This is part of a series of those candidates running in the Kansas Primary Eection in August, 2024.
The following are the three candidates for District 13 Kansas State Senator:
Tim Shallenburger, 70, Baxter Springs is the incumbent 13th District Kansas Senator, running again for the position.
Schallenburger attended Pittsburg State, served in the 1990s in the Kansas Legislature, past speaker of the Kansas House and former Kansas State Treasurer.
He has been involved over the years in many civic and community organizations; Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club, etc. and has served as mayor of Baxter Springs prior to becoming state senator.
For Schllenburger, the primary role of a Kansas Senator is to protect freedoms outlined in the constitution, fight against wasteful spending and unnecessary regulation.
The most pressing issue currently in the Kansas Senate is to lower the state tax burden.
“We have a massive surplus of citizen’s money deposited in state bank accounts which should be in citizens bank accounts,” he said.
Sam Owen, 29, Fort Scott, graduated from Hamilton, MO. High School in 2014 and attended Fort Scott Community College from 2014-16 earning an associates degree in construction.
The primary role of a Kansas Senator is to ” be honest, trustworthy to the American people in this District 13. I going get the job done in the office my first four years in office. I am not going sit talk about it, I am going to fight and pass what should pass what shouldn’t be pass.”
The most pressing Kansas Senate issues currently, in his view:
“1. Health Care Costs- We need to lower expenses for medical services, insurance premiums, and prescription drugs impact residents’ access to quality health care,
2. Lower taxes down,
3. Economic Growth- Infrastructure attracts businesses, creates jobs, and stimulates economic activity. And Increase minimum wages.
4. Education funding- Make schools better, safer, and more protected in each county.”
Austin Stapleton, 30, lives in Pittsburg and attended
Pittsburg State University.
In the past, he has been Bourbon County Democratic Party Vice Chairperson, Bourbon County Precinct Committeeperson, Co-founder and President of Crawford County Young Democrats.
Currently, he is the Kansas Democratic Party Rural Caucus Secretary, Crawford County Precinct Committeeperson, and Kansas Democratic Party Second Congressional District Delegate.
Stapleton’s community involvement has been in Pittsburg Community Chorus Outreach Committee Chairperson, a member of Pittsburg Area Young Professionals, participant in Pittsburg Community Theatre and Triple Threat Threeatrics.
“The primary role of Kansas Senator is the sum of their constituents’ voices,” he said. “State senators have the responsibility and honor of representing their district’s values to wider state government. A state senator should always have the best interests of their district at heart when proposing legislation, confirming appointments, allocating resources, and working to secure solutions across the aisle. If I am entrusted with the honor of representing District 13, I will use the skill set I’ve acquired from my time as a case manager to seek out and ensure safety, opportunity, and dignity for District 13.”
The most pressing issue of the Kansas Senate is “Securing the social, economic, and legislative safety of all Kansans is the paramount issue in the Kansas Senate. When working-class Kansans are well-represented by leaders who have their best interests at heart, we can ensure the dignity of affordable healthcare, career opportunities, well-funded public education, social acceptance, and constitutionally enshrined access to reproductive healthcare.”
To view the candidate series previously featured: