Earlier this summer, the Post asked our readers what issues you wanted to hear candidates in contested races address leading up to the Nov. 5. election.
Based on that feedback, we developed a five-item questionnaire centering the issues most important to residents across Johnson County.
Each day this week, we’ll publish the candidates’ responses to one question. Read the candidates’ responses to the previous question about immigration and U.S. Post Office delays.
Today, we’re publishing candidates’ responses to the following question:
Many readers express concern over former President Trump’s continued baseless claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him and the violence that rhetoric engendered as rioters attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, attempting to thwart the certification of Joe Biden as the winner. Do you believe President Biden was elected fair and square in 2020? If not, what evidence do you use to support that he wasn’t? If elected, are there any measures you’d support at the federal level to protect Americans’ right to vote?
Below are the answers the Post received from candidates on the issue:
Steve Roberts (Libertarian)
Question 3 asks if I have the opinion that President Biden was elected in a fair election.
There is much to be said about the unfairness of a two-party political system that encourages extremely wealthy people to give huge sums to either the blue team or the red team. That is to say, donate to the donkey’s team or to the elephant’s team. It makes for two-horse races up and down the ballot.
Since I received no invitation to debate Congresswoman Davids or her GOP Challenger, Dr. Reddy, despite my representing our country’s third largest political party on the ballot, I suggest that bias resides in our media from top to bottom, including the bottom-feeding local news outlets. Your outlet, of course, is probably special and has no political bias whatsoever.
Prasanth Reddy (Republican)
I believe the 2020 election was fair, and President Biden was elected. While many people had concerns about the process, the courts and election officials, including those appointed by Republicans, confirmed the results after thorough investigations. I do not support the baseless claims of widespread fraud that continue to circulate.
We should strive to strengthen the integrity of our elections. As your representative, I would support measures at the federal level to ensure that every eligible American can vote securely. This includes safeguarding voter identification laws, improving access to polling locations, and securing our elections from foreign interference. Americans need to trust that their vote matters, and I will work hard to make sure our system remains free and fair for everyone.
Rep. Sharice Davids (Democratic, incumbent)
Yes, the 2020 presidential election was legitimately decided. Claims of widespread election fraud have been repeatedly disproven.
Free and fair elections are fundamental to our democracy, and it’s crucial for members of Congress to protect that integrity and fight back against rhetoric that suggests otherwise. January 6, 2021 was one of the darkest days in our nation’s history, and it’s still difficult to process the attack on our Capitol and on our democracy itself. Lives were lost, including those of capitol police, and while our country is healing, we cannot fully move on until it’s clear the events of that day will never happen again.
I am dedicated to upholding my oath of office to defend the Constitution and deliver results for the people of Kansas’s Third District. My commitment includes supporting vital legislation like the For the People Act, which ensures that elections are safe, secure, and accessible. Every Kansan, no matter what political party they identify with, deserves to have confidence in their vote, and I will always stand up for what is right.
Coming up:
Tomorrow we will publish the candidates’ responses to the following question:
Abortion has been a salient issue for voters ever since the overturning of Roe v. Wade two years ago. In a much-watched vote in 2022, Kansans voted to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution. At the federal level, some Republicans have pressed for a national ban on abortions starting as early as 15 weeks. If elected, would you support or oppose a federal ban on abortion? Why or why not?
