TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT)- One of the most contested statewide races in Kansas is heating up as Election Day approaches.
Democrat Chris Mann stepped up his attacks on his Republican opponent, Kris Kobach. In Wednesday night’s debate, Mann compared Kobach to a “comic book villain.” This comes after Mann launched his first ad against a prominent GOP figure this week.
Mann’s ad begins with the narration, “[Kobach’s] his back and his head are bigger than ever… because Kris Kobach loves Kris Kobach.”
“Chris Kobach … he’s probably the most famous politician in Kansas, and he generates a lot of passion … both for and against … and so what Chris Mann is trying to do is remind people who don’t like him … why they don’t like him,” he said. political analyst Bob Beatty.
Mann’s ad is the first direct attack to come from a candidate seen in the race. The ad highlights Kobach’s extensive political outreach and claims he has “wasted millions of taxpayer dollars” on self-interested lawsuits.
The Kansas Capitol Bureau reached out to Kobach’s teams several times for comment about the claims in the ad, but did not hear back Thursday.
Meanwhile, Kobach is coming down. Earlier this month, a national GOP group backing Kobach released its first ad attacking Mann, trying to tie him to national figures like President Joe Biden and issues like inflation. However, the Republican attorney general hopeful has yet to release any ads against Mann.
“We may still see that … but of course we haven’t seen his commercials yet. I’d be interested to see what kind of approach he takes,” Beatty said. “Chris Mann has a bit of that edge… an ex-cop.”
“If we see attacks on Chris Mann, they may be in the form of ‘Oh, he’s Joe Biden, he’s Nancy Pelosi,’ but if we don’t go in that direction, he doesn’t support the police or things of that nature…” he said Beatty.
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