“Kansas families in the 2nd district deserve a representative who will energetically stand up for their most important concerns – their pocketbooks, their jobs, and their health care – not sit back and block progress in Washington,” said Laura Kelly as she announced her candidacy.
“In the last few months people from all across the district have been urging me to run for Congress. They are tired of leaders tied to a do-or-die narrow partisan agenda that has failed our country for the last eight years. Saying NO is not enough in these challenging times. People deserve common sense answers and real solutions,” said Kelly.]]>
Today, State Senator Laura Kelly announced her candidacy for Congress. Kelly is entering the race to challenge first term Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins in Kansas’ 2nd
Congressional District.
“Kansas families in the 2nd district deserve a representative who will energetically stand up for their most important concerns – their pocketbooks, their jobs, and their health care – not sit back and block progress in Washington,” said Laura Kelly as she announced her candidacy.
“In the last few months people from all across the district have been urging me to run for Congress. They are tired of leaders tied to a do-or-die narrow partisan agenda that has failed our country for the last eight years. Saying NO is not enough in these challenging times. People deserve common sense answers and real solutions,” said Kelly.
“As State Senator, I have worked across party lines time and time again to find solutions Kansans understand – solutions like $143 million in tax cuts to help businesses buy new equipment and create jobs, tax credits to help businesses afford health insurance for their employees, the expansion of community health clinics, and funding to reduce class sizes while increasing accountability in our schools. We need the same kind of independent, common sense in our leaders in Congress. That is why I am running,” said Kelly.
Kelly is serving her second term as state senator in a district that includes part of Shawnee County and all of Wabaunsee County. In her first race, she took on an incumbent senator and, with support from both rural and urban areas of her district, won a hard-fought race. In 2008, she defeated a well-funded challenger with 57% of the vote.
The 2nd Congressional District of Kansas runs border to border in the eastern part of the state and includes Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Bourbon, Brown, Cherokee, Coffey, Crawford, Doniphan, Franklin, Geary, Jackson, Jefferson, Labette, Leavenworth, Linn, Miami, Neosho, Osage, Pottawatomie, Riley, Shawnee, Wilson, Woodson, and parts of Douglas and Nemaha counties.
Kelly grew up in a military family. That’s where she learned her sense of duty and public service. Her father, John Kelly, was a decorated veteran who served in Africa, Europe and the Pacific theaters.
Kelly has served on the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce, the Kansas Leadership Center, the Budget Efficiency and Savings Team on Agriculture, the Kansas Children’s Cabinet, the North Topeka Business Alliance, and the Health for All Kansans Steering Committee.
Senator Kelly lives in Topeka with her husband, Dr. Ted Daughety, and has two daughters, Kathleen and Molly, both graduates of Topeka Public Schools and the University of Kansas.
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