KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s first budget director has endorsed Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt for Kansas governor.
Larry Campbell, a former Republican state lawmaker from Olathe who served as Kelly’s budget director for nearly two years, announced Thursday he would back Schmidt over his former boss. Campbell was initially appointed to budget director by Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer in February of 2018, but Kelly kept him on when she took office in January of 2019 and cited his bipartisan record as the reason.
In a statement, Campbell attributed his support to concerns about increased spending under the Kelly’s administration and high inflation under Democratic President Joe Biden.
“The State of Kansas, like nearly every state in the country, currently has artificially inflated revenues because of spending decisions made by Congress and the Biden administration, which are printing and spending money at unprecedented pace,” Campbell said. “Governor Kelly did not cause this revenue boom, but she’s used it to grow our state spending and put Kansas on an unsustainable path. When the money eventually dries up, I fear we will be ill-equipped to deal with the consequences.”
In contrast, Campbell said he believed Schmidt would lower Kansas’ spending and manage the budget in a more sustainable way.
Kelly was under no obligation to retain one of Colyer’s staffers when she took office, but her decision to keep Campbell on staff was likely a gesture to moderate Republicans in Johnson County, a key constituency in her 2018 coalition. He remained in the role until he retired in December 2020.
“Larry took the helm at the budget office at an uncertain time because he’s a team player who wants to find solutions for Kansas,” Kelly said when she announced her decision to retain him in 2019. “That’s exactly why I want him to continue serving in my administration. He has proven his ability to work with lawmakers of all political stripes and to reach bipartisan compromise. I am confident he will help steer our state back to fiscal stability.”
Kelly has made responsible budget management a hallmark of her campaign. Coming into the office in the wake of budget shortfalls caused by former Gov. Sam Brownback’s tax cuts, Kelly has highlighted her administration’s work to repair state agencies, fund schools and balance the budget.
Schmidt has often criticized Kelly for overspending and under-delivering. Although he hasn’t said he would make cuts to Kansas’ budget he’s promised to slow the rate of new spending. He’s also proposed new spending on a highway through Southern Kansas and tax cuts for retirees and on diapers and feminine hygiene products.
Campbell’s endorsement comes as Kelly promotes endorsements from Republicans that Schmidt worked for and with, including former U.S. Attorney Steve McAllister, former U.S. Sen. Nancy Kassebaum, and former Gov. Bill Graves.
