There’s a crowded field of candidates running or considering the race for Kansas governor in 2018, and that means they’ll need to find ways to set themselves apart.
There are at least seven Republicans formally running, and at least four have statewide political experience in Kansas. So how do they differentiate themselves? They’ll agree on some issues, but Washburn University political scientist Bob Beatty says health care will create divisions.
“The health care issue, specifically Medicaid expansion, will be one of the key issues as we go into forums and debates,” Beatty says.
Related: The Kansas Race For Governor Gets Crowded
Several of the GOP candidates have connections to health care, and their opinions range from supporting Medicaid expansion to strongly opposing it. There are also at least four Democrats running for governor who will need to carve out their own spaces in the race.
Stephen Koranda is Statehouse reporter for Kansas Public Radio, a partner in the Kansas News Service.
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