About Ken

Ken was raised on a diversified family farm and ranch outside of Agra, where he lives today with his wife of 35 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).

For the last decade, Ken has served constituents in the 110th District of the Kansas House of Representatives where he is currently Chair of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee and serves on the House Committee on Appropriations and Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget Committee. He is previous Chair of Higher Education Budget Committee and former Vice - Chair of the Committee on Water. He has championed business in the state of Kansas and worked with leaders to develop tax policy that keeps more money in the pockets of our people.

He understands small business, and currently serves as President of Authentic Ag Inc., an agriculture communication company, which features the Kansas Ag Report television show, which is broadcast across the state of Kansas on Saturday mornings and Ken leads the agriculture broadcast team for the Western Kansas Broadcast Center and The Ag Network based in Garden City.

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 Kansas.

Ken is married to Lori (Hoopingarner) Rahjes, originally from Manter, Kansas, and together they have four grown children and a grand daughter.

Ken and Lori are members of the United Presbyterian Church, Phillipsburg. He is also a member of the Phillips County Farm Bureau (Past President), Phillipsburg Rotary, Huck Boyd Institute for Rural Development and Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom.  

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 ten years, and look forward to serve the citizens of the great state of Kansas at Secretary of State. I believe in the people of Kansas.

As I travel across the state on the campaign trail, the same issues are brought up with fellow Kansans: The want fair and honest elections, and know that their vote matters is counted and they have confidence in all elections. They want their family to be safe, have good roads, good school and the state of Kansas to get out of their way.

The Secretary of State can help guide businesses large and small to start, expand or move here and call our state home. We will work hand in hand to make the process as smooth as possible with as few delays as possible then get out of the way and watch their success.

As a native Kansan, I understand 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 then you add manufacturing and technical start-ups all across our state and major corporate headquarters in Sedgwick and Johnson Counties we have the tools for success.

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 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.

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.  We need to work diligently to do the things which will hamper agricultural opportunities on the land or on main-street.   Water is the key to life; we must use it wisely and efficiently. I am proud to have carried the Water Task Force legislation this past session as we look for long term solutions to refine and support the state water plan.

Elections: One of the cornerstones of being an American is the right to vote. You must have confidence that the vote you cast will be accepted and counted accurately and you have confidence in the system. Many of us in the legislature has passed bills that protect our elections, but we must continue to stay vigilant. We must do more audits and work with our county clerks and/or county elections officers to make sure they have the tools and training they need to have full confidence in the election process and citizens trust each election. I voted for the end of the three day grace period for ballot returns, the election stops on election day. It will be incumbent upon political parties and candidates to encourage voters to not wait till the last day to send it their ballot if they will not be voting on election day. I will have more on this very important topic as the campaign unfolds.

Taxes:    Wise investment of tax revenue must be a top priority and we must continue to strive for lower taxes and limited government. . A thorough review of services at each level of government must be conducted and all branches of government must work together to lower tax rates and limit 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 state stronger. We need to cut the red tape which does not encourage growth. As Secretary of State, I have a vision of working with stakeholders to go beyond the filing of forms, but finish the one-stop portal , so the State of Kansas does not hinder your opportunity to expand and grow your business. The Secretary of State’s office is one of the first stops you make to start a business or move to our state, we must be friendly and welcoming, but determined to complete the process of starting in a expedited manner. Plus, we need to continue to work on solutions to bring affordable housing and child care opportunities to many undeserved communities in the state.

Education: I believe in public education and schools of all sizes. I am opposed to any attempt to close or force consolidation of any public school, 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 past 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. 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 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. We must continue to find better ways to treat and fund mental health, this 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.