Laura for Kansas' Fourth District

Who Am I? 

In addition to being your candidate for Kansas's 4th Congressional District, I am a graduate of the University of Kansas and Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. I am the current Executive Director for MENA Consultants Association and former consultant for The Cohen Group, a consultancy founded by former Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen.  

What's My Background?

As a fifth generation Kansan, my family came to the state in the mid-1800s. One branch of my Kansas family started a milling business in a small town near Abilene. This business eventually grew into a successful industrial equipment manufacturing company until it was sold in the 1960s. The town of Mulvane, in Kansas's 4th Congressional District, was named after another branch of my Kansas family, who helped bring the railroad to the South-central part of the state.  The entrepreneurial and pioneering spirit of my family is strong in me as well, and I plan to use that spirit to bring employment opportunities back to my home state. 

Leadership and community service have been two prominent themes throughout my life. Growing up in Wichita, I attended The Independent School (TIS) from Kindergarten through high school graduation. At TIS, I began to develop leadership skills through roles such as president of the National Honors Society and secretary of our senior class. The leadership and communication strategies learned in these early roles are skills I have used throughout my life. In addition, TIS instilled a belief in the importance of community service that I have carried with me as well. In high school, I was deeply involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters of Wichita. Along with volunteering as a “Big” myself, I developed a high school advisory board to recruit more volunteers for the Bigs in Schools program.  

After graduating from TIS, I attended the University of Kansas (KU) as a third generation Jayhawk and earned my Bachelors of Arts in Political Science and International Studies. At KU, I continued to hold leadership roles and participate widely in community service activities throughout my four years on campus. One of my proudest endeavors was leading a Race 4 the Cure team three out of my four years on campus. These teams raised several thousand dollars for the American Cancer Society.

Since moving to Washington, DC seven years ago, I have completed my Master’s of Art in International Relations and Economics at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, worked for former Secretary of Defense William Cohen at The Cohen Group (TCG), and  launched my own business development organization four years ago. Through my work at TCG and developing my organization, I have gained a deep understanding of how the different branches of government, the various government agencies, the private sector, and non-profit organizations all must work together in Washington, DC.  This organizational experience and bi-partisan understanding will be carried forward as I represent Kansas's 4th Congressional District. 

TCG also allowed me access to a high-level network government officials and business executives that I continue to utilize on a daily basis in my capacity as Executive Director of MENA Consultants Association. I built this organization from nothing more than an idea, a strong network and very hard work. As an entrepreneur and businesswoman, I am someone who knows how to develop a vision, set concrete goals toward that vision, and then execute those goals to make the vision a reality. While the other candidates may be quite experienced in their own right, they will require months, or even years, to build the connections and working knowledge of the Washington political scene that I have grown and fostered over the last several years. 

Throughout my travels, I remain a Kansan at heart. It has been deeply disappointing to see the bad press our state receives, particularly in the areas of job growth and education. Like many of you, I truly believe that our current representatives have failed us and failed our children. I believe now is the time and this is our opportunity to replace U.S. Representative Pompeo with someone who will endeavor to significantly improve our economic prosperity. I will work with, and for you, to lead Kansas to a brighter future. 

What Will I Do In Office?

I will work for you, using my entrepreneurial background and business experience, to ensure all Kansans have the opportunities they deserve for a brighter future.

Diversifying economic opportunities within Kansas will be a major goal when serving Kansas as a U.S. Representative. I would work at the local, state, and national levels to create a strategy for diversifying the current economic opportunities in Kansas, particularly in the Wichita metro area. Encouraging companies to relocate to our state or expand businesses already here, rather than shipping more jobs overseas, will provide significant new job choices for the citizens of Wichita and Kansas as a whole.  In particular, I would like to help transform the Wichita metro area into the country's center for advanced manufacturing. 
 
In addition to bringing in companies from outside of Kansas, I will work to assist local entrepreneurs create and expand homegrown businesses and job opportunities. Entrepreneurs and small-to-medium sized companies are the main drivers of new employment opportunities. As an entrepreneur myself, I understand the difficulties facing those trying to start and grow new companies and will help design economic programs and grants to ensure more entrepreneurs and small-to-medium sized companies succeed. Together, we can restore Kansas as a center of creativity and entrepreneurship.


Why Am I Raising Funds?

I am raising money to campaign to become the U.S. Representative for Kansas' District 4 during the upcoming special election. The incumbent, Congressman Pompeo, has been selected by the new Trump Administration to be the Director of the CIA. This will leave his seat vacant, if confirmed. We can expect the special election to be held within 60 days of Mr. Pompeo's resignation.  

How Will I Use This Initial Funding Round?

This initial round of funding will be used for the following:

Candidacy Fee

Website & Marketing Development

Travel Costs

Hiring an FEC Compliance Lawyer
 
When Do I Need the Funds?

We need financing in place as early as possible to ensure the campaign is ready as soon as the election is scheduled by Governor Brownback. Both parties will hold an accelerated primary process, and if chosen through the primary there will be a short turnaround of 30-60 days before the special election is held.

This initial $5,000 goes toward the exploratory phase of the potential candidacy. 


Why This Means So Much to Me?  

Our ability to choose a more prosperous, more hopeful, and more unified future is still well within our grasp. As your U.S. House Representative, I will work with and for you to ensure a brighter future!

Thank you for your donation! Your support of my candidacy is greatly appreciated!


What Happens to Any Donations Not Utilized By the Campaign?

In the event that we have excess funds left over after our campaign has ended, any funds not used to support the campaign will be donated to charities and/or other similar minded campaigns.

Sponsored by Laura For Kansas exploratory committee.