Ark Valley News - Huebert, McGinn seeking re-election

Huebert, McGinn seeking re-election
By Chris Strunk
Last Updated: March 31, 2016

Incumbent state legislators representing the Valley Center area, Carolyn McGinn and Steve Huebert, officially filed for re-election last week.

Both submitted paperwork to the Kansas Secretary of State's Office on March 24 and will be on the 2016 election ballot.

McGinn, a Republican from Sedgwick, will be seeking her fourth four-year term in the Kansas Senate, District 31. Huebert, a Republican from Valley Center, will be seeking his ninth two-year term in the House, District 90.

McGinn is locked into an August primary election with GOP challenger Renee Erickson of Walton. No Democrat has filed.

No one else has filed for Huebert's seat.

The deadline for candidates to file is June 1. The general election will be Nov. 8.

Both incumbents have long histories in election campaigns.

McGinn has been in the Senate since 2005. In the 2004, she had no challenger in the primary election, but beat Democrat Randy Brown in the general election.

In 2008, McGinn beat Rex Farley in the primary and Gene Marsh in the general.

In 2012, McGinn beat Gary Mason in the primary and was unopposed in the general election.

McGinn, a farmer who grew up in Valley Center, said she has been a strong defender of rural values in the Legislature.

She said her record shows her fighting off attempts to increase taxes on ag land and farm equipment, opposing the Legislature's block grant system and cuts to local schools, voting against the governor's sales tax increase on groceries, defending pro-life values by voting for every piece of pro-life legislation that has come before the Legislature and supporting the constitutional right to hunt, fish and trap.

"Too often, politics in Topeka overshadow the voice of rural communities like ours," said McGinn. "I'm running for the Senate because I'm not afraid to stand up for what's right. This state was founded on the hard work, integrity and perseverance of rural Kansans like us. I'll fight to keep our rural Kansas values at the forefront of everything we do, including fully funding our local schools, blocking Topeka's tax increases on our families, and protecting the viability of our ag economy."

McGinn lives with her husband Mark on the family farm outside of Sedgwick, where they raised their two sons. The 31st District includes Harvey County and the communities of Bel Aire, Bentley, Kechi, Maize, Mount Hope, Park City, Sedgwick, Valley Center and Wichita.

Huebert, meanwhile, has been in the Kansas House since 2001.

Huebert's only Republican challenger was in his first election in 2000, when he beat Bruce Ott of Maize and Larry Strelow of Valley Center in the primary. Huebert, a former Valley Center school board member, went on to beat fellow school board member Derrell Schooler in the general election.

Huebert had no challengers in his 2002, 2004, 2010 and 2014 re-election bids.

In 2006, Huebert beat Democrat Bill Collier in the general election. In 2008, he beat Democrat Jaque Davis in the general election. In 2012, he beat Democrat Merry Matthews in the general election. None of the races was close.

"In 2000, I campaigned on the need for a new school finance formula, and I continue to fight that fight," Huebert said. "I think we will work on that next year."

Huebert said he and his wife, Marsha, prayed about whether he should seek his ninth term.

"Last session was tough," Huebert said. "I did my forums in Valley Center and Colwich a couple weeks ago. It was a chance to meet with constituents and talk about what's going on. I just wanted to see if I still had that desire to do it again. It's something we prayed about and decided I had unfinished work to complete."

Huebert said his pro-life and pro-family stance still resonates with voters in north Sedgwick County.

"North Sedgwick County residents are good family people who go to church and raise their families," he said. "They need a good conservative to represent them."