Former Kansas Libertarian lieutenant governor candidate says he can save KanCare money

By ANDY MARSO
KHI News Service

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ---- Wichita physician and former lieutenant governor candidate Josh Umbehr is scheduled to talk to a legislative committee Wednesday about integrating direct primary care into KanCare.

Josh Umbehr, who runs a direct primary care practice called Atlas MD, gleaned 4 percent of the vote in November while running on the Libertarian ticket with his father, Alma attorney Keen Umbehr.

VIDEO: Gov. Sam Brownback, Paul Davis and Keen Umbehr debate the issues

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- The second gubernatorial debate for this year's Kansas Governor's race was held on Friday.

This time, the debate had a twist: Libertarian Party nominee Keen Umbehr joined Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Democrat Paul Davis on the stage.

Taxes, education and the budget are three of the key issues discussed. If you intend on voting and if you're not sure who you are voting for yet, check it out!

Public Policy Polling: Third party candidates Greg Orman, Keen Umbehr show momentum in Kansas races

By NICK SLOAN, nick@kansascitykansan.com

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- If today's poll from the Public Policy Polling outlet is a great indicator of this November's races in Kansas, two third party candidates could each play a major role in the outcome of the two biggest races in Kansas.

PPP's poll shows that Democratic challenger Paul Davis leads Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback 39 to 37 percent. Meanwhile, Libertarian Keen Umbehr received nine percent of the vote. According to the poll, 65 percent of Umbehr's voters would choose Davis as their second choice.

It's the highest level of support Umbehr's received in a poll this year. It's the fourth poll from a third separate outlet that shows a lead for Davis. Brownback led a New York Times poll taken in July.

Umbehr is not the only third party candidate making noise in Kansas. 

In this year's U.S. Senate race, Independent Greg Orman is receiving nearly one-fourth of the vote. U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) leads the race with 32 percent of the vote. Democratic nominee Chad Taylor has 25 percent of the vote, while Orman checks in third place with 23 percent.

In a head to head race, Orman would beat Roberts 43 to 33 percent, according to the poll. Taylor trails Roberts in a head-to-head contest 43 to 39 percent.

More here.

Kansas Libertarian gubernatorial candidate needs $50K in donations to take part in debates

By NICK SLOAN, nick@kansascitykansan.com

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- One gripe third party candidates have each election cycle concerns the stipulations in order for candidates to qualify for debates.

In Kansas, one stipulation is preventing a third gubernatorial candidate from taking part in a debate.

Libertarian Party candidate Keen Umbehr has been invited to take part in three gubernatorial debates that would include him, Democratic Party nominee Paul Davis and Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback.

However, he and other third party candidates have to raise $50,000 in non-personal funds to participate in the debate.

The first and likely largest debate will be held September 6 at the Kansas State Fair. As of last week, Umbehr said he's received between $11,000 to $12,000 in fundraising.

If you're interested in donating to his campaign, visit here.

POLL: Davis leads Brownback 47-41; Republicans up in other races

By NICK SLOAN, nick@kansascitykansan.com

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- In a new poll taken by KSN News, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback is behind likely Democratic Party nominee and Kansas Rep. Paul Davis by six points.

Republicans across the state fare better in their races.

In the gubernatorial race, Davis has an advantage in Kansas City and Wichita. At this time, he's beating Brownback by 15 percent in the Wichita area and leads Brownback by three percent among voters in the Kansas City metro area. Brownback's strength comes from Western Kansas, where he leads Davis by 16 points.

Another factor: The female vote. Davis is leading Brownback by 14 points among women, while Brownback leads by one percent among men.

Davis also has made a sizable dent among Brownback's Republican support, according to the poll. Davis receives 26 percent of support from registered Republican voters. On the other hand, Brownback received six percent of support from Democrats in the poll.

If there's one single issue boosting Davis' chances, it's education. For those who consider education the most important issue, Davis is leading Brownback by 54 points. Brownback has a large lead against Davis among voters who consider taxes the most important issue.

Jennifer Winn, a Republican challenger to Brownback, received 37 percent of the vote against Brownback when Republicans were asked to choose between the two GOP candidates.

Kansas Libertarian Party candidate Keen Umbehr received five percent of the vote. Umbehr registers well for a third party candidate when it comes to the young vote. Umbehr received 13 percent of support from voters 18-34 years old.

In other races:

• U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts has a commanding lead over Milton Wolf in the GOP primary, earning 56 percent of support among Republican voters. Roberts also leads Democratic Party challenger Chad Taylor 43 to 33 percent. Independent candidate Greg Orman receives 8 percent, while Libertarian Party candidate Randall Batson received 5 percent. Roberts also leads another Democratic challenger, Patrick Wiesner, by 45-29 percent. 

• If Milton Wolf were to win the primary, the Republicans would have an uphill battle in a traditionally dark red state. According to the poll, Wolf is behind Taylor by three points in that senate match-up. Wolf would lead Wiesner in that race, if it were to happen.

• Republican Secretary of State Kris Kobach leads Democratic challenger Jean Schodorf by five percent. In the primary, Kobach is crushing Scott Morgan 61 to 29 percent

• In all polls, there's a sizable "undecided" count, meaning there's a lot of time left and undecided voters could swing many of the races.

SurveyUSA interviewed 2,200 residents in Kansas.

Of the 1931 registered voters, 508 will vote in the Republican Party's primary, while 252 will likely vote in the Democratic Party's primary.

INTERVIEW: Libertarian Keen Umbehr looks to win over dissatisfied Democrats, Republicans in Kansas gubernatorial race

By NICK SLOAN, nick@kansascitykansan.com

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- Schools, taxes and jobs.

Those are the three issues Keen Umbehr, Libertarian Party candidate for Kansas Governor, believe are the three most important issues.

Umbehr will bring his message to Frontier Days, held in Edgerton, Kan., this weekend.

Umbehr secured the Libertarian Party's nomination for governor earlier this spring. And while Kansas Libertarians are looking for the magical five percent that would qualify the party as a major party, Umbehr believes he can win.

"Kansas Democrats, Republicans and independents all have the core views of limited government and personal responsibility," Umbehr said in an interview with The Gardner Edge. "I believe we can win this."

For the Umbehr campaign, the magic number isn't five percent. It's 300,000 votes. To win in Kansas, Umbehr would have to receive at least one-third of the vote.

In order to achieve that milestone, Umbehr thinks his message - along with the anti-incumbent sentiment in Kansas and the state's history of being independent- will rule the day.

"In five of the last nine elections in Kansas, the voters have put a Democrat in the Governor's mansion," Umbehr said. "Kansas has a rich history of being independent."

Umbehr believes enough Republicans in Kansas are dissatisfied with Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback and Kansas Democrats are soured by President Obama and former Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

"In Kansas, we see Democrats weary of voting for Democrats again," Umbehr said. "Obama is someone not all Democrats are proud of."

Umbehr criticized Brownback's tax plan, saying his plan puts all of the burden on the wage-earners of Kansas.

"Currently the plan allows 191,000 businesses to pay zero taxes," Umbehr said. "There's over a million residents in Kansas that pay taxes. The 87 percent are paying the entire bill. It's unfair and discriminatory."

According to Umbehr's campaign Website (KeenForKansas.com), his plan is to eliminate the income tax for all residents in Kansas. He also supports the Fair Tax plan.

Nationally, the Libertarian Party deals with a stereotype of being on the fringe of the American political spectrum. Umbehr believes in Kansas, his message is moderate compared to Brownback and Paul Davis, the Democratic Party's challenger.

"I'm sticking with the issues that effect the kitchen table," Umbehr said. "You can't govern by the extremes. "

Umbehr supports school-choice and since the state spends 63 percent of its budget on school matters, he believes where the money is spent is something the state should examine.

Umbehr also believes the state should get out of the regulatory business and instead, establish a business environment that helps current businesses in Kansas and Kansans alike.

"In Kansas, we're going to grow from within," Umbehr said, adding that "mom and pop" stores are the backbone of Kansas, not the larger corporations looking to move-in to the state.

For more information on the Umbehr campaign, visit KeenForKansas.com. His Facebook page is here.

Keen Umbehr, Libertarian candidate, to officially enter governor's race Tuesday

By NICK SLOAN, nick@kansascitykansan.com

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- Keen Umbehr, the Libertarian Party's candidate for the 2014 Kansas Governor's race, will officially file for election May 20.

Umbehr, who's challenging Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback (KS-R) and Democratic challenger Paul Davis, will file his paperwork and submit his candidate filing fee at 1 p.m. Tuesday.

Umbehr prevailed in the Libertarian Party's nomination process.

The Libertarian Party is the only political party that had multiple candidates in this year's governor's race.

The Libertarian Party is looking to win five percent of the vote this year in Kansas. If it can, it would reach "major party status" in Kansas.

Kansas Libertarians nominate Keen Umbehr for governor

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- The Kansas Libertarian Party recently nominated Keen Umbehr for governor.

Umbehr has spent the past 25 years as an owner of a trash-hauling company in Wabaunsee County and a private attorney.

“As your governor, I will uphold the constitution, preserve your civil liberties, provide equal treatment under the law and promote government transparency and accountability while reducing its size and scope," Umbehr said. "The Keen for Kansas campaign is going to make history when our team establishes the Libertarian Party as the third major political party in Kansas. I’m not afraid of hard work and everyone who knows me understands that I have never backed down from a fight for liberty; this election is a fight for liberty.”

Umbehr was an attorney in the 2009 case involving the Topeka Correctional Facility sexual exploitation scandal.

More biographical information about Umbehr:

Umbehr made history when he challenged the decision of his county commissioners to terminate a contract with Keen’s trash business in 1991. Umbehr held that terminating his contract because he spoke out against the county government was an unconstitutional attack on his 1st Amendment Rights. That challenge went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court where it established the precedent that government contractors have whistleblower protection just as do government employees.

In 1996 he was named a Distinguished Kansan by the Topeka Capital- Journal. In 1998 he received a Free Spirit Award from The Freedom Forum, a nonpartisan foundation dedicated to free press, free speech and free spirit for all people.

Two years after his Supreme Court victory, at the age of 40, Keen sold his trash company and returned to college at Kansas State University to finish his bachelor’s degree.

Keen graduated from the Washburn University School of Law in May of 2005.  Since then, Umbehr has continued his fight for government transparency and accountability.  In one of his higher profile cases, Umbehr was instrumental in exposing the sexual exploitation of female inmates at the Topeka Correctional Facility in 2009.

Umbehr is courting not only Libertarians and Unaffiliated voters but also those who are traditional Republicans and Democrats. To the surprise of those who don’t know Keen, he choose to attend both the Democrat and Republican Party State Conventions this year; offering even those voters a clear choice in the upcoming election.  He has established a campaign office in Alma, a growing campaign staff, and is actively fundraising from individuals for the Keen for Kansas campaign.

His goal is to visit all 105 Kansas counties during his campaign and in each county he is going to ask for the people of Kansas to vote with courage. Umbehr says he’s going to tell each and every voter, “As your governor, I will uphold the constitution, preserve your civil liberties, provide equal treatment under the law and promote government transparency and accountability while reducing its size and scope.”