Rob meets with voters in McPherson
http://www.mcphersonsentinel.com/homepage/x1128410127/Wasinger-makes-campaign-stop-in-McPherson
By Sean Wardwell
Staff Writer
sean.sentinel@gmail.com
Rob Wasinger, a Republican candidate for Kansas’ 1st Congressional District, spent Tuesday morning at Kettle Creek Coffee House meeting local voters and discussing their concerns.
Wasinger, who was born in Hays and graduated from Harvard University, previously served as U.S. Senator Sam Brownback’s chief of staff in Washington D.C., as well as working for former Governor Bill Graves and current Congressman Jerry Moran while he was the majority leader in the Kansas State Senate.
Moran is not seeking re-election to the 1st District, which he’s represented since 1997, opting to run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Brownback, who is running for governor.
The district encompasses 69 counties, stretching from just east of Emporia to the state’s western border. Covering a district the size of the 1st can be a daunting prospect, but Wasinger has already toured it once, and plans several more repeat tours before the election.
“You get a real sense of the geography of the district. It’s 57,000 square-miles. We have been to all 69 counties, (I’m) the only candidate to do that,” said Wasinger, who elaborated on some of the concerns he’s heard from voters, such as health care and rural issues.“Only by traveling can you help identify where opportunities for growth are.”
Wasinger said he made the decision to run for office after watching Washington’s continual spending and the change in Washington from public service to unruely politics.
“I think the role of public service has been lost with some of the politicians and politics in Washington D.C. . . it’s time to restore some sanity and reasonableness to Washington,” Wasinger said.
Wasinger went on to state that the debate in the upcoming election is about jobs and economic growth, and described himself as the jobs candidate.
On health care, Wasinger believes some reform is needed, but is against a public option.
Some reforms Wasinger said he would support are medical savings accounts, tort reform and more competition across state lines.
Wasinger’s race to Washington has become a crowded one with seven Republican candidates and one democrate having officially filed for office.
Wasinger believes his record of public service and his message, which focuses on jobs and economic growth, will distinguish him from the pack.
“I’m going to do this one voter at a time, go door to door, talk to everybody and we’ve got a real message of economic growth and prosperity for Kansas, and real policy solutions to help accomplish that,” Wasinger said.
The Republican primary will be held on Aug. 3, 2010. The first district is considered solidly Republican. Only one democrat has represented it since 1875, serving one term, from 1953 to 1955.
Sean Wardwell
Staff Writer - McPherson Sentinel
301 S. Main
McPherson, KS 67460
Office: (620) 241-4220
