About Ken

Ken was raised on a diversified family farm and ranch outside of Agra, where he lives today with his wife of 30 years, Lori. Growing up in rural north central Kansas, Ken learned the values of work, stewardship, loyalty and trust from his family members and neighbors. Ken attended Colby Community College and Kansas State University where he studied agricultural communications. He is also a graduate of the Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership (KARL) program, (Class III).

He understands small business, and currently serves as President of Authentic Ag Inc., an agriculture communication company, which features: AgView.net and the AgView Radio Network where he broadcasts agri-business updates on radio stations in Kansas and Nebraska on a daily basis and operates and updates the AgView.net website and related social media platforms with stories important to agriculture and rural interests. Ken and Lori also own the Kansas Ag Report television show, which is broadcast across the state of Kansas on Saturday mornings and Ken leads the agriculture broadcast team in southwest Kansas on the radio stations of Southwind Broadcasting L.L.C. based in Garden City.   Also, in the fall of 2019, Authentic Ag Inc., purchased a multi county, weekly published,  free shopper and rebranded it State Line Shopper.

Ken began working as a broadcaster in high school and has always had an interest in telling the story of rural America.  He has also served in the financial services industry and as a Congressional agricultural aide. In addition, Ken spent a number of years working on the family farm and ranch.

Although his career has taken him to several communities across the state and region, Ken’s roots have always remained firmly planted in agriculture and in Phillips County, Kansas.

Ken is married to Lori (Hoopingarner) Rahjes, originally from Manter, Kansas, and together they have four children: Will and his wife Jena (Bowman), Grant, Sarah Bartlett and her husband Gus and Matthew. 

In August of 2020, Ken and Lori became grandparents with the birth of Kennedy Josephine Bartlett (Kenny Jo).

Ken and Lori are members of the First Presbyterian Church, Phillipsburg. He is also a member of the Phillips County Farm Bureau (Past President), Phillipsburg Rotary and Phillipsburg Chamber and Main Street.

Why Me

I get this question from people of all ages, “what made you want to get into politics?  I said well, I wanted to be one to help work on solutions “in the arena” not on the sidelines.

We as Kansans, get up everyday and head off to work, school or other daily activities, and all face challenges to pay the bills and have a little for retirement or a rainy day.  I am proud to have served you the last five years, and look forward to finding solutions to the issues we all deal with.  I believe in the people of Kansas. I believe that together we will find the answers to fund the programs which assist our most vulnerable citizens.

Agriculture is the backbone of the Kansas economy and we need to have strong voices to fight undo regulations that hamper business expansion, and stand up to those who do not use sound science and common sense when it comes to the production of food, fuel and fiber. I am honored to serve as Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee.

I will continue to fight for a fair chance for our small rural schools. I will continue to help find long-term solutions to keep medical facilities open. I aspire to serve citizens of all ages and I will continue to defend the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and your rights as a law abiding citizen in Kansas.

I am pro-life, pro-business, pro-agriculture, pro-energy and especially pro-Kansas.

The world is changing, but some things like hard work, perseverance  and Kansas values, those things should never change. These are the reasons why I choose to be involved.

Where I Stand

Life: I believe that life starts at conception and I will continue to be a strong voice for the unborn. I am proud to have received the endorsement of Kansans for Life and Family Policy Alliance.  I am adopted and want to be a better advocate for those who need a forever home.

Second Amendment: I am a proud member of the National Rifle Association and will defend your right to defend yourself, your family, your property and will work to preserve your options regarding ownership of firearms. I am proud to have received an “A” rating from the NRA and endorsement of the NRA-PVF and Kansas Rifle Association PAC.

Agriculture:The heartbeat of Kansas runs through agriculture.  Farmers and ranchers are resilient and continue to work hard everyday to grow the food, fuel and fiber we need on a daily basis. I am proud to receive the endorsement of the Kansas Farm Bureau and Kansas Livestock Association. We need to work diligently not to pass legislation which will hamper agricultural opportunities on the land or on main-street.  I continue to be a supporter of exploring the future of industrial hemp in Kansas, and look forward to learning more through the efforts of local producers, K-State Research & Extension and the Kansas Department of Agriculture. Water is the key to life; we must use it wisely and efficiently. I am proud to have served as Vice-Chairman of the Water & Environment Committee, where we brought all stakeholders together in support of state water plan.

Taxes: I continue to serve as a member of the tax committee and worked to keep big tax increases at bay. It is time to bring a honest and thoughtful plan to reduce if not eliminate the sales tax on food.  The state and national economy are continuing to improve, and we must continue to strive to attain a tax system which does not unfairly burden the job creators and those who produce goods and services.  I appreciate, as do most, the idea of lower taxes and limited government. We must continue to pass legislation which limits the power and reach of government. 

Economic Development: We must give the citizens of Kansas the best chance to succeed, as an entrepreneur, sole proprietor, LLC, or corporation. We must keep fighting undue and burdensome regulations that discourage expansion and job creation. We must also make it easier to transition a small business from one generation to the other. Our strength is when we come together with a common goal of making our area stronger. We need to cut the red tape which does not encourage growth.  We need investment programs which encourage public/private partnerships for housing and service sector businesses in undeserved communities. We need to continue to work on solutions to bring affordable housing opportunities to many undeserved communities in the state. I am honored to receive the endorsements of the  National Federation of Independent Business - Kansas and Kansas REALTORS® Political Action Committee.

Education: I believe in public education and small schools. I am opposed to any attempt to close or force consolidation of any school in the 110th District, without a viable, reasonable, and a factual plan.  We need to get beyond the name calling and talking above each other and seek real solutions.  Rhetoric does not teach students the skills they need to be successful. We all agree, a strong education system helps citizens of all ages.  It is imperative that we have good schools across the state which prepare students higher education which in turn helps create a work force of informed and engaged citizens.   As the next Chairman of Higher Education Budget Committee, I believe we need to continue to invest and encourage vocational education, as every community will need the next generation of service providers. We must also support and encourage research at our colleges and universities and support the Board of Regents as they strive for excellence and expand their reach, this will mean honest and forward looking conversations to meet the skills Kansans need.

Transportation & Safety: Good, safe roads and highways are necessary for the movement of products and people. The IKE Transportation plan is a good roadmap for the future, I am looking forward to the completing of the expanded Hwy 383, this is imperative from commerce and safety concerns as the T-WORKS plan gets completed before new projects will begin. 

I am a strong supporter of the men and women of the Kansas Highway Patrol along with county and local law enforcement personnel.  Grateful they protect and serve.

Health Care: First, a big thank you to the first responders and medical professionals who answer the call day and night. There are still many unanswered questions of the role of the federal government in health care.  Both sides are using scare tactics to push the conversation. We need strong rural hospitals and we need to seek fact-based answers. Finding long term funding sources will be the key to whether medical systems survive or not.  I am still learning more about medical use marijuana and believe we will have more  discussions about it’s future, but I remain opposed to the recreational use of marijuana in Kansas. We must continue to find better ways to treat and fund mental health. Small steps were made in the last session, but we are not making as good of progress and possible.  Mental health is not a partisan issues, it is one of compassion, understanding and support that is important to all of us.

Opportunity: We choose to live where we live and have many things that can often be taken for granted: clear skies, quiet evenings and friends who will drop everything if you need help. Technology makes it possible for many people and businesses to make an impact beyond their immediate area. We need to continue to work with stakeholders to bring faster and reliable broadband internet connections to our communities.