Democratic Senate candidate Christy Davis outlines priorities for Kansas

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- Christy Davis is the Democratic nominee in Kansas' U.S. Senate race.

The 5th-generation Kansan grew up in Harvey County, Kansas, on a dairy farm before it went under in the 1980s during the farm crisis.

Davis has worked in local, state and federal government during her political career. She decided to run for the U.S. Senate because Kansans deserve a senator who works hard and meets their needs.

"Actually listens to hear what the needs are, and work to address those. Kansans also deserve a U.S. senator who abides by the Constitution," Davis said. "We need somebody who will hold the executive branch to account and represent Kansans. Use the power of the purse to help Kansans."

The two biggest issues Davis hears from Kansans statewide, regardless of location, are education and health care.

Davis said the current administration has worked to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, made cuts to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and proposed using vouchers to take money from public schools to fund private schools.

"With education, the key is reversing some of that legislation and really firming up the funding and structure for public schools," she said. "It's really the bedrock of our society, and great equalizer."

Davis noticed that Kansans are spending a lot on health care, and wants to work towards making health care more affordable for all.

"First step is reverse the cuts to subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. Long term, moving forward we're moving toward universal health care," she said. "We need to make health care more affordable; that is a right, and not a privilege."

For the last few years, the Midwest has been facing a massive rural health care crisis.

According to the National Library of Medicine, in 2023, 58% of Kansas rural hospitals were at risk of closing, with 28% at risk of imminent closure, and 83% operating at a loss.

Davis emphasizes the need for Kansans to have access to health care.

"We also need to make sure that we have the funding that we need, and the structure that we need to educate people in health care professions. The infrastructure we need to make sure every community has access to health care because it's an issue," she said.

Agriculture is a major part of Kansas economy. Davis has been an appointee at the White House USDA Rural Development and has established policies to protect small and large farmers.

"Tariffs are hugely impacting farmers. The farmers in Kansas who relied 100% of their revenue depending on contracts with USID we haven't honed those commitments," she said. "Those are a couple polices that have changed, and need to be reversed."

In addition, Davis said that the U.S. is three years behind a farm bill.

"We need a clear, sustainable policy over a five-year period in order to give people the certainty they need to make those decisions," she said.

The U.S. Department of Education has threatened to withhold federal funding from some Kansas school districts over their gender identity policies and its interpretation of Title IX. Davis thinks the effort to marginalize any group is entirely un-American.

"When we take money from public schools, we are eroding the quality of those schools, and it's the bedrock of American society. I'm concerned about any effort to marginalize communities," she said.

Marijuana remains illegal in Kansas, and Davis supports the legalization of cannabis in the state.

"When the vast majority of the public supports policy like that, we should be on board. We shouldn't be playing games to try to keep that from happening," she said. "It's something that the public fully supports, and we have come out in support as well."

Davis said voters should choose her because she has worked in every county in Kansas and has experience representing the state on the national level.

"Kansas deserves someone who will listen and work with them to solve problems. The way I plan to do that is how I've always done it. I'm not afraid to stand up in public meetings and take all kinds of questions, and listen to all kinds of feedback. Kansans don't deserve any less than that," she said.

The primary election will take Aug. 4th.