Kansas Congressional candidate Tyler Tannahill sparks backlash with rifle giveaway

A candidate for Kansas' Second District U.S. House seat received backlash on social media Thursday for a firearm giveaway his campaign announced earlier this week before a gunman fired on a Florida high school. Tyler Tannahill, a Leavenworth Republican and Marine Corps veteran running to replace outgoing Republican Rep. Lynn Jenkins, announced his campaign would give away an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle on his website and Facebook before, according to the Associated Press, Nikolas Cruz allegedly killed 17 people at a Florida high school using the same type of gun.

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback faces GOP opposition to major proposals

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback gives his final State of the State address Tuesday night on the floor of the Kansas House. While giving his final State of the State address Tuesday night, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback says his administration, without raising taxes, is putting a proposal together to comply with the Kansas Supreme Court's decree that the state give an addition $600 million to school finance.

NAFTA supporters use stock market to try to dissuade Trump from withdrawing from trade deal

When President Donald Trump met with six Republican senators last week to talk about trade, the lawmakers issued a stark warning: Implementing an unrestrained "America First" agenda - such as withdrawing from the North American Free Trade Agreement - would endanger stock prices that have soared since his election. Just steps from the Oval Office, the president listened as GOP Sens. Cory Gardner of Colorado and Pat Roberts of Kansas depicted the potential fallout if Trump follows through on his threats to quit NAFTA.

Ukraine, separatist rebels agree on major prisoner exchange

Hundreds of volunteers have been on the phones at an Air Force base in Colorado, answering questions from eager kids who want to know where Santa is on his storybook Christmas Eve travels. Hundreds of volunteers have been on the phones at an Air Force base in Colorado, answering questions from eager kids who want to know where Santa is on his storybook Christmas Eve travels.

Kansas agency, firm bolster lawmaker support for prison plan

Kansas corrections officials and the company picked to build a new state prison have bolstered support for their plan among top Republican legislators, making it more likely their project will get the final go-ahead. Three key Republican legislators said after a briefing this week that they're more comfortable with a state Department of Corrections plan to have the nation's largest private prison operator, CoreCivic Inc., build the new prison for 2,432 inmates in Lansing, in the Kansas City area.

Filing: Men accused of bomb plot want Trump voters on jury

Three men accused of plotting to bomb a mosque and apartment complex housing Somali refugees asked a federal judge Friday to include prospective jurors from rural western Kansas because they are twice as likely to have voted for President Donald Trump. A defense motion argues that plans to only summon citizens in the more urban counties closest to the federal courthouse in Wichita is a discriminatory practice that excludes rural and conservative jurors.

Kansas plan for new prison draws criticism from lawmakers

Damon Hininger, the president and CEO of private prison company CoreCivic Inc., follows a Kansas legislative committee discussion of a state Department of Corrections plan to build a new prison, Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. The department plans to have CoreCivic build the prison and lease it to the state for 20 years.

Donald Trump Jr. campaigns for immigration hardliner Kris Kobach in Kansas governor race

Donald Trump Jr., left, and Kansas gubernatorial candidate Kris Kobach talk during a fundraiser for Kobach's campaign, Nov. 28, 2017. Donald Trump Jr. campaigned at a fundraiser for Kansas gubernatorial candidate Kris Kobach on Tuesday evening, throwing early high-profile support behind the conservative firebrand in a crowded Republican field.

Editorial: A tax increase conservatives love

When Kansas families purchase groceries, they're paying a higher sales tax than anyone else in the country. According to the Tax Foundation, Kansas is one of seven states that taxes groceries at the same rate as other purchases - a particularly hefty burden considering our overall sales tax rate of 6.5 percent.

Kansas DCF Secretary Phyllis Gilmore to retire

Kansas Governor Sam Brownback announced on Friday Department for Children and Families Secretary Phyllis Gilmore, 72, will retire from In this "tell all" with Brian Hanni, the Voice of the Jayhawks, opens up about his current role at the University of Kansas. Kansas State senior Matthew McCrane is one of 20 place kickers in the nation to be named a semifinalist for the 2017 Lou Groza Award, the Pa TOPEKA, Kan.

Trump voting commission criticized for lack of transparency

FILE - In this Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017 file photo, New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner, right, introduces one of the speakers at a meeting of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity in Manchest... President Donald Trump's advisory commission on election integrity has integrity questions of its own - with some of its own members raising concerns about its openness.

Editorial: Ignoring the role of government

Among many conservatives, there's a reflexive assumption that reducing the size of government is always a good thing. This is why politicians like Gov. Sam Brownback often declare their fervent opposition to "big government" and boast about their attempts to reduce spending, cull the number of state employees, etc.

APNewsBreak: Feds threaten funds for Kansas mental hospital

Timothy Keck, Kansas secretary of aging and disability services, answers questions about a threat from the federal government to cut off funds for patient care at the state's mental hospital in western Kansas, Friday, Oct. 20, 2017, in Topeka, Kan. Keck says he's confident the state can fix all of the problems cited in a building at Larned State Hospital.