Mary Williams

Mary Williams was born in Lawton, Oklahoma. Williams earned a high school diploma from Jefferson County North High School. She earned an associate degree from Highland Community College in 1993, a bachelor's degree from Washburn University in 2002, and a graduate degree from Emporia State University in 2011. Her career experience includes working as a teacher.[1][2]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a teacher who wants better for Kansas. We need to make our state an affordable place to live and raise a family but also provide the services we need for our families, including a quality public education and full funding of special education services.

I have chosen to run because I do not feel like we as the constituents of our state have been given any voice in the legislative process. Most of our legislators have been non-existent when contacted and even if contacted, do not listen to what the citizens of Kansas want.

We are at risk of losing our family farms, rural hospitals and strong educational systems that are vital for Kansas. We must be diligent as we create laws that make living in our state affordable so employment continues to be a draw for those looking to come to our state. We must also make sure we have health care, schools and accessible food (groceries stores-we have many "food deserts" in Kansas).

I feel I can help create change where needed and stabilize the areas we need to protect and not change. Kansas is a wonderful place to live and raise our families (I have lived in Jefferson County my entire life, raised my children here and have worked here the majority of my career). I have what it takes to help us maintain this wonderful place we call home.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

We must work to make Kansas more affordable and a place people want to come to and raise their families. We need to look at efficiency in our government entities while also making sure we don't undercut necessities.Education is the sign of a free society. Without a well-funded PUBLIC education system, we will continue to struggle to keep that freedom. Many will try to tell people that private education funded by PUBLIC dollars will help our state but we should not be funding private entities (where they can choose their students, often bypassing special needs students and those that are unable to pay their fees). Educating ALL of the students of our state should be our utmost priority.Property Taxes continue to be an issue as various agencies assess mill levies to help provide services to the schools, communities and state. We must reassess who is paying property taxes, how the taxes are being utilized and how we can provide relief without destroying the services so vitally needed in our state.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Public education is obviously my passion as I have been a teacher for 25 years and been in various aspects of education for 43 years (KSDE, school secretary and treasurer, preschool and daycare provider, and para-educator prior to teaching). We must continue to help our schools help our students.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

I haven't received endorsements yet since it's early but in the last election, I received endorsements from AFL-CIO, KNEA, Planned Parenthood, Cannabis Justice Coalition, Game on for Kansas Schools, Moms Demand Action. AFT Kansas, Mental Health Now, Sierra Club and Governor Kelly's Middle of the Road PAC.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am currently a teacher in my local district. I have taught for 22 years and am also the president of my local NEA. Prior to teaching, I owned my own business (TLC Daycare Centers-3 different sites), was a para-educator, and treasurers for the cities of Winchester and Oskaloosa. I've been married since 2015 to my husband Clint and have two grown children and 6 grandchildren.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I believe we must adopt the Medicaid Expansion Act. We have many constituents including veterans who cannot get the health care they need and many die as the result. Past legislative bodies here in Kansas have had the opportunity to make sure all Kansans have the needed healthcare devices but choose to ignore their constituents.I am a strong believer that early childhood education and care are the foundation of a strong society. It has been statistically shown that for every dollar spent on our future generations, four dollars in benefits is derived. We need to continue to maintain the public education system in our state and fully fund special education services (not just band-aid for one year).We need to take a strong look at the foster care system and make it less stringent for families to become part of the system (not less safe-less stringent). In addition, we have children whose parent's death benefits (including military death benefits) are confiscated to pay for foster care. This is a travesty that MUST be rectified!

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

As I have stated above, I am a strong proponent of Medicaid Expansion, Early Childhood, Public and Special Education as well as a better Foster Care system. Beyond that, our major focus should be on Voter Rights as the Supreme Court has deemed those rights in jeopardy!

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I would say my father is my biggest role model. He was a farmer and worked hard every day of his life. He didn't allow adversity to keep him down and when things became tough, he would find ways to work around the problem and find solutions. I believe that is what keeps me balanced as I work in the myriad of jobs I do. He was always open to the ideas of others but had no problem debating his convictions when he felt they were important.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

I do not believe I know of a media source that explains MY philosophy BUT I can recommend an opposite-Civil War-the movie that came out earlier this year regarding a modern day Civil War that occurs because of the LACK of civil discourse and understanding the beautiful experiment we call DEMOCRACY.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

First and foremost, elected officials are the voice of their CONSTITUENTS-not THEMSELVES! A good elected official makes sure to visit with all constituents, not just the ones that come for a coffee during a work day (yes, this grates me and needs to change-there should be various times to go meet with constituents, not just during the work day!)

All elected officials should accept the voting process and help insure that a democratic populous is intact.

And elected officials should be willing and able to have positive discourse regarding issues including with those that have opposing views. We must get our government entities back to working together not trying to shut "the other side" down.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I have excellent time management and I listen to people. I think these qualities are important for officeholders. We must listen to our people if we want to be effective and truly be a legislator of the people.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The first responsibility (and one I am working on) is to build a "cabinet" of constituents who can help better determine policy. There is no way an elected official can know the ins and outs of all bills brought to the floor. But the official SHOULD go to the people in their district to find out what is the best way to help and sometimes ask the people in their district that know way more than the official. Every representative should have someone that is a veteran, someone in education, someone in the medical field, etc. FROM THEIR DISTRICT that can help determine policy.

What legacy would you like to leave?

This is an open question. Personally, I would like my legacy to be educated, kind adults (both with my own children and grandchildren but also all of the students I have taught over the years). As a legislator, my legacy would be that we make Kansas a better place for our citizens (all citizens) and address the issues that divide us so we can become united as a state.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I would say it was when the Challenger exploded in 1986. I had worked at the Dept. of Education and was part of the process when they chose Christa McAuliffe to be the teacher going into space. It was truly a sad day! I would have been 23 at the time.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was working at a horticultural shop, planting trees, bushes, flowers and creating corsages and flower arrangements. I only had it for a summer job but it was a fun start.

What is your favorite book? Why?

This is a difficult one (I read a lot ) but My Sisters Keeper by Jodi Picoult always comes to mind. 20 years ago, I gave my sister a kidney transplant (she had been ill since childhood and was in need). This book is about that and so much more. I always find it surreal.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Katniss Everdeen (Hunger Games). She is a warrior but also kind.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

A Million Dreams-A great song about dreaming that we can all have a better perspective and if we dream it, we can do it.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I have had quite a few struggles. I have lived in poverty as a child which gives me a good perspective on those that struggle now. I was in a domestic violence situation for 25 years in my first marriage. This was a struggle as I extricated myself but has also given me perspective for those finding themselves in those situations.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Since the governor has veto power and the legislature has override power, any opportunities to create bills that can be worked through by both entities prior to going to the governor's desk saves time and money. Too much time (and in essence, money) are wasted on creating and passing bills that are known to be vetoed and then possibly overridden. If we are listening to our constituents, if we are working across the aisle, if we are working with the governor to create strong, well-thought out, fiscally responsible legislation, so much more can occur in our state.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

I see one of our biggest challenges in the State of Kansas being financial management-at the state level AND at the personal and family level. As the populous continues to age, many are not properly prepared for retirement and I believe this will put an even greater burden on state and federal resources to keep families and elderly out of homelessness. We need to make sure the state is financially responsible and help teach our youth to be as well. We can overcome past issues but it will take all of us working together to help that happen.

Environmental concerns will continue to be an issue and continue to affect farmers and our food supplies. We must address these concerns and work to find a balance with alternative sources of energy. We must also work as a state to protect the family farm and stop corporations from going on land grabs.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

I think this is a balance question-I think having some knowledge of how government works, how politics works (which I'm still working on) and how to be fiscally responsible are imperative to be a productive legislator. However, I do not believe that the "career politician" is appropriate for our governments and creates issues with no longer looking to their constituents for policy. I think fresh eyes and fresh ideas should always be part of our governmental entities.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

ABSOLUTELY! Working together is the only way good government works. We have to know about our fellow legislators in order to be able to work together. With that said, voting for something just because your "buddy" is isn't good politics. We should always consider our district and our constituents.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

When I look back at our state government, past and present, I would consider these Governors to be fair, fiscally responsible leaders: Governor Laura Kelly, Governor Kathleen Sebelius, Governor Bill Graves, Governor Mike Hayden and Governor John Carlin. All seemed willing to work across the aisle and had the best interest of Kansas in their work. I would consider those my legislative role models.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

I never say never although I truly just want to be the best House of Representative member I can be for my district and my state. I do not perceive myself moving into a higher office.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I have a student that is currently in a loving foster care home. His foster parents have chosen to adopt him and his mother relinquished parental rights (something that took at least 3 years to happen even though the mother hasn't had positive interaction in that time). As the adoption process was close to finalization, an aunt has come forward who wants to take custody even though she also has addiction issues. So now, this young man, must go through the heart-wrenching process of right separation AGAIN in order to be adoptable by the foster parents he has grown to love. This has created even more trauma for a young man who has lived his life in trauma and it may well be that he will be 15 or 16 before he is adoptable. This is one of the stories that has made me want to help our youth in the foster care system.

Tell us your favorite joke.

My teacher called me average ... that's just mean.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

Emergency powers would be used in that manner-EMERGENCY. If the Governor sees the need for an Emergency Order, there isn't time for legislative oversight. We have rarely had to have the use of Emergency Powers but I feel the legislature should grant the use of those powers so things get taken care of as needed, not waiting for a zoom call among legislatures or a call back to Topeka to handle such matters.

What is the first bill you would introduce if elected?

The first bill I believe I will introduce is to stop the confiscation of death benefits from children placed into the foster care system. Those children have the right to those benefits and an ombudsman should be assigned to oversee the funds in a trust for that child. We do not "charge" other children put into the foster care system and we should not be doing so for children due to the death of parents.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

KNEA has given their recommendation. I hope for more as we continue.

What committees interest you?

I believe since I have extensive experience in early childhood, public and special education that these would be good fits for committee work. I also believe I could be helpful with any committees dealing with the foster care system or Medicaid Expansion.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I truly believe that all budgetary items should be transparent and that there is no room for hidden "agendas" built into a budget. The government is the steward of our state's finances and responsible to the people of the state. Just as families in our state are responsible to budget and take care of the bills required of them, so isn't the state government. And when a family purchases outside the family "business", it creates issues. It is the same with our government. We must used our dollars wisely and make sure our constituents know where and why money has been spent.

Would a state ballot initiative process be good or bad for your state?

Kansas does not currently have a ballot initiative process. I don't think this process is "good or bad". I feel if the people of the state feel they're being heard, then an initiative process wouldn't be necessary. The process does allow for constituents to push back against poor legislation and could be a fail-safe for the populous. I do think the process creates fiscal issues since a voting process would have to be put in place for the citizens to vote on such referendums.