke, who had strong come taxes its primary goal, out incumbent Republicans money. backing from Brownback- first targeted eight incumbent the Chamber once supported. However, the field was lev- District 10 District 25 aligned groups, took an early Republicans, including Caro- Wichita oilman and Brown- eled by outside spending. The lead over incumbent Sen. Pete lyn McGinn and Jean Schodorf back supporter David Murfin Kansas Chamber PAC invested Johnson County Perry Schuckman 47% Brundgardt. Rep. Larry Powell in the Wichita region. But the gave $80,000 to the state about $36,000 on O’Donnell Sen. Mary Pilcher-Cook** Timothy Snow 52% opened a small lead over Sen- field grew, and at least 18 chamber to help pay for ads and $7,500 on Mason; and 64% ate President Steve Morris. races pitted Republican senate attacking incumbents. The Wichita Metro Chamber Tom Wertz 36% District 29 And Bob Reader took a lead candidates against each other, On the other side, Senate PAC, which made about over incumbent Sen. Roger most of which feature a candi- President Steve Morris’ Senate $6,200 in independent expen- District 11 Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau Reitz. date backed by Brownback- Republican Leadership Com- ditures for O’Donnell and 78% Republicans have long dom- aligned political fundraisers. mittee PAC pumped $100,000 $3,800 for Mason, according Johnson County KC Ohaebosim 21% inated state politics, but in Though not a precise sci- into the Kansas Jobs PAC to to campaign finance forms. Rep. Pat Colloton 41% 2010, limited government ence, most observers feel pay for ads attacking conser- Schodorf benefitted from Jim Melcher** 59% candidates aligned more with Brownback-backed politicians vative Republicans who chal- outside money as well, picking tea party ideals than tradition- could take control of the sen- lenged incumbent Senators. up $15,000 from Ruffin’s al Republican thinking, took ate by controlling four more That added to the Jobs PAC’s Kansas Wins PAC and another over most of state govern- seats — enough to give them cashflow from organized labor $4,000 from a PAC affiliated ment, led by Gov. Sam Brown- control of the calendar and the groups, including the Interna- with the Kansas National Edu- back. 21 votes needed to pass most tional Brotherhood of Team- cation Association. The KNEA Brownback made cutting legislation. That appeared to sters, the national education PAC also put about $2,600 taxes, shrinking government be completed with Tuesday’s association and the carpenters’ behind McGinn. Voters turn and privatizing services for the results. In November if Repub- union from St. Louis. Kelsey was slightly outraised poor and disabled the corner- licans can win some of the And the Jobs PAC funneled by Kerschen, $38,000 to stone of his agenda. He has eight seats held by Democrats. money to the Wichita-based $44,000, and independent consistent support from the The highly divisive primary Kansas Values PAC, which also expenditure groups inundated House, where Republicans battles drew millions of dol- attacked Republicans who voter mailboxes with pro- down Andover hold a powerful 92-33 major- lars in campaign cash. challenged incumbent or mod- Kerschen and anti-Kelsey ads. ity. But his plans have met Heavy-hitters including the erate Republican senate candi- The Kansas Chamber PAC resistance in the Senate, Teamsters Union, Kansas dates. spent nearly $36,000 backing where Democrats and moder- Chamber of Commerce and Moderate senate candidates Kerschen and the Wichita budget increase ate Republicans formed a others poured huge donations had support of some gambling Chamber PAC kicked in majority to block some of the primarily into Senate races. interests, including the PAC $9,600. most aggressive parts of Koch Industries gave associated with the Kansas BY SARAH TUCKER worry about the what-ifs and Brownback’s agenda. $125,000 to the Kansas Cham- Star Casino in Mulvane and Contributing: Dion Lefler, Beccy The Wichita Eagle planned to focus on the up- The growing divide between ber of Commerce PAC, which Phil Ruffin, who owns the Tanner, Suzanne Perez Tobias, coming school year. Republican senators reached announced support for Brown- closed Kansas Greyhound Roy Wenzl and Bill Wilson of Residents of the Andover “They would have made a critical mass this year with back-aligned conservative Park. The Wichita Eagle. school district voted down a difference for kids,” Evans political financing groups candidates late last year and Individually, Schodorf and proposed increase in the local said. “(But) we will have a controlled by chambers of gave hundreds of thousands to McGinn raised more money Reach Brent D. Wistrom at option budget, which is fund- great year regardless.” commerce, unions, trade conservative candidates who than their challengers. Scho- 785-296-3006. ed by district property taxes. The 1 percent LOB increase sought to defeat incumbent On Tuesday, 851 voters would have generated cast their ballots against the $433,000 for the district. increase, while 732 people About 53 percent of the voted for it. increase, or $228,000, was to Superintendent Mark Ev- go to fill teaching staff posi- Herzet, Chambers win in sheriff’s races ans said he was disappointed tions, and 15 percent of the about the outcome but increase was to be spent on BY SARAH TUCKER what I want- “I’m going to work at 8 elected Darren Chambers for pleased to have given people coaches and activity sponsor The Wichita Eagle ed to ac- a.m. and (I’m going to) con- sheriff in the primary. the opportunity to vote. positions. About $118,000, complish, tinue to lead the Sheriff’s Incumbent Chambers re- “We will make the most of or 27 percent, would have Kelly Herzet was elected and the vot- Office and make it the best ceived 1,871 votes; his oppo- it,” Evans said. “Obviously it been spent on instructional Butler County sheriff Tues- ers decided,” in the state,” Herzet said. nent, Gerald Gilkey, received was very close. I’m not sure support, and $20,000, or 5 day, receiving nearly 70 Herzet said. The Butler County sheriff’s 743 votes. everyone understood taxes percent, would have helped percent of the vote. Herzet, race got controversial when Chambers replaced his were going down regard- with district maintenance. Herzet received 4,968 who has Enterkin criticized Herzet’s opponent as sheriff last Au- less.” State law allows Kansas votes, while Carl Enterkin been with handling of a jail death in gust when Gilkey stepped The district’s mill levy school districts to raise the received 2,236 votes. the Sheriff’s Herzet 2007. down for another job. would have decreased no LOB to a maximum of 31 Herzet, who was appoint- Office for 24 At the time, Herzet was a The two winners in the matter what the outcome. percent of their general bud- ed sheriff approximately 15 years, says his next step is to sheriff’s detective and con- Republican primary face no Because the measure failed, get. However, the last 1 per- months ago, said he was continue the good work ducted a joint investigation opponent in November’s the district’s mill levy will go cent of the LOB must go to a excited to be elected for the performed by his office, as of the death with the Kansas general election. down about 3 mills. If the public vote. first time and attributed the well as expand the reserves Bureau of Investigation. LOB had passed, the mill levy victory to his positive cam- and move forward with a Enterkin could not be Reach Sarah Tucker at would have gone down about Reach Sarah Tucker at paign. program called Senior Pa- reached for comment. 316-268-6514 or 2.5 mills. 316-268-6514 or “I just let the people know trol. In Sumner County, voters [email protected]. Evans said he wouldn’t [email protected].