Derek Schmidt Ad: Gov. Laura Kelly ‘Spending More than We Can Afford’ 

The campaign for Trump-backed Derek Schmidt released its first television advertisement of the 2022 Kansas governor’s race on Wednesday, hammering President Joe Biden on inflation and Gov. Laura Kelly (D) for “making it worse.”

The advertisement, entitled “Just Listen,” will be a part of a sustained media campaign throughout the race, and “focuses on the record-high inflation caused by the party of Joe Biden and Laura Kelly hurting Kansas families,” according to a statement from Schmidt’s campaign. 

Kansas Attorney General Schmidt says in the ad:

I’m Derek Schmidt. I’ve been all over Kansas in every county. Listening to you. Joe Biden’s inflation is hurting everyone, and the truth is Laura Kelly keeps making it worse. Spending more than we can afford. Vetoing 20 tax cuts for you and your family. Kansas can do better. Bob Dole used to tell me ‘Kansans will show you the way, just listen.’ Well, I’ve heard you loud and clear. As Governor, I’ll stand up to Biden and fight for you.

WATCH: 

According to the campaign, Kelly has increased overall annual state spending by $6 billion.

“On her watch, the state is spending $22.9 billion in fiscal year 2023, a whopping 35.5 percent more than the $16.9 billion in fiscal year 2019. Kansas has fewer people working in the private sector, flat population growth, and the aforementioned record-high inflation to show for it,” the statement reads. 

The campaign also touted how Schmidt has traveled to all 105 Kansas counties eight times to speak with voters since becoming Kansas attorney general. Schmidt said he aims to make everyday living more affordable for working families. Schmidt said in a statement:

I’m running for governor because the past four years under Democrat Laura Kelly have made crystal clear that Kansas can and must do so much better. Better at making daily life affordable for working families. Better at helping every kid grow up safe and secure and be educated to his or her God-given potential. Better at pushing back on Joe Biden’s radical agenda for America. It’s time to fix tough problems, not paper over them. I’m running to bring common sense and conservative values to the governor’s office. That’s the change Kansas needs in order to do better.

Schmidt secured the GOP nomination in the early August primary, scoring a massive 80 percent of the vote. Political analysts have marked Schmidt’s bid against the Democrat incumbent as a “toss-up,” though he has been narrowly leading in early polling.