KCK’s Kultala May Challenge Yoderin Ks-3 January 20, 2014

KC Star:
Former Kansas state senator Kelly Kultala, a Democrat, said Monday she will run for the House seat now held by U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder, a Republican.

She’s expected to officially announce her candidacy Tuesday.

Kultala, 55, is a political veteran. She served four years in the Kansas state senate, losing her bid for re-election in 2012. She also ran for Kansas lieutenant governor in 2010, on the Democratic ticket, and lost.

“I’m disgusted with what’s going on in Washington, D.C. right now,” she told The Star. “Washington D.C. is broken, and Kevin Yoder is part of the problem.”

Yoder, 38, was first elected to Congress in 2010, replacing Dennis Moore, who retired.

While Kultala will be considered a serious candidate in the race, she faces a formidable challenge in November if she makes it through the primary.

Yoder, who lives in Overland Park, had almost $1.8 million in his campaign fund at the end of September, according to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission. That’s considered a healthy sum in the 3rd district, which includes all of Johnson and Wyandotte counties plus a portion of Miami County.

Kultala, who lives in Kansas City, Kan., isn’t the only Democrat interested in Yoder’s seat. Reginald Marselus of Lenexa has filed for the race, which means an August primary if both remain candidates.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2014/01/20/4764237/second-democrat-to-enter-race.html#storylink=cpy

Gilstrap to Run for WyCo State Senate Seat June 2, 2011

Former Wyandotte County State Senator Mark Gilstrap wants back in the game.

He announced his intention to run for the 5th District State Senate seat now held by Democrat Kelly Kultala. Gilstrap will be running as a Republican in heavily Democratic Wyandotte County. Some of the 5th district, however, also includes Leavenworth County.

Gilstrap made it clear he will try to make the 2010 one-cent increase in the state sales tax an issue.

“Our current Senator Kelly Kultala, helped lead the charge for the largest tax increase in Kansas history and then increased spending by about 300 million dollars which is irresponsible and unacceptable for my people in the 5th Senate District.” Gilstrap said.

During the last session of the legislature, Republican Governor Sam Brownback made no push to roll that tax back, despite calls for some conservative lawmakers to do so. The election is next year.