Hutchinson resident Erich Bishop Wednesday announced his campaign for the Kansas House of Representatives, 102nd District. That district is currently represented by Jan Pauls.

Speaking in front of Hutchinson City Hall, Bishop outlined the reasons for his run.

“The current concerns of this district, and of Hutchinson, fall on deaf ears in the capitol. Instead of bringing jobs to Hutchinson, our current representative supported a voter-suppression law that disenfranchised residents of our city,” Bishop said.

Pauls, also a Democrat, voted last year for Secretary of State Kris Kobach’s voter identification bill. Critics of the bill have raised questions about its constitutionality, and have shown that certain provisions of the bill will have the effect of disenfranchising some classes of voters, particularly elderly, disabled, and minority citizens.

“Instead of making sure there are plenty of teachers for our children, our representative has spent her time trying to legalize discrimination,” Bishop said. “She has done little to protect Hutchonians from the whims of social conservatives. She is content to ensure that political dysfunction continues to be business as usual. She will continue to demonstrate, again and again, that she is willing to disregard us, the people she represents, and our community,” he said.

Bishop, a graduate of the University of Kansas, is a native of Hutchinson and says he is committed to improving the community, and to bringing jobs and economic development to Hutchinson. “I will not turn a blind eye to the issues affecting my community,” Bishop said. “I want the opportunity to go to bat for the people that live in my district and my state.”
Bishop will face Pauls in the August 7, 2012, Democratic primary.

Bishop says, “In her 20 years as state representative, Pauls has done little to improve the quality of life in our city. It’s time for the 102nd District to be represented by a Democrat who will stand up for the people, and not a narrow personal agenda.”