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{{Short description|48th governor of Kansas}}{{for|the English actress and singer|Laura Michelle Kelly}}{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}{{Use American English|date=December 2021}}

factoids

| birth_place = New York City, U.S.| death_date = | death_place = Kansas Democratic Party>DemocraticTed Daughety|1979}}| children = 2Cedar Crest (mansion)>Cedar CrestBradley University (Bachelor of Science>BS)Indiana University Bloomington (MS)| website = Government website}}Laura Jeanne Kelly (born January 24, 1950)"Laura Kelly," Kansapedia, Kansas Historical Society, retrieved November 27, 2022WEB,weblink Kelly, Laura Jeanne, FEC.gov, December 9, 2021, is an American politician serving since 2019 as the 48th governor of Kansas. A member of the Democratic Party, she represented the 18th district in the Kansas Senate from 2005 to 2019.WEB,weblink US News - Laura Kelly Upset Victory, January 14, 2018, Kelly was elected governor in 2018, defeating Republican nominee Kris Kobach.WEB,weblink Meet Laura Kelly {{!, Laura Kelly for Governor |website=www.laurakellyforkansas.com|access-date=November 8, 2018}} She was reelected in 2022, narrowly defeating Republican nominee Derek Schmidt.WEB, Edelman, Adam, 9 November 2022, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly wins re-election, defeating GOP challenger Derek Schmidt,weblink 2022-11-09, NBC News, en,

Early life and education

Kelly was born in New York City to a military family that moved often and was stationed overseas. She studied at Bradley University in Illinois, earning a Bachelor of Science in psychology (1971"Our 50 Governors and the Degrees They've Earned," updated October 4, 2022, CollegeCliffs.com, retrieved November 27, 2022), and at Indiana University, earning a Master of Science in therapeutic recreation.WEB,weblink dead,weblink" title="web.archive.org/web/20120219071917weblink">weblink Official Profile: Kansas (KS) State Senator Laura Kelly, February 19, 2012, January 24, 2019, (Kelly received the Bradley University Distinguished Alumna award and was inducted into Bradley's Centurion Society on October 4, 2021.WEB, Alumni Inducted Into Bradley Centurion Society,weblink Bradley University, 19 April 2022, )Kelly worked as a recreation therapist at New York's Rockland Children’s Psychiatric Center. She became director of physical education and recreation therapy at the National Jewish Hospital for Respiratory and Immune Diseases. She then moved to Kansas, and became executive director at the Kansas Recreation and Park Association from 1988 to 2004.

Early political career

Kelly was elected to the Kansas Senate representing northern Topeka in November 2004, later serving as Minority Whip.WEB,weblink Senator Laura Kelly: Senate Minority Whip {{!, Legislators {{!}} Kansas State Legislature|website=kslegislature.org|access-date=January 17, 2019}} During her Senate tenure, from 2005 until her 2019 inauguration as governor, she was at times the Ranking Minority member of the Ways and Means Committee, Joint Committee on Home and Community Based Services and KanCare Oversight, and Public Health and Welfare Committee.In late 2009, Kelly briefly considered a run for Kansas's 2nd congressional district.WEB,weblink "Kelly ending U.S House bid", Topeka Capital-Journal, January 14, 2018, During the 2011–12 legislative sessions, she served as the Assistant Minority Leader of the Kansas Senate.WEB,weblink Senator Laura Kelly - Legislators - Kansas State Legislature, kslegislature.org, January 14, 2018,

Governor of Kansas

Election

2018

(File:Laura Kelly 1.png|thumb|Kelly campaigning in June 2018)On December 15, 2017, Kelly announced her intention to run for governor of Kansas. In the Democratic primary she ran against former Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer and former Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Josh Svaty.WEB,weblink Brewer promises community activist campaign for governor, Kansas.com, December 6, 2018, NEWS,weblink Democrat Joshua Svaty declares candidacy for Kansas governor, Carpenter, Tim, The Topeka Capital-Journal, December 6, 2018, On May 24, 2018, Kelly announced State Senator Lynn Rogers as her running mate.WEB,weblink Kelly picks fellow state senator from Wichita as running mate, Kansas.com, December 6, 2018, On August 7, she defeated Brewer and Svaty, receiving 51.5% of the vote.NEWS,weblink Kansas Primary Election Results, Almukhtar, Sarah, August 7, 2018, The New York Times, December 6, 2018, Bloch, Matthew, 0362-4331, Lee, Jasmine C., WEB,weblink Kansas primary election results 2018, Kansas.com, December 6, 2018, In the general election, Kelly faced Republican Secretary of State Kris Kobach. Kelly was endorsed by former Kansas Governor and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius. She was also endorsed by 28 current or former Republican government officials, including former Kansas Governor Bill Graves; former State Senator, Lt. Governor and U.S. Senator Sheila Frahm, Lt. Gov. Gary Sherrer, Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger, Senate President Dick Bond, Senate President David Kerr, Senate Vice President John Vratil, Senate Majority Leaders Tim Emert and Lana Oleen; Senators Barbara Allen, David Wysong, Wint Winter Jr., Pete Brungardt, Ruth Teichman, Barbara Bollier, Audrey Langworthy, Terrie Huntington, Bob Vancrum, and Alicia Salisbury; Representatives JoAnn Pottorff, Ginger Barr, Jim Yonally, Jim Lowther, Fred Lorentz, and Representative and Republican Party Chairperson Rochelle Chronister; Republican National Delegate Don Johnston; and Representatives Joy Koesten and Charles Roth.WEB,weblink Laura Kelly touts growing list of Republican support, WIBW-TV, WIBW, September 14, 2018, October 18, 2018, NEWS,weblink Two dozen GOP lawmakers endorse Democrat Kelly for governor, Carpenter, Tim, The Topeka Capital Journal, September 21, 2018, Graves said, "Laura Kelly is the only Democrat I have ever endorsed for public office. And the reason I'm doing that now is because I believe so much is at stake in the state of Kansas. I have known Laura for over 30 years. She has all the qualities and all the capabilities that we are looking for to lead the state during this difficult time and to reestablish the state to what it once was. ... Laura has integrity, and I know she will bring Kansans together regardless of party to solve problems." Former Republican state senator Tim Owens was the campaign treasurer for Kansas independent candidate Greg Orman, but he stepped down from that post on October 30 and endorsed Kelly, believing only she could beat Kobach.Kelly described her candidacy as aimed at reversing the fiscal, educational and other "disasters" of Sam Brownback's governance. She characterized her opponent, who had been noted for his broad disenfranchisement of voters and legal strategies against immigrants, as "Sam Brownback on steroids".On November 6, Kelly was elected with 48.01% of the vote to Kobach's 42.98% (the other 9% being split amongst two Independent and a Libertarian candidate.WEB,weblink 2018 Kansas Elections, Wikipedia, February 12, 2024,

2022

Kelly was reelected on November 8, 2022, defeating Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, 49.2% to 47.7%.According to Fox News's voter analysis of the 2022 race,WEB, 2023-07-09, Fox News Voter Analysis,weblink 2023-07-09, Fox News, en-US, Kelly won women voters (51% Kelly, 45% Schmidt), voters 18-29 (51% Kelly, 43% Schmidt), millennials (55%, 39%), Gen X (50%, 47%), college-educated voters (57%, 40%), and Latino/Hispanic voters (58%).Kelly lost voters who were concerned about inflation by four points (46%). She lost voters who listed groceries and food as their most important inflation concern by one point, possibly due to her support for eliminating or reducing sales taxes on groceries in Kansas.WEB, 2022-05-11, Finnerty, Katharine, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signs 'Axe the Food Tax' bill into law,weblink 2023-07-09, KSHB 41 Kansas City News, en, WEB, 2021-11-10, Governor Laura Kelly's Plan to "Axe the Food Tax": What They're Saying,weblink 2023-07-09, Governor of the State of Kansas, en-US, 69% of voters listed abortion as an important factor in their vote, and Kelly won this group by 24 points (60%, 36%), closely mirroring the results of the 2022 Kansas abortion referendum. She won voters who listed "the future of democracy in this country" as an important factor in their vote (88% of voters) by seven points (52%).

Cabinet{| classwikitable

! Office !! IncumbentLieutenant Governor of Kansas>Lieutenant Governor David TolandAdjutant General of Kansas>Adjutant General David WeishaarKansas Department of Administration>Secretary of Administration Adam ProffittKansas Department of Agriculture>Secretary of Agriculture Mike BeamKansas Department of Commerce>Secretary of Commerce David TolandKansas Department of Corrections>Secretary of Corrections Jeff ZmudaKansas Department of Health and Environment>Secretary of Health and Environment Janet StanekKansas Highway Patrol>Superintendent of the Highway Patrol Colonel Erik SmithKansas Department for Children and Families>Secretary for Children and Families Laura HowardKansas Department of Labor>Secretary of Labor Amber ShultzKansas Department of Revenue>Secretary of Revenue Mark BurghardtKansas Department of Transportation>Secretary of Transportation Calvin ReedKansas Department of Wildlife and Parks>Secretary of Wildlife and Parks Brad Loveless

Tenure and political positions

Budget and economic issues

File:President Trump Meets with the Governor of Arkansas and the Governor of Kansas (49920449251).jpg|thumb|Governor Kelly and Asa Hutchinson, the Governor of Arkansas, meeting with President Donald TrumpDonald TrumpKelly was critical of the Kansas experiment, the experimental Kansas budget of her predecessor Sam Brownback that led to cuts in schools, roads, and public safety. She would like to reverse those changes and pointed out that after there were major budget shortages she led a bipartisan effort to successfully balance the budget without increasing taxes.John Hanna, Rising Kansas revenues fuel GOP anger over lack of tax cuts, Associated Press (February 3, 2020).In 2019, Kelly vetoed two Republican bills that would have cut state income taxes in Kansas. She said that the state could not afford the cuts, and that the Republican bill, which would have cut revenues by an estimated $245 million over a three-year period, would have precipitated a "senseless fiscal crisis" and created a budget deficit.Dion Lefler, Gov. Kelly vetoes Republican tax bill, says it would bring 'senseless fiscal crisis', Wichita Eagle (May 17, 2019). Kelly's decision, as well as higher-than-expected state revenue intakes, led to the state beginning its 2020 budget year with $1.1 billion in cash reserves. She sought to use some of the reserves to pay down debt and make payments to the state pension system.Kansas Governor Seeks to Use Cash Reserves to Pay off Debt, Associated Press (January 16, 2020). In May 2022, she signed a bill into law that will gradually reduce the sales tax rate on food before eliminating it in 2025.WEB, McLean, Jim, You'll be paying a lower sales tax for groceries in Kansas soon, but it won't go to zero until 2025, KCUR, May 11, 2022,weblink February 1, 2023, WEB, Finnerty, Katharine, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly signs 'Axe the Food Tax' bill into law, KSHB 41 Kansas City News, May 11, 2022,weblink February 1, 2023,

COVID-19 responses

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Kelly, like other governors, took steps to halt the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). She declared a state of emergency on March 12, 2020, following the state's first COVID-19 death,John Hanna & Heather Hollingsworth, Kansas reports COVID-19 death; governor declares emergency, Associated Press (May 2, 2020) Retrieved May 28, 2023. and issued a 60-day ban on public gatherings of 50 or more people and a moratorium on utility shutoffs on March 16.John Hanna, Kansas bans gatherings of 50; Kansas City area goes further, Associated Press (March 16, 2020). Retrieved May 28, 2023. On March 18, citing the unprecedented crisis, Kelly directed the end to all in-person K–12 classes for the remainder of the school year, making Kansas the first state to take that step.Colin Dwyer, Kansas Becomes The First State To End In-Person Classes For The Year, NPR (March 18, 2020). On March 23, to combat the virus's spread, she limited public gatherings to ten people.Nicole Asbury, Kelly restricts public gatherings to no more than 10 to combat coronavirus spread, Kansas City Star (March 23, 2020). Retrieved May 28, 2023. On March 28, amid increasing deaths and illnesses, Kelly issued a "stay at home" order that directed all residents to remain at home, except for travel for essential work, essential business (such as traveling to obtain medical care or groceries), and outdoor exercise with social distancing measures.Kansas governor orders residents to stay home to curb virus, Associated Press (March 28, 2020). Almost two dozen other states had already issued similar orders, and almost 75% of Kansas's population was already affected by similar orders from local officials, since 25 Kansas counties, including the most populous ones, already had stay-at-home orders in place. Kelly strongly criticized the Trump administration's slow response to the crisis and the federal failure to provide Kansas and other states with adequate supplies of personal protective equipment (such as masks, gloves, and gowns) and testing kits.John Hanna & Heather Hollingsworth, Kansas governor calls US officials unprepared for COVID-19, Associated Press (April 2, 2020). Retrieved May 29, 2023.The Kansas City Star's editorial board criticized Kelly's rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, writing, "Kansas seems to be uniquely underperforming, a recurring issue for Kelly and the administration she leads." But the board added that Kelly did not bear all the burden for the state's response shortcomings because Republican state legislators were insisting that individual counties exercise sole authority with respect to COVID-19 efforts. That resulted in a slapdash response when treatment and vaccinations became available. If the state was not sufficiently prepared for the pandemic, many counties were even less so, citing CDC data showing Kansas near the bottom of vaccinations per 100,000 residents.WEB, January 8, 2021, Gov. Laura Kelly knew the COVID vaccine was coming. Why wasn't Kansas better prepared?,weblink Kansas City Star, Members of the Kansas congressional delegation, including Sharice Davids, called on Kelly to do more to address the backlog of claimants at the Department of Labor seeking unemployment payments from federal programs aimed to help residents out of work due to the pandemic.WEB, Bahl, Andrew, Gov. Laura Kelly announces KDOL changes as sweeping modernization effort moves on,weblink 2021-03-11, The Topeka Capital-Journal, en-US, On November 16, 2020, Kelly renewed her call for the legislature to join her in the issuance of masking orders.Kansas Governor Laura Kelly renews push for mask mandate, Wichita Eagle, Laura Kelly, via Facebook, October 21, 2020.

Executive order on religious gatherings

Because Kelly's orders on public gatherings applied to Easter Sunday celebrations in churches, the Republican-majority Legislative Coordinating Council (LCC){{refn|group=nb|The LCC, established under Chapter 46, Kansas Statutes,Chapter 46, Kansas Statutes consists of the presiding officers and party leaders of both houses of the Legislature.}}, a group of leaders of the Kansas Legislature, voted to revoke her order on a 5–2 party-line vote on April 9, 2020, asserting that the order violated the free exercise of religion.War over Easter: Kansas lawmakers revoke Gov. Kelly’s order limiting church gatherings, Wichita Eagle, Jonathan Shorman, Amy Renee Leiker and Michael Stavola, April 8, 2020. Retrieved April 9, 2020.Sherman Smith, Kansas coronavirus update: Supreme Court sides with Gov. Laura Kelly in fight over church crowds {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415233800weblink |date=April 15, 2021 }}, Leavenworth Times (April 11, 2020).Conner Mitchell, Governor blasts Kansas lawmakers' vote to rescind limits on in-person religious gatherings, Lawrence Journal-World (April 8, 2020). Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt opposed Kelly's order, issuing a memorandum calling it a violation of the Kansas state law, and urged law enforcement not to enforce it. Kelly called this "shockingly irresponsible"; at the time, there had been more than a thousand confirmed COVID-19 cases, and dozens of confirmed COVID-19 deaths, in Kansas, and of 11 identified sources of contagion, three had come from recent religious gatherings.Kansas has 3 church-related COVID-19 clusters, state says amid scramble for supplies, Wichita Eagle, Jonathan Shorman, April 6, 2020. Retrieved April 9, 2020. She challenged the LCC's decision in the Kansas Supreme Court. Following an expedited oral argument (conducted remotely via Zoom teleconference), the state Supreme Court unanimously reinstated Kelly's orders, concluding that her executive order was valid and that the LCC lacked the authority to overturn it.Kelly v. Legislative Coordinating Counsel, Kansas Supreme Court (April 11, 2020).Kansas Supreme Court says executive order banning religious service of more than 10 people stands, KMBC, April 11, 2020. Retrieved April 12, 2020.Jason Breslow, Kansas Supreme Court Upholds Governor's Order Limiting The Size Of Easter Services, NPR (April 12, 2020).Conner Mitchell, Kansas Supreme Court says legislative panel didn't have authority to revoke governor's order, Lawrence Journal-World (April 11, 2020).A week later, in a separate case, U.S. District Judge John W. Broomes in Wichita issued a temporary restraining order blocking enforcement of Kelly's order as to two churches (one in Junction City, the other in Dodge City). contending that the restriction violated religious freedom and free speech rights.WEB, 2020-04-18, Judge doubts Kansas COVID-19 rule, blocks it for 2 churches,weblink 2021-02-13, AP NEWS, WEB, Shorman, Jonathan, April 26, 2020, Kansas governor to issue less restrictive coronavirus rules beginning May 4,weblink That case became moot after Kelly issued a new executive order with less restrictive COVID-19 rules effective on May 4, 2020, under an agreement that allowed the churches to hold larger in-person services but required social distancing.Carylynn Stark & Jonathan Shorman, Kansas governor to issue less restrictive coronavirus rules beginning May 4, Kansas City Star (April 25, 2020).

Healthcare

As governor, Kelly pushed the Republican-controlled Kansas legislature to accept the Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act,Phil McCausland, Kansas governor, top Republican reach deal to expand Medicaid, NBC News (January 9, 2020). to provide health care coverage to up to 150,000 Kansans.John Hanna, New Kansas proposal breaks impasse on expanding Medicaid, Associated Press (January 9, 2020). A Medicaid expansion plan had passed the Kansas Legislature in 2017, but Brownback vetoed it. In January 2020, after years of Republican opposition, Kelly struck a bipartisan compromise deal with Republican Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning that made Kansas the 38th state to accept the Medicaid expansion. Under the agreement, on January 1, 2021, Medicaid coverage was expanded to Kansas residents earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level. In 2021, Kelly called for further expansion of Medicaid, proposing to pay for it with the revenue from the legalization of medical marijuana.NEWS, 2021, Missouri Republicans block funds for voter-approved Medicaid expansion, Kansas City Star,weblink Kelly has also supported reforming KanCare so that more citizens have access to health insurance.NEWS,weblink Election Guide: Laura Kelly (D-Kansas Governor), October 25, 2018, KSNW, October 25, 2018,

Human services

Kelly combined the Department of Children and Family Services with the Department of Aging and Disability Services into a consolidated, integrated Department of Human Services.Laura Howard, Together for stronger, more effective human services agency, Hutchison News, February 8, 2020. Retrieved February 11, 2020.In January 2020, Kelly called for major changes to the Osawatomie State Hospital, the long-troubled state psychiatric hospital that has faced scrutiny from federal regulators over security, safety, and treatment lapses. She has supported a plan for state funding for mental health crisis centers in the state.Gov. Kelly: Kansas psychiatric hospital unit needs changes, Associated Press (January 3, 2020).

School funding

Kelly has largely reversed former governor Sam Brownback's education agenda since taking office in 2019. She has said that she would like to ensure Kansas schools are funded and focus on improving Kansas students' performance to be competitive with other parts of the country. For example, she would address the statewide teacher shortage and improve pay for educators. She would also like to expand early childhood programs and increase options for students pursuing higher education.

Social issues

In her first official act as governor, Kelly signed an executive order reinstating the employment discrimination protections for LGBT state workers that Governor Sam Brownback had eliminated in 2015.NEWS,weblink Kelly reinstates protections for LGBT state workers in Kansas eliminated by Brownback, The Wichita Eagle, January 15, 2019, May 16, 2019, Shorman, Jonathan, Kelly opposed a Republican-proposed anti-abortion amendment to the Kansas Constitution in early 2020, saying it would return Kansas to the "dark ages". Amid acrimonious debate, the state House fell four votes short of the two-thirds majority required to put it on the state ballot.Jonathan Shorman, Kelly accused of pressuring 'her own Catholic people' on abortion vote as tempers flare, Wichita Eagle (February 11, 2020). In 2022, she expressed her opposition to the 2022 Kansas abortion referendum that would have removed the right to an abortion from the state constitution. The amendment was defeated, with nearly 60% of voters rejecting it.WEB, Hanna, John, Kansas governor lauds abortion vote but focuses on economy, AP, September 3, 2022,weblink February 1, 2023, WEB, Martinez, A, Kurtzleben, Danielle, Kansans vote to keep abortion legal in the state, reject constitutional amendment, NPR, August 3, 2022,weblink February 1, 2023,

Personal life

Kelly has been married to physician Ted Daughety, a specialist in pulmonary and sleep disorders, since 1979. They moved to Topeka in 1986. They have two adult daughters, Kathleen and Molly Daughety.Kelly is Catholic.WEB,weblink The Voter's Self Defense System,

Other political activism

In 2023, Kelly launched Middle of the Road PAC in an effort to elect candidates.WEB, Carpenter, Tim, 2023-08-07, Gov. Laura Kelly forms PAC to support moderate GOP, Democratic legislative candidates,weblink 2023-10-19, Kansas Reflector, en-US,

Electoral history

{{Election box begin |title=Kansas Gubernatorial election, 2022WEB, 2022 General Election - Official Vote Totals,weblink live,weblink December 2, 2022, December 2, 2022, Kansas Secretary of State, }}{hide}Election box winning candidate with party link }}{hide}Election box candidate with party link }}{hide}Election box candidate with party link }}{hide}Election box candidate with party link }}{{Election box total }}{hide}Election box hold with party link no swing {edih}{{Election box end}}{{Election box begin no change|title=Kansas gubernatorial Democratic primary, 2022NEWS, 2022 Primary Election Official Vote Totals, Kansas Secretary of State, August 2, 2022, September 21, 2022,weblink }}{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate={{ubl|Laura Kelly (incumbent)|David Toland (incumbent)}}|votes=270,968|percentage=93.84}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate={{ubl|Richard Karnowski|Barry Franco}}|votes=17,802|percentage=6.16}}{{Election box total no change|votes=288,770|percentage=100}}{{Election box end}}{{Election box begin|title=Kansas Gubernatorial election, 2018NEWS,weblink Kansas Election Results, November 6, 2018, The New York Times, December 28, 2018, en-US, 0362-4331, }}{{Election box winning candidate with party link|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Laura Kelly|votes=506,727|percentage=48.0%|change=}}{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Kris Kobach|votes=453,645|percentage=43.0%|change=}}{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Independent politician|candidate=Greg Orman|votes=68,590|percentage=6.5%|change=}}{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Libertarian Party (United States)|candidate=Jeff Caldwell|votes=20,020|percentage=1.9%|change=}}{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Independent politician|candidate=Rick Kloos|votes=6,584|percentage=0.6%|change=}}{{Election box 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Andersen|votes=12,845|percentage=8.4%|change=}}{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Jack Bergeson|votes=3,850|percentage=2.5%|change=}}{{Election box majority|votes=48,053|percentage=31.4%|change=}}{{Election box turnout|votes=152,856|percentage=|change=}}{{Election box end}}{{Election box begin no changeKansas Senate 18th district election, 2016HTTPS://WWW.SOS.KS.GOV/ELECTIONS/16ELEC/2016_GENERAL_ELECTION_OFFICIAL_RESULTS.PDFWEBSITE=KSSOS.ORG, March 27, 2019, }}{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change| candidate = Laura Kelly (incumbent)| party = Democratic Party (United States)| votes = 15,007| percentage = 51.6}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change| candidate = Dave Jackson| party = Republican Party (United States)| votes = 14,076| percentage = 48.4}}{{Election box total no change| votes = 29,083| percentage = 100.0}}{hide}Election box hold with party link without swing| {edih}{{Election box 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percentage = 58.1}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change| candidate = James Zeller| party = Republican Party (United States)| votes = 12,959| percentage = 41.8}}{{Election box total no change| votes = 30,968| percentage = 100.0}}{hide}Election box hold with party link without swing| {edih}{{Election box end}}{{Election box open primary begin no changeKansas Senate 18th district election, 2004HTTP://WWW.KSSOS.ORG/ELECTIONS/04ELEC/2004PRIMARYOFFICIALRESULTS.PDFWEBSITE=KSSOS.ORGWEBSITE=KSSOS.ORG, March 27, 2019, }}{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change| party = Democratic Party (United States)| candidate = Laura Kelly| votes = 4,559| percentage = 71.8}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change| party = Democratic Party (United States)| candidate = D. Kent Hurn| votes = 1,793| percentage = 28.2}}{{Election box total no change| votes = 6,352| percentage = 100.0}}{{Election box open primary general election no change}}{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change| party = Democratic Party (United States)| candidate = Laura Kelly| votes = 15,388| percentage = 50.1}}{{Election box candidate with party link no change| party = Republican Party (United States)| candidate = Dave Jackson (incumbent)| votes = 15,290| percentage = 49.9}}{{Election box total no change| votes = 30,678| percentage = 100.0}}{hide}Election box gain with party link without swing| {edih}{{Election box end}}

See also

• List of female governors in the United States

Notes

{{reflist|group=nb}}

References

{{reflist}}

Further reading

• Publications concerning Governor Kelly's administration available via the State Library of Kansas

External links

{{commons category}}

• {{official website |weblink | Governor Laura Kelly}} official government website
• Laura Kelly for Governor campaign website
• {{Curlie|Regional/North_America/United_States/Kansas/Government/Executive/Governor_Laura_Kelly}}
• {{C-SPAN|623384}}

{{CongLinks|votesmart=34496|fec=H0KS02113}}|as=Vice President}}{{Governors of Kansas}}{{Current Kansas statewide political officials}}{{Current U.S. Governors}}{{Authority control}}