Earlier this summer, the Post asked our readers what issues you wanted to hear candidates in contested races address leading up to the Aug. 4 primary 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. So far, we’ve published responses on cost of living, immigration, Social Security, Medicare and health care, and federal pressure on local schools.
Today, we’re publishing candidates’ responses to the following question:
Readers want a representative who is accessible and independent, voicing the desire to see them holding town halls, answering constituents, and not simply following party leaders. How will you stay accessible to constituents who disagree with you? What is your plan for regularly meeting with constituents and hearing concerns from those who may disagree with you and your positions in Washington?
Below are the answers the Post received from candidates on the issue:
Chase LaPorte (Republican)
Living in 2026 and beyond, I will use Zoom style meetings to hear directly from constituents. Even if a constituents is of a different political party, I will hear their concerns and put them into consideration when voting on the House floor.
Eric Jenkins (Republican)
Did not provide the Post with a response.
Sharice Davids (Democratic)
My accountability is to the people of Kansas’ 3rd District — not party leaders, not Washington insiders, not corporate donors. I work for Kansans, whether they voted for me or not.
That means being honest about where I stand, listening even when we disagree, and making decisions based on what I hear from the people I represent. For example, I have been clear about the need to ban stock trading by members of Congress even when my party’s leaders disagreed with me. People deserve to know that their elected officials are acting in the public interest, not benefiting from their position. I pushed for that because it is what I heard from Kansans.
Staying accountable also means showing up in all corners of the Kansas Third. Since coming to Congress, I have held more than 240 pop-up offices in communities across the district so constituents can meet with my team face-to-face without having to drive long distances. My office has also successfully helped more than 8,600 Kansans navigate issues with federal agencies, from veterans’ benefits to Social Security to passports.
I will continue making time to hear directly from Kansans from both parties because the best decisions come from listening to the people who are impacted by them. I’ll also work with anyone, regardless of party, when it helps Kansas, and I’ll stand up against extreme policies that put politics ahead of lowering costs and delivering results.
Sarah Preu (Democratic)
Accountability is front and center when our Congress members, by some estimates, spend 70% of their time chasing the donor class and building a pile of money that grows cycle after cycle. My commitment is to an open, in-person town hall every month, rotating between every county in this District. Hosted by me. No pre-screening. No staff stand-ins. I’m running to represent this community, and it’s going to be tough to do so if I’m only in private meetings for photo ops. You all deserve the opportunity to tell me if you think I’m wrong, and to be able to say so to my face, in a room full of our neighbors, with cameras recording.
On that note, I favor a co-governance model with a rotating group of regular constituents, not corporate stand-ins, to help guide priorities and policy pursuits. Constituents will be able to apply for membership and will be vital in moving forward legislation that benefits the working-class folks of KS-03. Taking this approach allows me to stay connected to what’s happening in the community at large, not just with the groups that give me the most money.
Lastly, I’ll put every vote in writing and when I break with the party, I’ll give you a transparent explanation of my reasoning. You deserve to have full confidence that my vote is informed by my moral compass and the needs of the people – not Party leadership.
