Network and kansas information w fm news when a four. 9, the flagship of the kansas radio networks. I am the director of the Kansas Agriculture Network and 580 wi bw and i will be serving as moderator. We hold our debates during the first saturday of the kansas state fair in hutchinson. Covid19 cause the cancellation of the 2020 kansas state fair, but we continue with the tradition of hosting a debate. We would like to welcome those of you who are watching the debate on our livestream through bw News Facebook and youtube pages. Yout now, let us introduce to the candidates for todays u. S. Senate debate. First, the republican candidate, dr. Roger marshall is a congressman for the first congressional district. Is a veteran and physician who practice for nearly 30 years until he was sworn into congress in 2017. Dr. Marshall has been married to his wife for 37 years, has four children and two grandchildren and one is on the way. Next is democratic candidate, kansas state senator dr. Barbara bolllier she is a Public Servant and retired doctor. She spent her entire career fighting for strong schools, Affordable Health care, alans budgets and fiscal responsibility. She is committed to advocating for farmers and ranchers across kansas in the u. S. Senate. Asking the questions to the candidates are for members from the media from across the state. With give you a quick introduction. First off, farm broadcaster with wi vw radio and the Kansas Agriculture Network in topeka. Next is Jennifer Lasky, associate editor with the High Plains Journal in dodge city. Next up is Tim Carpenter, reporter with the kansas reflector in topeka. Anchor and, michael, fact finder 12 investigator in wichita. And finally, lets go over the rules for todays debate. Each candidate will have three minutes for an Opening Statement. When questions are asked to the candidate, they were alternate in who will answer the question first throughout the days debate. Willxample, candidate a have one minute to respond. That will be followed by candidate b, who will also have one minute to respond. Then candidate a will have 30 seconds for rebuttal. Each candidate will have two minutes 30 seconds for their closing statements. Serving as our timekeeper for todays debate is dan johnson, farm broadcaster with the Kansas Agriculture Network and wibw radio in topeka. A blind draw was done friday afternoon to determine the order for opening and closing statements. The Opening Statement will be started by congressman Roger Marshall. Congressman, you have three minutes for your Opening Statement. Afternoon il this would like to offer our prayers to the ginsburg family. We pray for wisdom as dish nation moves forward. Forhere is one thing i hope its this. From the time i wake up in the morning until i go to bed, every waking moment of my life i am fighting for you and your family. Ive fighting to keep you safe, healthy and secure. I am fighting to get your jobs back and to protect and preserve the values you and i were all raised on. Kansas values. I volunteered to fight for this nation and the military. I fought to keep babies safe in the delivering room. Now i fight for you in the halls of congress. And in the senate i am committed to protect you and your family and kansas values. We all have stories that shape our values. Awas born in butler county, fifth generation farm kid and became a First Generation College student. My dream was to go to medical school. Married two got weeks before School Started 37 years ago. After medical school, residency and seven years in the military, we moved back to kansas where we delivered 5000 babies, raised four of our own and now we have two grandchildren and one more on the way. I have lived the American Dream, but i am running for the senate values so our kansas our children and grandchildren have the same shot at the American Dream we have. My opponent and the Democrat Party are threatening our values and our way of life. They want to tell you when you can leave the house, tell you if your business is open or not, when you can get a haircut, when our kids can go to school, what curriculum should beat taught and what medicines we can take. Maybe this works in new york and how california, but it wont apply in kansas. These are not kansas values. Our opponent and her family are out of touch with kansas values. One value we can agree on is the importance of agriculture. I am honored to be endorsed by the Kansas Farm Bureau and lifestyle association, and im proud of the work we have done together. We have written a strong farm bill. We have rolled back rules and regulations. We specialize in real economic development, and yes, we have improved interconnectivity with telemedicines across the country. I am proud to be born and raised in agriculture. I would like to also add two other great endorsements. Of my mentors and pillars of congress, senator bob dole and senator pat roberts. I cannot wait to get started today. I am honored to be here and look forward to earning your support and your vote. Thank you. Senator dr. Tate barbara bollier, you have three minutes for your Opening Statement. Sen. Bollier good afternoon. I am barbara bollier. I want to acknowledge what a hurting time it is for our nation as we have the loss of a great woman, Supreme Court justice ginsburg. I also want to acknowledge what a big loss it is for kansas that we had to cancel our annual state fair, especially for the hutchison area and our Rural Communities, the kansas state fair has been held every year for over 100 years. It is more than just a fair, it is a great, great opportunity to celebrate kansas. A very important tradition for us. It is also a big part of hutchisons economy and a chance for people of all ages to learn, share, and be together. Im heartbroken that we will miss this event, as we have missed so many others this year but due to the pandemic. But im confident we can overcome this virus by working together and next year we will be back at the fairgrounds. You know, i will miss having the traditional fare with spectators in the grandstand in reno county but i am really grateful for this opportunity to share about myself and priorities with the people of kansas. Im a mom, a doctor, a state senator. I went into medicine to improve peoples lives, and went into Public Service for the same reasons. I have dedicated my lifes work to my patients, my constituents, my community, our state. In the Kansas Legislature, i was a leading advocate for expanding Affordable Health care. Fully funding our schools. Investing in Rural Communities. Balancing the budget. And keeping taxes low. I have a record of standing up to both parties, if they are doing the wrong thing for kansas. But i also will work with anyone doing. With anyone if they are doing right by our kansas families. And that is exactly what i will do in the u. S. Senate. His is a difficult and historic time for our country. We need leaders in washington who will stop the political bickering, stop attacking one another, and just get things done. That has always been my approach. Listen, look at the facts, work with others and solve problems. Thats why i am endorsed by senator Nancy Kassebaum and nearly 100 other Republican Leaders in the state. They know i will be the independent voice of reason that kansas needs in washington. Thank you very much state senator bollier for your Opening Statement. We have determined the order of questions that will be asked by the media panel. Wentecause senator bollier last, the first question will be directed toward congressman marshall. And the first question will be radio and the kansas agricultural network. Before ask the question i want to say a special thank you to alpha media, topeka, and wibw radio. This is a tradition we began 35 years ago. It has become not only probably the premier debate in the state, but it has become a major highlight of the kansas state fair. My question, its really two parts. One of you is going to fill some massive shoes, when it comes to agriculture. Senator pat roberts has been the agemost person working on policy for over three decades now, i think he began 1985 or earlier. He is resigning and somebody is going to fill his spot. We anticipate that senator moran is going to try to take over at robert spot on the Senate Ag Committee but we cannot be sure of that. What either of you be willing or interested in being on the committee . Congressman marshall you have one minute to respond. Rep. Marshall it is great to hear your voice again, and i miss being at the state fair with you and senator roberts. My first choice is going to ask to be on that Senate Ag Committee and i tell folks one reason you should vote for me is sort that out. Growing up in agriculture, i have great experiences. My wife and i still invest in agriculture in many ways. The experience we are bringing working with farm bureau and tla , all the ag organizations puts us in a sweet spot. Certainly the seniors i have had these conversations and i look forward to that. I dont know why my opponent would want to be on the ag committee. She has actively worked against farmers. When we fought hard for mfp money, the tariff money for farmers, she posted a discouraging remark about that. So i would assume that my opponent does not want to be at that ag committee and she is out of touch with kansas ag values. Youtate senator bollier, have one minute to respond. Sen. Bollier i will be the replacement on that committee. Agriculture and our worldly world way of life are critical part of our identity as a state. I have been standing with kansas farmers for 10 years as a kansas legislator. I helped pass two statewide transportation plans, a 50 year water plant, and more funding for Rural Broadband. I have called out the epas regulatory train wreck under obama, and urged the use of sound science and agricultural policy. What kansans need to know and understand about the real difference between congressman marshall and myself is not our level of ag expertise it is our , level of respect for people of different backgrounds and our ability to work across the aisle to find Real Solutions for our ag committee. I look forward to continuing that legacy of the doleroberts production, of what has gone on our Senate Ag Committee. Thank you. Congressman marshall you have 30 seconds for rebuttal. Sen. Marshall i hope folks look at my opponents liberal voting record, her act against the Health Care Association plan as well as the tariff money. When the democrats were in power they gave us waters of the u. S. , and now they will give us the Green New Deal. The Green New Deal will be the and of kansas agriculture and of the deal. My opponent chose to lead the Republican Party and joined democrats to represent her values. She joined them after they came out of the Green New Deal. Chose to leave the Republican Party and join democrats. She does not represent agriculture kansas values. Next up for question, Jennifer Lasky with a High Plains Journal in dodge city. Jennifer, your question. Good afternoon, we know that ag and add related industry orport 235,000 more jobs 12. 7 of our states workforce. 25 of the nations meat supply comes through our packing plants. Feedlots large dairies, farms all need reliable labor, and much of that today is from immigrants. If elected to the senate what policy would you propose or support that addresses the immigration challenge that faces our country today, and allowing them a shot at their American Dreams while still keeping in mind kansas role in u. S. Food production . State senator bollier, you have one minute. Sen. Bollier there is no clearer example of how broken washington is then on immigration reform. Voters are fed up with inaction. Decades of it. I support secure borders so we can keep our communities safe and a legislative solution for dreamers, who are brought to this country through no fault of their own. And a bipartisan reform package that balances national security, with the realities of our present circumstances. One thing is clear. Washington gridlock is the reason that we have a National Crisis at our borders. My opponent has done absolutely nothing to contribute to an atmosphere of working together, to solve these problems. One in 10 kansans who work is an immigrant. We are dependent on this labor and i will be very supportive of making sure people have that path to citizenship. Thank you. Congressman marshall you have one minute to respond. Rep. Marshall jennifer, you are certainly right just how agriculture is important to kansas. This issue is one i have tried to work on since the day i got to congress. That i believe in secure borders and fixing a broken immigration system. The first thing i did when i got to congress, i sat down with every democratic member in the ag committee and talked about agriculture and important issues on the broken immigration systems and we twice got policy on the floor to fix the situation. But my disappointment is that democrats do not want to fix this situation. They dont want to fix daca, they dont want secure borders. I have to remind my remind folks my opponent left the Republican Party in favor of the democrats values. Those are out of touch with kansas. That is why we need to make sure we keep a Republican Senate majority so he can maintain our security. If we dont secure the border it will lead to a circular firing squad. State senator bollier you have 30 seconds for rebuttal. We need leaders in washington who will put partisan politics aside and do whats right for kansans. Important inre america than keeping our borders safe. This priority must be reflected by immigration reform, which has not happened yet. And we need this. I agree that our immigration system is broken, but we need people who will Work Together to find solutions. Its going to take a bipartisan solution to fix it, and i am known for my bipartisan work. Thank you. All right. I have to remind myself, to give time to dan johnson, so our timekeeper can keep in front of everything, keeping time for the questions. Our next question which will go to congressman marshall comes from Tim Carpenter, a reporter with the kansas reflector in topeka. Tim, your question. Thank you. I want you to both make the case for quickly voting in a senate on replacement for justice ginsburg, or for following the policy set 2016 set by republicans for waiting until after the president ial election. Congressman marshall you have one minute to respond. Sen. Marshall look, this is why this election is so important that we need senators that are going to confirm conservative constitutional prolife judges. Look, im encouraging the president to bring his nomination forth. Im encouraging the senate to act upon it. This is so different than 2016 when we had a democratic president and Republican Senate. Right now we have both of those. America elected a republican president and a Republican Senate for just this time. This is our time to do what we keep our promises and to move forward with one of the folks that, that President Trump is going to have on his list. This is an important time in history, one we cant get wrong, that is why the stakes for this, for the selection are just so high for this election are just so high. And state senator bollier, you have one minute. Sen. Bollier i take the nominations and confirmations about Supreme Court justice very seriously. It is one of the senates most notable responsibilities, the Supreme Court is one of the most important institutions of america. It should not be politicized. These are lifelong appointments. This election that is underway in kansas now, kansans should make their voices heard. And the leaders of kansas that are elected in november are who should be voting and deciding and confirming who should be filling our vacancy on the Supreme Court. I believe the senate has plenty to do in the meantime. They need to pass additional relief and funding for americans struggling with this very, very difficult pandemic. And most importantly, keep in mind, we should not be politicizing our Supreme Court. One of our three branches of government. Congressman marshall, you also have 30 seconds for rebuttal. Sen. Marshall look, our senate needs to move forward to confirm, to confirm a conservative prolife constitutionalist judge, who will apply the law and not write the law. This is what americans sent a republican majority to the senate to do. Look, 2016 is so different than today. You have to go back to 1880 to see a time when a Republican Senate have confirmed a democrat senator or vice versa. This is not 2016. Republicans we