TOPEKA, Kan. — An obscure candidate in the Republican primary for Kansas governor has promised that if elected she would put every piece of legislation that reaches her desk to a biblical test and public poll.
Joan Heffington, a former home builder and retired Boeing purchasing agent, told The Kansas City Star that as governor she would only sign measures the public supports and the Bible authorizes.
The 55-year-old Derby woman is running against U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, the expected GOP nominee, with a campaign that has been marked by a series of outlandish claims. Among them is her latest assertion that voters may not have heard about her campaign because Brownback has bribed the news media to ignore her.
She contends she got into the governor's race to highlight what she contends is a corrupt legal and political system in Kansas and Washington — undeterred by the fact she has never held office nor has the campaign financing of her better known opponent.
Brownback, who plans to leave the U.S. Senate to fulfill a term limits pledge, has said little about his primary opponent and his campaign has instead focused on the likely matchup with Democratic candidate Tom Holland, a state senator from Baldwin City. [See where Brownback's campaign cash comes from.]
He picked as his choice for lieutenant governor state Sen. Jeff Colyer, an Overland Park surgeon.
The two men have been touting what they call a "roadmap for Kansas" that includes an ambitious revision of the state's school finance formula and greater government efficiency.
"All the measurables look good, but you don't know until the election takes place, so we're pushing hard," Brownback said of his campaign.
Heffington has picked as her running mate Mark Holick, a Wichita pastor.
Heffington founded the Association for Honest Attorneys to combat what she claims is corruption in Kansas courts and government. She said she also believes the CIA has conducted chemical and biological experiments on Kansans for decades.
"It's true," she said. "I've been trying to get attention for this for I don't know how long."
Brownback's campaign declined to respond to her claims.
Also running on the November ballot for governor is Reform Party candidate Ken Cannon and Libertarian Andrew Gray.
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Joe of KS 9:56AM August 13, 2010
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