Kansas Helen Podcast

Ed Young is running for Kansas House District 27 in the August 4th Democratic Primary.

Young answers the question of whether he knows what it feels like to not have one more penny. He talks about being broke while he and his wife were students at KU, saving money for a weekly Whopper, making soup in a coffee pot, and remembering how difficult it was when that coffee pot broke. He also discusses growing up in a duplex with his grandfather and the role his grandparents played in helping his family get through childhood.

See the full interview on Kansas Helen Substack and learn more about the Kansas House District 27 Democratic primary here:

www.kansashelen.com

You can now also watch on Kansas Helen YouTube or listen on the Kansas Helen Podcast on Apple and Spotify.

#Kansas #2026elections #2026Primary #ksleg #Vote

Kayden Bennett is running for Kansas House District 81 in the August 4th Democratic Primary.

Learn more about Kayden Bennett here:

www.kaydenforkansas.com

Bennett says his opponent is out of touch with regular people in the district and supports term limits in general. He says he is not sure exactly what the limits should be because he has not held the job yet, but he does not think people should remain in office indefinitely. The conversation also discusses the need to balance new leadership with experience, mentorship, and a healthy changing of the guard.

See the full interview on Kansas Helen Substack and learn more about the Kansas House District 81 Democratic primary here:

You can now also watch on Kansas Helen YouTube or listen on the Kansas Helen Podcast on Apple and Spotify.

#Kansas #2026elections #2026Primary #ksleg #Vote

Ed Young is running for Kansas House District 27 in the August 4th Democratic Primary.

Young introduces Kansas House District 27 as a large district in southern Johnson County, stretching from around 215th Street up to parts near 143rd Street. He describes the district’s unusual shape and notes that the Overland Park Arboretum is near his home and serves as his polling place.

See the full interview on Kansas Helen Substack and learn more about the Kansas House District 27 Democratic primary here: www.kansashelen.com

You can now also watch on Kansas Helen YouTube or listen on the Kansas Helen Podcast on Apple and Spotify.

#Kansas #2026elections #2026Primary #ksleg #Vote

Kayden Bennett is running for Kansas House District 81 in the August 4th Democratic Primary.

Learn more about Kayden Bennett here:

www.kaydenforkansas.com

Bennett and Helen discuss running a low-cost grassroots campaign focused on canvassing and direct voter contact. Bennett talks about buying basic campaign supplies, knocking on doors, and rejecting the idea that a candidate needs tens of thousands of dollars to have a chance. Helen frames the race as an attempt to challenge a senior Republican House member through organizing rather than matching his fundraising.

See the full interview on Kansas Helen Substack and learn more about the Kansas House District 81 Democratic primary here:

You can now also watch on Kansas Helen YouTube or listen on the Kansas Helen Podcast on Apple and Spotify.

#Kansas #2026elections #2026Primary #ksleg #Vote

Ed Young is running for Kansas House District 27 in the August 4th Democratic Primary.

Young begins by answering whether he knows what it feels like to “not have one more penny.” He affirms that he does, recalling his and his wife’s student years at KU when they had to scrape together enough money for a weekly Whopper from Burger King. He remembers making soup in a coffee pot, breaking it, and not having enough money to replace it. He also talks about growing up in a duplex with his grandfather and how his grandparents helped his family through childhood.

Young then discusses his Kansas roots. He says he was born in Ohio and moved to Kansas at age 10. He describes growing up near 127th and Black Bob in Olathe, returning to that neighborhood, and observing how some surrounding areas have changed while the neighborhood itself still feels familiar and nostalgic.

Young explains that several issues triggered his decision to run, including the fact that no one else had filed in the district as the deadline approached. He expresses frustration with his current representative’s approach toward the school district and local government. He discusses House Bill 2299, the cellphone ban issue, and Blue Valley’s estimated cost to implement the proposed requirements. Young states his concern is not just whether phones are good or bad in schools, but that a statewide mandate does not fit every school district, campus, classroom, or safety plan.

Young connects this issue to his background as a first responder, police officer, firefighter, and workforce development center director. He talks about planning for school violence response on a campus with multiple buildings and explains why he would not want his child in a school where students had no access to a phone in an emergency. He argues that cellphone and screen policies should be handled locally because each district has different needs, including rural districts that may use screens to provide programming they otherwise could not offer.

Young also covers his experiences as state director of aviation. He describes how programs sometimes had to be designed with the fear that leftover funds could be swept or changed before the end of the year, even when programs were already established, bids were ready, and the Legislature had previously allocated money. Young explains that the situation became even more complicated when state projects were paired with federal money or federal funding was delayed.

Young discusses the August 4 judicial amendment vote from the perspective of an attorney who has voted on judicial nominating committees. He pushes back on the idea that the Kansas Bar Association controls the process, stating he is a member of the bar but not the Bar Association, and that licensed attorneys in each congressional district vote for nominating committee members. The conversation also covers Supreme Court statistics, how few cases reach the Supreme Court, retention votes, the 2022 abortion amendment, and concerns about trying to change judicial selection to achieve a predetermined political outcome.

A major part of the conversation focuses on AI data centers and transparency. Young says Kansas has bigger issues to address than targeting marginalized communities, including groundwater, industrial development, the aviation industry, economic growth, and major projects like Panasonic. He says people want transparency about economic impact, jobs, environmental concerns, tax incentives, and public accountability. Young criticizes broad incentives for AI data centers and argues that communities need a voice before large projects receive public benefits.

Young also talks about the risks of rushing development without planning for future consequences. He compares AI data center development to earlier waves of oil wells and cell phone towers, where communities were later left with abandoned or unsafe infrastructure and unclear responsibility. He says Kansas should ask who is responsible if a project fails, becomes obsolete, or leaves behind buildings, water demands, or infrastructure needs that local governments cannot manage.

When asked why voters should choose him in the August primary, Young says he respects his opponent and would support her if she wins, but believes his Kansas experience makes him a strong candidate. He points to his work for KDOT, his place in the Kansas Aviation Hall of Fame, his planning work during wind energy growth, his budgeting experience, his education at KU, his teaching for Kansas State University, and his service as a firefighter, police officer, EMT, and disaster response worker. He also discusses the district’s mix of Republican, Democratic, and unaffiliated voters and says his experience can help him compete in November.

The interview spends significant time on school funding, vouchers, and special education. Young says Republicans he speaks with are also raising concerns about schools, and he points to the Blue Valley School District’s lawsuit over the funding formula and special education. He says private school vouchers shift more responsibility onto property taxpayers because private schools are not required to serve special education students in the same way public schools are. He argues that strong public schools are part of what makes communities valuable and that weakening those schools would hurt families and property owners alike.

Young also discusses the importance of paras and special education support in classrooms. He says his daughter, who teaches in a rural district, has told him that paras make it possible to teach the class and provide specialized support for students who need additional help. The conversation connects special education funding to real families, the legal obligation to serve students, and the long-term value of investing in children rather than treating them as a burden.

When asked for the top issues in District 27, Young names schools, AI, and transportation. He talks about 69 Highway, congestion, growth moving south through Johnson County, coordination between cities and the county, and the need for better transportation planning. He also discusses the loss of older transportation options, the challenge of being car-dependent, and water as a long-term Kansas issue tied to agriculture and the future of the state.

Young frames long-term planning as one of the deeper themes of the conversation. He describes progressivism as systemic thinking and says Kansas needs to plan for changes in industries and technology before problems arise. He points to wells, cell phones, windmills, and AI data centers as examples of issues where the state should build systems that protect Kansans over time instead of reacting to each situation only after it becomes urgent.

The conversation also covers high-speed rail, light rail, and infrastructure protection. Young says existing rail infrastructure could potentially be improved and that better rail options could benefit Kansas, especially for people who need affordable travel, rural healthcare access, or transportation between communities. He also discusses short line rails, grain, aviation manufacturing, the role of rail in Kansas’ economy, and the importance of protecting infrastructure in small towns rather than constantly building new infrastructure farther south while older communities fade.

Young closes with his campaign message, “Think Young.” He says the phrase is not only a slogan but also a call to think progressively about what Kansans can achieve together. He talks about community, shared values, experiencing other cultures, and building from people’s existing strengths. The interview ends with a broader message about restoring balance in Topeka and approaching Kansas politics with more cooperation, planning, and respect for the people affected by state decisions.

You can now also watch on Kansas Helen YouTube or listen on the Kansas Helen Podcast on Apple and Spotify.

Kayden Bennett is running for Kansas House District 81 in the August 4th Democratic Primary.

Learn more about Kayden Bennett here:

www.kaydenforkansas.com

Bennett says he is running because he is tired of not having a voice and feeling dismissed by his current representative. He describes raising concerns about property taxes and fully funding special education, being laughed at on Facebook, and later being blocked. The section connects his decision to run with the idea that regular people should have someone in office who will listen and respond to constituents.

See the full interview on Kansas Helen Substack and learn more about the Kansas House District 81 Democratic primary here:

You can now also watch on Kansas Helen YouTube or listen on the Kansas Helen Podcast on Apple and Spotify.

#Kansas #2026elections #2026Primary #ksleg #Vote

Kayden Bennett is running for Kansas House District 81 in the August 4th Democratic Primary.

Learn more about Kayden Bennett here:

www.kaydenforkansas.com

Bennett introduces Kansas House District 81 as including Plainview, McConnell Air Force Base, parts of unincorporated Sedgwick County, Wichita, and north Derby. Helen explains that Bennett is running as a Democrat in a district where she says voters have often not had a Democratic option. Bennett also talks about growing up poor, moving around often, and how even being middle class now can still feel financially insecure compared with what he imagined as a child.

See the full interview on Kansas Helen Substack and learn more about the Kansas House District 81 Democratic primary here:

You can now also watch on Kansas Helen YouTube or listen on the Kansas Helen Podcast on Apple and Spotify.

#Kansas #2026elections #2026Primary #ksleg #Vote

Kayden Bennett is running for Kansas House District 81 in the August 4th Democratic Primary.

Learn more about Kayden Bennett here: www.kaydenforkansas.com

The full conversation introduces Kayden Bennett as a Democratic candidate for Kansas House District 81, which he describes as including Plainview, McConnell Air Force Base, parts of unincorporated Sedgwick County, Wichita, and north Derby. Bennett talks about growing up poor, moving around often, and understanding what it feels like to not have one more penny. He reflects on how becoming middle class as an adult can still feel financially insecure when the cost of living keeps rising and when stability once felt completely out of reach.

Bennett explains that he decided to run after feeling dismissed by his current representative when he tried to raise concerns about property taxes and fully funding special education. He says he did not originally plan to get involved in politics, but the experience made him feel that regular people in the district needed someone who would listen and take their concerns seriously. The conversation connects that decision to the larger goal of getting more everyday people involved in running for office, especially in districts where voters have not always had a Democratic option.

Bennett and Helen also discuss what a grassroots campaign looks like when it is not built around large fundraising totals. Bennett talks about relying on direct voter contact, door knocking, postcards, simple campaign materials, and conversations with people in the district instead of assuming a candidate needs tens of thousands of dollars to be viable. The conversation frames the campaign around showing up in neighborhoods, talking to regular people, and proving that a campaign can be built through organizing and community contact.

The interview also covers term limits and the problem of elected officials becoming disconnected from the people they represent. Bennett discusses the need for representatives who continue to talk with regular people and understand the lives of their constituents. He and Helen talk about the difference between experience and being so entrenched that elected officials stop listening, especially when communities feel ignored or dismissed.

On policy, Bennett discusses marijuana legalization and connects it to funding public schools and easing pressure on property taxes. He talks about the need to legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana instead of continuing a system where Kansas loses potential revenue and where people can still be criminalized. The conversation also touches on the August 4 judicial amendment vote and why Helen and Bennett believe voters should understand what is at stake before casting a ballot.

Bennett talks about guns, gun safety, and police accountability from his perspective as a disabled combat veteran and former military police officer. He says he understands firearms and supports responsible ownership, but he also believes gun owners should be held accountable when weapons are left unsecured and children gain access to them. He and Helen also discuss police shootings, de-escalation, body camera footage, public trust, and why accountability matters when officers use force.

A major part of the conversation focuses on foster care reform. Bennett talks about his family’s experience with foster care and adoption, including how foster children can be treated differently than biological children and how the system can fail to provide stability. He discusses the need for better support for foster families, more consistency across the system, and a deeper understanding of trauma. The conversation also includes the importance of keeping children safe while recognizing that poverty, messy homes, or families needing help should not automatically be treated the same as abuse.

Bennett also discusses senior care and Medicaid expansion. He talks about older Kansans who need more support, people who fall into gaps in the healthcare system, and families who cannot afford medication, dental care, vision care, hearing care, or long-term support. The conversation connects Medicaid expansion to emergency room use, healthcare costs, and the strain placed on families and hospitals when people cannot get care earlier.

The interview includes a discussion about banning child marriage. Bennett says children should not be entering legal marriages and connects the issue to basic protections for minors. He and Helen talk about how young people are restricted from making many other adult decisions, but in some places can still be allowed or pushed into marriage. The conversation frames child marriage as an issue of protecting children, not as a partisan issue.

Bennett and Helen also talk about data centers, water use, and the importance of asking questions before giving powerful interests access to public resources. Bennett says he does not know everything about the issue yet, but that is part of the point: elected officials should be willing to learn, ask questions, and make sure everyday people have a voice before major decisions are made. The conversation connects that issue to a broader theme of representation and making sure wealthy interests are not the only people heard in Topeka.

The conversation also covers reproductive health and bodily autonomy. Bennett talks about the need for government to stay out of private medical decisions and says people should not have lawmakers inserted into doctor’s appointments. He and Helen connect reproductive rights to privacy, personal freedom, and the broader pattern of politicians trying to control people’s bodies and family decisions.

Bennett discusses unions and civil rights, including the importance of workers organizing together and using collective power. He and Helen talk about how people are often stronger when they act together, whether in workplaces, politics, or civil rights movements. The conversation connects labor rights to the broader idea that everyday people should not have to face powerful institutions alone.

The full conversation closes with Bennett and Helen discussing attacks on marginalized communities, especially LGBTQ+ people and transgender Kansans. Bennett says lawmakers should stay out of people’s bathrooms, bedrooms, and doctor’s appointments. He argues that the state has more urgent issues to address, including groceries, gas, special education, healthcare, and survival, instead of targeting people who are not hurting anyone. The conversation ends with a clear message that people in power should mind their own business and stop using marginalized communities as political targets.

You can now also watch on Kansas Helen YouTube or listen on the Kansas Helen Podcast on Apple and Spotify.

Cole Epley is running for Kansas’ 4th Congressional District in the August 4th Democratic Primary.

Learn more about Cole Epley here:

https://www.epleyforcongress.com/

Epley discusses Palestine, anti-Zionism, and the way criticism of Israel’s government can be framed in bad faith as antisemitism. He and Helen distinguish between opposing a government’s actions and hating the people of a country. Epley says his focus is on opposing violence and civilian deaths, and he talks about having a Jewish campaign adviser who helps him think through the issue with nuance and avoid antisemitism.

See the full interview on Kansas Helen Substack and learn more about the Kansas’ 4th Congressional District Democratic primary here:

You can now also watch on Kansas Helen YouTube or listen on the Kansas Helen Podcast on Apple and Spotify.

#Kansas #2026elections #2026Primary #Congress #Vote

Cole Epley is running for Kansas’ 4th Congressional District in the August 4th Democratic Primary.

Learn more about Cole Epley here:

https://www.epleyforcongress.com/

Epley says the question he gets most often is how he can win the primary with a smaller financial platform. He describes learning video editing, making his own campaign content, and relying on time, passion, and organizing instead of paid production. He argues that past moderate campaigns have not been enough against Estes and says policies such as abolishing ICE, immigration reform, and opposing violence in Gaza reflect his actual beliefs, not just campaign strategy. The section also covers low-cost voter contact, high-information primary voters, and the importance of people showing up for the August primary.

See the full interview on Kansas Helen Substack and learn more about the Kansas’ 4th Congressional District Democratic primary here:

You can now also watch on Kansas Helen YouTube or listen on the Kansas Helen Podcast on Apple and Spotify.

#Kansas #2026elections #2026Primary #Congress #Vote