Paul Davis has served as House Democratic Leader in the Kansas House of Representatives since 2008 and officially declared his candidacy for the 2014 gubernatorial election on September 17, 2013. Prior to serving in the Kansas legislature, Davis worked as Assistant Director of Government Affairs for former Kansas Governor and current United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius. A native of Lawrence, Kansas, Davis practices law with the firm of Fagan, Emert & Davis, LLC in Lawrence, and has worked as Legislative and Ethics Counsel to the Kansas Bar Association and President of the Health Care Access Clinic Board of Directors.
Interview conducted via email.
The Politic: Governor Brownback has received criticism for his cuts to education spending and his approach to The Affordable Care Act. In the face of the looming financial crisis facing cities and states, how would you handle Kansas’ budget challenges differently than Governor Brownback?
During the great recession, money was tight and budget cuts were necessary. I led a bipartisan coalition and helped pass a budget that cut $1.2 billion from our state budget. We were able to protect schools from another round of cuts and protect families and seniors. That is an example of responsible cuts.
Governor Brownback’s tax plan, on the other hand, has put Kansas in a perpetual budget crisis, and he wants to keep cutting more in order to pay for reckless tax policy.
The Politic: There is a lot of contention in Kansas over congressional redistricting. Could you speak to this situation and your perspective on it?
Kansas was the last state in the country to finish redistricting in 2012, and the Legislature was not even able to reach a consensus. In the end the court had to draw our maps. I have been a strong proponent of taking redistricting out of the Legislature’s hands and having a nonpartisan commission draws the maps.
The Politic: There is also controversy over the new selection process implemented by Governor Brownback for nominations to the Court of Appeals. Could you speak to this situation?
Governor Brownback aggressively lobbied to gain more control over the Kansas judicial branch, and he was partially successful. After gaining more control over Appeals Court nominees, Governor Brownback’s first action was to make the process more secretive and then appoint a close friend and political ally to fill the first vacancy. This is something that makes me – and most Kansans – uncomfortable. An independent judiciary is a key tenet of our democracy. The process for appointing Kansas Supreme Court justices should remain the way it has been for the last 50 years.
The Politic: Kansas is traditionally a very conservative state – the only democratic representatives from Lawrence who have served as Governors in the last century are Governor George Docking and his son, Governor Robert Docking, elected respectively in 1957 and 1967. As a Lawrence democrat, how do you intend to win over western, conservative areas in Kansas?
Running as a Democrat in a Republican state certainly presents challenges, but I believe that most Kansans are moderate, commonsense people. They appreciate leaders who can move beyond partisan labels and bring people together to solve the state’s problems. I have a consistent record of building consensus and working across party lines, and I believe that will resonate with voters across the state.