Incumbent Marvin Robinson is being challenged by three Black female candidates for the Kansas House District 35 seat. At a forum put on by the Wyandotte County NAACP, the three candidates made their case on why they were best for the position while Robinson was absent.
His opponents have criticized Robinson for voting with Republicans 40 times. He also faced criticism for being singularly focused on funding for the Quindaro Ruins and for voting against Medicaid expansion.
With no Republican running in the general election, the winner of the Aug. 6 Democratic primary will assume the seat. Here’s a brief overview of the challengers.
Kimberly DeWitt
An IT professional and business owner, Kimberly DeWitt, who previously ran for the same seat in 2016, positions herself as a coalition builder with a clear plan to revitalize the district’s representation in Topeka.
DeWitt graduated from Sumner Academy, holds a bachelor’s degree from Park University, an MBA from Baker University, and is currently enrolled in law school at Washburn.
DeWitt’s campaign focuses on three main priorities: rebuilding community relationships, restoring the district’s standing in Topeka, and raising the bar for what constituents should expect from their representative.
“We need actual representation for our district, ready to get out there and advocate for our district directly, not just going out there and being a ‘good Democrat,’” says DeWitt. “Being a good Democrat is no longer good enough in our state; we’ve got to do more.”
DeWitt says the district is one of the most diverse in the state and that she wants to represent all the people.
“I want to represent our whole district,” says DeWitt. “There are Black, White, Hispanic, and Asian interests. We have to do better; we are more than a one-issue district. We are more than just the Quindaro Ruins.”
Her legislative priorities include improving health care and education, particularly for children. DeWitt criticized the current representative’s vote against Medicaid expansion, noting its importance to the district’s lower-income residents. She says economic development and investment in the district is a priority for her, including the possibility of a Royals stadium if it’s “done right,”
DeWitt says what distinguishes her from the other candidates is her concrete plans and community engagement.
“What sets me apart is that I have a plan,” she said. “How can you know what you need to do in Topeka if you don’t know what’s going on in your district?”
Wanda Brownlee Paige
Wanda Brownlee Paige, is a retired educator and current member of the USD 500 School Board who spent 30 years teaching social studies in KCK Public Schools. She says she’s running because she believes the district needs stronger Democratic representation.
“I’m running because the current incumbent, it seems to me, doesn’t care about us,” Brownlee Paige said. “I voted for him because he was supposed to be a Democrat, 85% of our district are Democrats, so why would he vote with the other party and talk about ‘I’m bipartisan?’ We have to stop this madness.”
Brownlee Paige is a lifelong resident of KCK who graduated from Wyandotte High in 1974. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in education from Simpson College. During her teaching career, Brownlee Paige taught at Argentine, Coronado, and Central Middle Schools.
Her campaign platform focuses on several key issues, including Medicaid expansion, education funding, and property tax relief.
“We gotta work on Medicaid, Medicare, fund education, ensure access to reproductive rights, and we’ve got to work on our tax program,” Brownlee Paige said. “People are leaving this city and this county over it; that’s not fair.”
The candidate supports the Democrats’ plan to expand Medicaid, which she says won’t cost taxpayers anything for the next eight years. She also advocates for full funding of public education, including special education.
To address rising property taxes, Brownlee Paige supports the Kansas Legislature funding the Local Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund, which she says would provide millions of dollars in local property tax relief.
Brownlee Paige has received endorsements from several labor organizations, including United Auto Workers Local 31, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 53, Tri-County Labor Council, and International Association of Fire Fighters Local 64.
Michelle Watley
Founder of the nonprofit Shirley’s Kitchen Cabinet, Michelle Watley is running for Kansas House District 35 with a background that spans community advocacy, labor, education, and politics.
Watley attended Washington High and began her career as a union carpenter. She worked in the trades for five years before going to Avila University, where she studied communications and received a master’s degree in organizational development. She also studied law and world politics at Leiden University in the Netherlands. She has since served as a political director for a local ACLU chapter, taught communications at Avila, and founded two nonprofits.
“Shirley’s Kitchen Cabinet has been working in Topeka the past four years advocating for them to do better by Black people,” says Watley. “As a result, we got the Crown Act because you shouldn’t lose your job because you wear your hair the way God gave it.”
Watley’s campaign emphasizes community engagement and grassroots outreach.
“I’ve knocked on 2,000 doors, and I’m talking to everybody in the community to try to earn your vote,” she stated. “We deserve an advocate from right here. We deserve representation that is present and will talk to you, and we deserve representation that will enact policies that help us.”
Her priorities for the district include addressing the local food desert, finding solutions for rising property and income taxes, and tackling mental health and substance abuse issues. Watley also plans to hold forums and listening sessions to continually refine her policy agenda based on constituent feedback.
“I have hands-on experience and understanding of not only how bills get passed but how they get stopped and the shenanigans that get pulled to keep good policy from getting passed that could help us here in the Dotte,” says Watley.
