ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
There will be multiple choices for people when it comes to voting for representation in the U.S. Senate, and Christy Davis is one of the names in the ring.
As Davis tells it, she is no stranger to either the state of Kansas or serving the public.
“I'm a fifth-generation Kansan and I've worked in every county in the state in some capacity throughout my career. I've done a lot of community development work and historical preservation work, and politics has been woven into everything I've done to some degree,” Davis said. “I actually ran for Congress in Congressional District 1 in 2020, and I recently served as a White House appointee for USDA Rural Development. Throughout the years, I've been involved with a lot of more federal issues, but in particular, I've been involved with a lot of federal policy related to more rural communities.”
However, it was more recent events that prompted Davis to want to run for the U.S. Senate again.
“I believe Kansans deserve representatives in Congress who will show up and listen to them and understand their role is to help hold the Executive Branch to account while helping Kansans,” Davis said. “When I started my work with USDA Rural Development, I came in after the first Trump administration, and they'd dismantled that department by not appointing an undersecretary for rural development. There came some major issues with that in terms of reduction in staff and other things. Then, in January, when I left that position, I watched as the new Trump administration dismantled several of those programs and policies again and Roger Marshall, rather than standing up to that, went right along and supported those moves, which I felt were detrimental to Kansans. Deciding to run was not a decision I made lightly, I spent many months speaking with people and writing and speaking about issues. It became clear to me I had a perspective a lot of people didn't have, and there were a lot of people who were interested in what I had to say. Many of us were not thrilled when we heard about how Roger Marshall walked out on his constituents at his town hall in Oakley, and as someone who has worked in the public sector and supervised public servants at multiple levels, it never dawned on me a public servant at that level should have the option of just walking out on their constituents who had legitimate questions and concerns for him. It's very frustrating to have people who are supposed to be representing us who either aren't listening or are choosing who they listen to.”
Ultimately, Davis filed the necessary paperwork in August, and she said being on the campaign trail has been a great experience.
“I love campaigning because I love Kansas, and I love meeting people and running into people I've known for a long time. I have connections of some sort in almost every county in the state, and I love to hear from people about how they're doing,” Davis said. “The more time I spend with Kansans and listening to their questions and concerns, the more hopeful I am for the future because it turns out we agree on most issues regardless of what side of the political aisle we fall on. Kansans are salt of the Earth, commonsense people who know how to fix issues, and I'm confident we'll all play a role in how problems are fixed moving forward. I'm planning on going all throughout the state, this is going to be a grassroots campaign, and we'll have a presence in every county. We know there are counties that are especially important with Democratic voters, but for me, EVERY county matters – each community and county has its own culture and people, and I want to listen to people on the particular issues they're facing because the solution will probably be different for every community. It's very important to get out and hear from the people because I want to represent ALL Kansans.”
Should she ultimately be elected, Davis said she has multiple goals and ideas she would like to see happen.
“We know a lot has happened in the past year, and we can't necessarily anticipate what's going to happen in the coming year and what the challenges will be,” Davis said. “However, I think the two biggest issues Kansans can agree on are healthcare and education, those are issues that affect everyone, and I know general affordability is also on the minds of everyone right now. There are a lot of policies in place that were initiated by Kansans, particularly agricultural policy, but I feel like politicians have turned their backs on those types of issues. With those issues, I feel like the main options are to either undoing what's been done and start over, or using the opportunity to rebuild and make it better. Kansans need someone with experience and common sense who knows how to address challenges that come up.”
Davis also offered encouragement for Kansans to contact her with questions and concerns.
“At the moment, I'm rather all over the place, so if you have the opportunity to come to one of my in-person events and talk to me, I will certainly talk to you because I do like talking to people either one-on-one or in groups. If you catch me on the trail, don't hesitate to approach me and ask questions,” Davis said. “People can also get in touch with me via my Web site, which is www.christydavisforkansas.com/, and my team and I also have a big presence on social media, so people can reach out there as well. Having that open communication is open for everyone – elected officials are supposed to be listening to the public, and the public is supposed to hold their elected officials accountable. We have the three branches of government for a reason, and I want to make sure Kansans are being represented when it comes time to crafting policy. If you're an elected official and not listening to your constituents, you can't really address their concerns, and that's true at all levels of politics.”
Overall, Davis said, she is ready to get to work.
“If I'm elected, I will work my tail off, and I do have a track record of doing just that. As a fifth-generation Kansan, I'm devoted to this state and will continue to be so. I trust experts in terms of what will work – I trust plant workers, I trust healthcare professionals, I trust scientists and experts in every other field,” Davis said. “It's important to have good expertise and involvement in public policy, whether it's farming or healthcare or whatever. I'm here to listen, and it's something I've already been doing for a long time.”
