Your U.S. House 3rd District general election primer

Early voting in Johnson County is in full swing already and Election Day, Nov. 8, is just a few days away.

As Johnson County residents head to the polls and mail in ballots, we’ve put together this election primer to give people an easy way to find out more about the candidates running for Kansas’s 3rd District Congressional seat covering Johnson County and where they stand on the issues important to our readers.

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Who’s on the ballot

There are three candidates on the ballot running for U.S. House in Kansas’s 3rd District.

• Amanda Adkins, Republican
• Sharice Davids, Democrat (incumbent)
• Steve Hohe, Libertarian

The state’s Congressional district map was redrawn earlier this year, and the 3rd District now includes roughly half of Wyandotte County, along with Miami, Franklin and Anderson counties to the south of Johnson County. Check out this map to see the boundary lines.

U.S. House candidate questionnaire

arlier this month, the Post published the candidates’ responses to a questionnaire we developed with reader input.

The candidates’ answers to the five questionnaire items are linked below:

Election integrity: The top issue with our readers was the candidates’ stance on election integrity. There has been no evidence of widespread voter fraud and dozens of lawsuits challenging the 2020 election results have been dismissed for lack of evidence. Do you believe former President Donald Trump’s claim that the 2020 election was “stolen” from him? Are you confident in the integrity of our election system in Kansas? Read the candidates’ answers.

Inflation: Inflation is currently at its highest level in four decades, sending prices for everything from food to gas to medicine sharply higher over the past several months. What steps should the federal government be taking to bring inflation back down? Read the candidates’ answers.

Abortion: With the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade earlier this year, abortion rights have come to the fore. What is your position on abortion access? What national policies on abortion would you like to see Congress pursue? Please explain your position. Read the candidates’ answers.

Immigration: What’s your view on the state of immigration in the United States? What federal immigration policies do you support? Read the candidates’ answers.

Climate change: Climate change continues to be a major issue of concern for our readers. What steps should the federal government be taking to build climate resiliency and prepare for more extreme weather events? Read the candidates’ answers.

U.S. House candidate debate

Davids and Adkins participated in a debate Oct. 21 that was co-hosted by Kansas City PBS, KCUR 89.3 and the Post.

You can watch the full debate in the embedded link below or at Kansas City PBS’s YouTube page. A transcript of questions with timestamps is below if you’d like to jump to certain topics.

1. Introductory remarks [2:00]
2. With the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade earlier this year, abortion rights have come to the fore in this year’s midterm election. In August, voters in Kansas, including a clear majority of voters in the 3rd District, rejected the “Value Them Both” amendment, which would have stripped a right to abortion from the state constitution. What is your position on the current state of abortion access in America? What national policies on abortion would you like to see Congress pursue? Please explain your position. [5:00]
3. There has been no evidence of widespread voter fraud and dozens of lawsuits challenging the 2020 election results have been dismissed for lack of evidence, yet former President Trump and many of his allies continue to insist the election was stolen from him. This has become a barometer of sorts for many voters wanting to know whether you believe the former president’s unsubstantiated claims. Do you accept Joe Biden as the legitimately elected president of the United States? And are you confident in the integrity of our nation’s election system? [8:37]
4. On the economic front, we’re told wages are not keeping pace with inflation. Interest rates are rising, the stock market is in free fall. Supply chains remain in flux. And, with winter approaching, Americans are preparing to face sky-high home heating bills. What’s the single biggest action you will take in Congress to help your constituents pad their pocketbooks or lower their household bills? [12:15]
5. The number of people trying to cross America’s southern border illegally has skyrocketed to record highs this year. So far in 2022, Customs and Border Protection have detained more than 2.1 million people. What’s your view on the state of immigration in the United States? What federal immigration policies do you support? [15:48]
6. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that within the next decade the Social Security program will be paying out more money than it is taking in. What would be your approach to address this looming issue? [19:21]
7. What in your view is the biggest single threat facing America? If you’re elected to congress for the next two years what would you do to lessen that threat? [22:48]
8. Many cities across the US are seeing rising rates of homicide and other violent crimes. What steps can the federal government take to help cities and counties reduce crime? [26:20]
9. You’ll be representing one of the most moderate and so-called “purple” districts in the U.S. House. How will you truly try to be bipartisan in your approach to representing all the voters of the 3rd District? [29:53]
10. While the cost of living, we’re told, is the biggest issue on voters’ minds, some political analysts claim that for many voters education is the iceberg issue of this Midterm election. Yet that for the most part is an issue for states and local elected school boards. What role, if any, should Congress play in deciding how students are educated? [32:57]
11. What is the federal government’s role in mitigating the impacts of climate change? [36:27]
12. Mortgage rates are going through the roof, rent prices too. What role if any should congress play to make housing more affordable? [40:00]
13. COVID barely registers any longer in public opinion polls listing voter concerns. But obesity has risen, diabetes is up, drug and alcohol abuse has increased and so are cases of depression and mental illness. As a member of congress, what’s the single biggest policy change you would advocate for to improve the health of your constituents? [43:18]
14. Which action by the Biden administration do you support the most? Which do you oppose the most? [46:58]
15. We’ve all watched the last few months as Russia’s ongoing unjustified attack against Ukraine has continued. Russian President Vladimir Putin has at least nodded to the possibility of using strategic nuclear weapons during the course of this conflict. If elected to Congress, you may be posed with a decision on how the county is to respond if this happens. How should we respond if Russia uses nuclear weapons in Ukraine? [50:25]
16. Closing statements [53:17]