Democratic Kansas mayor running for governor to challenge presumptive Republican frontrunner
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Why did Overland Park Mayor Kurt Skoog decide to file for governor just hours before the deadline?
Overland Park Mayor Kurt Schog turned heads when he walked into the election office about three hours before the filing deadline on june first and entered the governor's race. He's now one of three candidates seeking the Democratic Party nomination for governor. This is the Kansas Reflector Podcast. I'm editor in chief Sherman Smith, and the mayor is my guest today. Welcome to the show.
Thank you. Thank you for the invitation.
What's the what's the response been like since you hit the the campaign trail?
Well, I have to admit the first few days was a little surprise uh and uh had some really good conversations with people before the filing and after the filing to help them understand why I felt obligated to get into this race. At the end of the day, we can't have Time Masterson as governor. We've seen what he does as Senate president, uh, and what he does is not open. not transparent. It does not include hands in the conversation. And as a mayor, I bring a whole different approach to being governor. Yeah.
We will note that uh Time Masterson, the Senate president, is the presumed front runner on the the Republican side for for governor. Um there's some others in that race, but he has the presidential endorsement behind him. And um so when you're out talking to to people, what are you hearing from them about, you know, what they want from the next governor?
Well, what I hear across the state is people are frustrated with all the bickering and the dysfunctional legislature. Their number one priority that Ty Masterson and the other uh Republican leaders of the legislature talked about was property taxes.
Yeah.
And they couldn't get it done. Their approach is wait to the last minute and force people to do their will. And they weren't able to get it done. And so I was sitting in the mayor's office watching the dysfunctional legislature again this year. And um um Just uh couldn't couldn't sit by and and uh let us let Ty Masterson walk into the governor's office.
Was that the the turning point for you, the the property tax issue at the end that that got you into the race? I know a lot of people wondered what what took you so long.
Yeah. Well I was approached about a year ago. When last year I ran for re election for mayor of Overland Park. Who
approached you a year ago?
It was it was a group of people that were concerned about the existing field that that they weren't breaking through. Um I know Ethan and Cindy very well. Uh the other two uh in the Democratic primary. I respect them a lot. They are very talented state senators, but uh they had been uh they people were concerned that they weren't breaking through. Then I was approached again. about to be first of the year about running. Uh, and my uh mother-in-law was in the process of dying and And another family friend had stage four cancer, so uh wasn't a time for us. And then approximately four weeks ago, I was approached again with lots of information about the polling and what was going on. And that after a year of campaigning, um um
Ethan was significantly behind Cindy and people do not believe Cindy can win against Ty Masterson in November. And then on Memorial Day weekend Donald Trump endorsed Ty Masterson on the Republican side. And that was the last straw.
Yeah. We'll talk more about your decision to run for governor and property tax and some other things, but I want to take a step back here for those who don't know much about you. Um give us uh some insight into your background, who you are and where you're from, how how you got to this moment.
Yeah. Well, so I'm a sixth generation Kansan. Uh my forefathers uh homesteaded in Franklin and Wabunsey County. were Civil War veterans on the Union side. Uh and so uh my family has been here ever since. I grew up in Topeka uh and went to Topeka High, went to public schools, met my wife Amy in high school, uh, and uh we've been together pretty much ever since. Uh and um I went to KU, got a business degree, and m like many Kansans, my career Took me to Overland Park. And so my wife, Amy, and I put down roots and raised our three children in Shawnee Mission School District.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
Why did Overland Park Mayor Kurt Skoog decide to file for governor just hours before the deadline?
0:03–4:46
2
What are Kansas voters saying about property‑tax relief and why does Skoog view Ty Masterson as a poor choice?
4:46–10:12
3
How does Skoog’s family history and career path shape his vision for Kansas?
10:12–15:45
4
What prompted Skoog to move from city council to a gubernatorial run and how does he contrast his mayoral experience with the state legislature?
15:45–20:12
5
How does Skoog propose to address the crisis facing rural hospitals and Medicaid expansion in Kansas?
20:12–25:18
6
What tax reforms does Skoog advocate for – from property‑tax rebates to equitable income‑tax rates?
25:18–31:14
7
How will Skoog ensure full funding for K‑12 public schools and maintain quality education statewide?
31:14–37:16
8
What is Skoog’s stance on reproductive rights, medical/recreational marijuana, and how do these issues fit into his broader platform?
37:16–42:56
Speakers
1 identifiedMore from Kansas Reflector Podcast
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