(KMZA)--On Saturday, February 17, Arden Andersen, MD, a Democratic candidate for Governor of Kansas, spoke to a energetic, vocal audience at the Seneca Public Library annex.

Andersen is one of seven Democrats to announce his intent to file for the August 7 primary election.

Andersen, an Olathe resident, is an active colonel in the Kansas Air Reserve as well as a family medicine physician in Leavenworth at Whiteman Air Force Base. His career includes serving, training, and practicing medicine to families, prison employees, and service men and women. He was raised on a Michigan dairy farm and holds four degrees, one as a vocational-agricultural educator which has allowed him to visit other countries and compare and study agriculture, natural resources, economics, and leadership. One of his graduate degrees is in public health and occupations.

Dr. Andersen has one more year to serve before deciding retirement in the Air Reserves. He understands a great deal about physical and mental health, health care costs, and pharmaceuticals as his wife is a clinical pharmacist in Mission.

During his sharing of his background and reasons for running, Andersen stated, “I am not a career politician; I am tired of the status quo. I want to heal Kansas, and I have the skills, leadership, and knowledge of issues that affect ALL Kansans.”

Andersen has a five-part plan to reduce costly health care needs, expand Medicaid for a larger group of citizens while dealing with issues of privatizing which will cause the economy to grow, to increase agricultural procedures by strengthening the soil, water, and needed natural and human resources. He wants a competitive, funded education system which will place trained individuals in new technological careers from the expansion of more people working and being healthy which will cause a stable, beneficial economy. He wants to restore the funds of KPERS and the infrastructure, such as the Department of Transportation that has been misused in stabilizing the Kansas State Treasury for revenue sources.

He said that All Kansans—not just Republicans, not just Democrats, and not just independents--want affordable and effective health care, beneficial education, personal safety in our lives and environment--, food, air, water, roads, etc., a sound economy that affords sustained incomes for individuals with training and skills, and a strong, stable infrastructure for our state’s present and future.

Andersen spoke and answered questions for over two and a half hours as topics of mental health, taxation, gun control, voting suppression, transparency, training for future employment, medication costs, the condition of jails and courts, poverty levels, and crime. He demonstrated a solid ability to speak, listen, and teach in his presentation as he wants to lead, manage, and participate in the administrative and legislative processes while serving as Governor of Kansas and being the primary advocate for healing Kansas.

Larry Kuckelman won the microfleece blanket from the raffle, with the proceeds going to Dr. Andersen. Mary Baker provided delicious cinnamon rolls for the refreshments, organized by Lois Kuckelman, treasurer. County Chair, JoLene Bloom, contributed some sweets to the table and operated the raffle. She made these announcements of upcoming events:

Kansas Democrats will meet in Topeka at the Ramada Inn on March 2-3 for Washington Days, a weekend of training, elections, business, and events such as the Democratic Kansas Governor candidates’ forum during Saturday’s lunch. The annual banquet and fundraiser on Saturday evening will feature Paul Buttigieg. As Mayor of South Bend, Indiana, he is considered a rising national star in the Democratic Party. All activities are free, except for the luncheon and banquet on Saturday.

The County Democratic Party is busy encouraging committee men and women to file for their positions by June 1 and seeking candidates for state and local positions such as Kansas House District #62. Our purpose at this point is to give voters knowledge of the Democratic candidates who will appear on the primary ballot.

On Saturday, April 21, Josh Svaty will appear at the Seneca City Library at 10:00 A.M. for the second planned Kansas Governor candidates’ appearance. The general public is invited to attend. One to come includes Topekan and Kansan State Senator Laura Kelly as well as others who will appear on the Democratic Primary Election ballot on August 7: Jack Bergeson, Wichita; Robert J. Klingenberg, Salina; Carl Brewer, Wichita; and Jim Ward, Topeka.

The next meeting of the Nemaha County Democrats will be Saturday, March 17 at 10:00 A.M. at the Seneca City Library at Sixth and Main; all Democrats are welcomed. Contact: JoLene Rae Bloom 785-336-3641.