KANSAS CITY, KAN. --- A Bonner Springs, Kan., woman will be running for the Libertarian Party's nomination for governor in the 2014 election.
Tresa McAlhaney declared her intent to run yesterday and has filed with the State of Kansas to run in next year's governor's race.
"I am running to give the people of Kansas a choice of ideas and not to just vote for the lesser of two evils," McAlhaney said in an interview with The Kansas City Kansan.
Born in Topeka, Kan., McAlhaney doesn't have too much political experience, but has worked in numerous fields, including management, retail sales, substitute teacher and restaurant manager. She's currently the Wyandotte County Chair for the Libertarian Party of Kansas.
Two common themes of her campaign: Spreading the message of liberty and simplifying government.
On education, McAlhaney believes the discussion needs to include as many people as possible.
"The current education policy in Kansas is too restrictive," she said. "We want to go straight to the teachers. We're not getting a return on investment and we'll cut out some red-tape."
On current Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback's tax plan, McAlhaney said lower taxes are needed - but also added that too many restrictions are still placed on small businesses.
"They are cutting taxes without making other policy changes," she said.
She said her administration would make it easier to start a business in Kansas.
"There's too much paperwork in starting a business in Kansas," she said. "If it takes a lawyer to start a business, it's too hard."
While a Libertarian, she believes her campaign of "fiscal responsibility and social tolerance" can appeal to moderate Republicans and moderate Democrats around the State of Kansas.
"We are declaring our candidacy early to call for other moderates to join with us," she said.
And while she may not have elected experience, she believes that serves as an appeal to voters to join her campaign.
"We've been living in the real world," she said. "We feel like common sense is missing and everyone in Topeka is a career politician."
Grant Nelson is seeking the nomination for lieutanant governor. He currently serves as Chairman of the Johnson County Libertarian Party.
For more information about the campaign, visit http://www.vote4kansas.com/.
Here is more about McAlhaney's background, via Vote4Kansas.com:
Tresa McAlhaney is a lifelong Kansan, born in Topeka, currently living in Bonner Springs. She is the mother of four young children and got into politics while on the path of “being the change” she wanted to see in the world. Over the last two years in her volunteer work as an activist and member of the Libertarian Party of Kansas, McAlhaney experienced how government works at the local and state levels. She is passionate about preserving Kansas farming lands and heritage, keeping farmers in secure and profitable business. She is confident that there is interest and support for fresh political representation and hopes to lead a revolution toward fairness and sustainability.Here is more about Nelson's from Vote4Kansas.com:
Mrs. McAlhaney has worked in retail sales and management, as a waitress, cook, restaurant manager, nanny, and substitute teacher. She graduated from Lawrence High School in 1998 and worked while attending Johnson County Community College, earning a liberal arts degree in 2003. She has served in leadership positions including high school band assistant drum major, vice president of a homeowners association board, and Wyandotte County Chair for the Libertarian Party of Kansas. She is married to her high school sweetheart, Michael, who served as an army medic in the Iraq War and now works in Veteran’s Affairs at the VA Hospital in Leavenworth. She used to have spare time and spent it painting (murals and her fingernails) and experimenting in the kitchen.
Grant is fifty-two years old and has been actively involved in third-party politics for many years. His final college paper was a treatise on third parties and their efficacy in a traditional two-party system. It was at that same time when he worked on Ross Perot’s presidential campaign and, later, his “United We Stand” movement. Since then, Grant has consistently voted Libertarian and believes that the Libertarian platform is the most common sense approach to government since the writing of the United States Constitution. For the past year, he has worked as the Chairman for the Libertarian Party of Johnson County and is an active participant and observer at Prairie Village City Council meetings.
Grant and his wife, Trish, have been happily married for 30 years. They have two grown children and live in Prairie Village. Grant currently works for a Hutchinson-based software company, providing technical support and training for small medical clinics in Kansas and surrounding states. In his spare time, Grant enjoys photography and motorcycles. He and his wife are adventurers and have recently completed their first ocean sailing course.
