Edwin Eisendrath is joined by Clay Wirestone, editor of the Kansas Reflector. Wirestone is also the author of "Opinionated: Kansas Journalists Who Proved Why Commentary Matters: Then and Now" (out September 29). 

The conversation examined Kansas politics, the competitiveness of its current statewide races, and the role of informed local opinion journalism.  Here are a few key points from the conversation:
- Kansas retains strong Republican voting habits, but voters have rejected some Republican-backed positions, including abortion restrictions and school board agendas.
- Clay attributed this tension to Kansas’s longstanding Republican identity and its history as a progressive Republican state, alongside a pattern of electing Democratic governors.
- The U.S. Senate race between Republican Roger Marshall and Democrat Adam Hamilton was described as unexpectedly competitive, with recent polling favoring Hamilton.
- Marshall has faced criticism over limited town hall events and public campaigning, and damaging reporting about lawsuits involving former patients.
- The governor’s race may favor Republican Ty Masterson because Democrat Cindy Holscher lacks comparable campaign funding and has faced sustained attack ads.
- Clay argued that informed, locally grounded opinion is increasingly scarce but important for context, accountability, and community trust.
- His new book documents Kansas’s long tradition of influential commentary.

Catch “It’s the Democracy, Stupid” Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/edwin).   

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