Kansas Democratic Party - Kansas Matters Blog

Lisa Johnston, Democratic U.S. Senate Nominee, Endorsed by Mainstream Coalition

Overland Park, Kansas — August 18, 2010 — Dr. Lisa Johnston has earned the endorsement of the Mainstream Coalition, a highly respected nonpartisan political organization.

“I am honored to receive the endorsement of the Mainstream Coalition” said Lisa Johnston. “I believe that Kansans want leaders who are reasonable, moderate, and dedicated to representing the interests of everyday people including personal and religious freedom, human rights, and strengthening public education. My opponent demonstrated in his primary election that he is not a moderate but an extreme conservative which is not what the majority of Kansans want in their leaders.”

On August 3rd, Lisa defeated four other Democratic primary candidates to become the Democratic nominee for United States Senate. Voters throughout the state responded positively to her four key campaign priorities: job creation in Kansas, promoting economic strength and fiscal accountability, prioritizing education, and leading with integrity. Learn more about Lisa by visiting her website.

Lisa hopes to bring a fresh perspective to the U.S. Senate. “The overwhelming majority of U.S. Senators have professional backgrounds in law, business or politics. For example, my opponent in this race has a background in law and has been as a U.S. Congressman for fourteen years. He is a true Washington insider which is not what people are looking for right now.” said Lisa “We need more diversity in our political leadership and people from all walks of life with professional experience that will strengthen the legislative process. Education is under-represented in Washington. We need more U.S. Senators who understand education from the inside. I feel my leadership experience, professional expertise in education, desire to represent the people, and commitment to serve with integrity will allow me to succeed as a U.S. Senator and fight for what is best for Kansans and all Americans.”

About the Mainstream Coalition:
The Mainstream Coalition is the Moderate Alliance of Informed Neighbors. Founded in 1993, the Mainstream coalition is dedicated to civil and human rights, public education, personal and religious freedom, and eliminating prejudice, discrimination, and hostility. The Mainstream coalition endorses candidates running for all levels of office regardless of political affiliation based on their stated positions on issues central to the mission of the organization.

by Kyle on 08/18/10

Mudslinging begins early in the Kansas U.S. Senate race thanks to Senator John Cornyn

Sadly but predictably, mudslinging in the Kansas U.S. Senate race began around 1 a.m. on Wednesday in Senator John Cornyn’s congratulatory statement to Congressman Jerry Moran.

Cornyn stated, “Democrat nominee Lisa Johnston has clearly demonstrated that she would simply serve as another rubberstamp for President Obama and Harry Reid’s out-of-control economic agenda if she makes it to Washington, perpetuating the President’s failed record of higher taxes, skyrocketing job loss, and bloated government bureaucracy.”

This statement has absolutely no basis in reality and it is clear from his statement that Senator Cornyn knows nothing about Dr. Lisa Johnston or her campaign priorities. One of her key priorities is integrity and leadership. Her campaign literature states “We need true representation for the people – not politicians who work for special interests. This requires a commitment to integrity and fighting for what is best for Kansans.”

by Kyle on 08/05/10

Lisa Johnston wins Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate

Dr. Lisa Johnston was very pleased to accept the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate late Tuesday evening. Johnston won over a field of four other Democratic candidates.

“I am honored by the support of our Democratic primary voters”, said Lisa. “I am looking forward to campaigning in the coming months and working hard to gain support from voters in the general election.”

“I think some pundits underestimate voters by assuming they will blindly vote based solely on party affiliation. I believe what Kansans care about most is not the letter beside your name but if you are the right person for the job.”

Lisa emphasized the contrasts between herself and the Republican nominee, Jerry Moran, stating, “I believe Kansans are hungry for a leader rather than a traditional career politician. My background in education is an important asset as education is a profession that is very underrepresented in our political leadership, especially in the United States Senate. I am dedicated to representing the best interests of the people of Kansas as I believe that this is one of the most important and sacred responsibilities of any elected official.”

Commenting on the upcoming general election campaign, Lisa stated, “Kansans deserve more than bickering and attack ads. The voters deserve an in-depth discussion of our challenges and potential solutions.”

Johnston will face Moran in the November 2nd general election.

Learn more about Lisa's positions on issues important to Kansans at LisaForKansas.com

by Kyle on 08/05/10

Lisa Johnston Continues to Maintain Sizable Lead in Recent U.S. Senate Primary Poll

In the August 2nd Survey USA poll conducted for KWCH in Wichita examining the Democratic U.S. Senate primary, Dr. Lisa Johnston continued to maintain the substantial lead she has held for all primary polls that have been conducted.  

In this latest poll, 29% of respondents indicated that they would vote for her today as compared with 21%, 12%, 7% and 6% for her opponents.  This was a sizable increase from the 23% of respondents indicating support for Dr. Johnston in the July 19th poll. Although there are still a number of undecided voters, it seems reasonable to expect that they will split among the five candidates in a proportional fashion.

These results bode well for Dr. Johnston and reveal the significant possibility that she will become the Democratic nominee for the United States Senate.

by Kyle on 08/03/10

Lisa Johnston Announces Primary Election Night Plans

Leading U.S. Senate Candidate, Lisa Johnston, will attend the election watch party sponsored by the Johnson County Democratic Women.  The Tuesday, August 3rd election watch event will take place at the Lucky Brewgrille at 5401 Johnson Drive in Mission, KS starting at 7 p.m.

Lisa invites all her supporters to attend the event and take part in the excitement as we find out who the voters have chosen as our Democratic party nominees for a variety of important races including the U.S. Senate.

by Kyle on 08/02/10

Lisa Johnston Commended for Running Robust Campaign on Limited Funds

 In a Topeka Capital-Journal article, Dr. Bob Beatty applauded leading U.S. Senate Candidate, Lisa Johnston, for running the most successful campaign on limited funds:

"Lisa Johnston's campaign for U.S. Senate on the Democratic side has been impressive. Her last campaign finance report showed she had spent less than $5,000, but her website is excellent. She is the only Democratic Senate candidate to produce and run TV ads." 

In these tough economic times, having the ability to make the most of every dollar donated and to put forth a credible campaign on a limited budget is essential to compete against the likely Republican nominee, Jerry Moran.

In his column in the Hutchinson news, Dr. Beatty urges Democrats to pay attention to the primary and singles out Lisa Johnston once again: 

"Most interesting of all could be the U.S. Senate primary, where the three main candidates have very different backgrounds. State Sen. David Haley and journalist Charles Schollenberger argue that their political experience makes them the best choice to take on Jerry Moran or Todd Tiahrt in the fall, but it is the new face in this race that is intriguing: college administrator Lisa Johnston. Johnston shined in the one TV debate shown statewide, and despite only raising $10,000, she is the only candidate in the race with a TV ad on the air."

by Kyle on 08/02/10