Isidro Marino

Isidro Marino (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Kansas State Senate to represent District 39. He lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Marino completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Isidro Marino was born in South El Monte, California. He earned a high school diploma from Garden City High School and an associate degree from Garden City Community College in 2022. His career experience includes working as an agricultural worker, crisis service provider, and direct support professional.^[1]

Elections

2024

General election

General election for Kansas State Senate District 39

Bill Clifford defeated Isidro Marino in the general election for Kansas State Senate District 39 on November 5, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Bill Clifford (R)	80.2	18,095
	Isidro Marino (D)	19.8	4,463

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 22,558
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Kansas State Senate District 39

Isidro Marino advanced from the Democratic primary for Kansas State Senate District 39 on August 6, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Isidro Marino	100.0	525

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 525
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Kansas State Senate District 39

Bill Clifford advanced from the Republican primary for Kansas State Senate District 39 on August 6, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bill Clifford	100.0	6,399

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 6,399
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Marino in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Isidro Marino completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Marino's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m a 24-year-old working-class resident of Garden City, Kansas. I’ve worked in many job sectors for the past eight years. I’m a huge community advocate on a broad spectrum of issues and hope to use my coalition-building and new ideas to bring about positive change in Kansas. I’m a first-generation Mexican-American, and I’m Roman Catholic. Working with community organizations and stakeholders, I’ve learned the importance of elevating choices, issues, and solutions for community members. I graduated from Garden City High School and Garden City Community College. I’m pausing my undergraduate study for social work at Fort Hays State University. Improving the social and economic state of our communities has always been a strong pillar of mine that I hope to ulitize in senate district 39.

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?

Expanding Medicaid
Infrastructure investment
Economic growth

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Economic policy, health policy, criminal justice, social policy and education policy.

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

I admire politicians like former Presidents John F. Kennedy and George W. Bush. Both presidents worked across political aisles and ideologies to solve issues for the country and build bridges with Latino and Hispanic Americans.

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

Not necessarily.

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

The characteristics and principles most important for an elected official are integrity, accountability, transparency, and dedication to serving all communities. A strong understanding of local issues is key to upholding honesty and fairness.

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

My success as an officeholder comes from my commitment to working collaboratively with everyone, regardless of their social or political background, to find standard ground solutions that benefit the entire community. I am also a dedicated worker who will put in the effort needed to accomplish things.

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

I believe core responsibilities for someone elected to this office include representing constituents, making informed decisions on legislation, supporting economic development, ensuring public safety, and advocating for public education and infrastructure projects.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want to leave a legacy of building bridges across political aisles and communities, demonstrating that even a Democrat can effectively serve, lead, and deliver results in a diverse community of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents.

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

The first historical event in my lifetime was the Space Shuttle Endeavour's 2012 flight over Los Angeles. It was the last-ever space shuttle to take flight and was retiring in Los Angeles. I was twelve years old at the time, and it left me with an impression of awe and amazement for aeronautics.

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

My very first job was as a host at Buffalo Wild Wings, where I worked for six months before moving to my second job as a McDonald's worker for two years.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Simple Justice: The History of Brown v. Board of Education and Black America's Struggle for Equality. This book showed me the long journey black Americans faced in gaining equality, desegregating schools, and navigating the complexities of poorly funded schools across America.

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

Smalltown Boy by Bronski Beat.

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

One of my struggles is making ends meet as a working-class, first-generation American. This experience has given me a deep understanding of many families' challenges and drives my commitment to advocating for policies that support working people and promote economic stability.

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

The ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature is mutual respect and collaboration. The governor should work with legislators to address the needs of our communities, ensure transparency, and focus on policies that support economic growth, education, and healthcare. We can create effective solutions that benefit all Kansans and strengthen our state by fostering open communication and working together.

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

As a candidate in western Kansas, I believe the state will face several significant challenges over the next decade: economic diversification, rural healthcare access, education funding, infrastructure development, managing water resources, and population decline.

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

Yes, having previous experience in government or politics can benefit state legislators, as it provides them with a deeper understanding of the legislative process and the complexities of public policy. However, it's equally important to have individuals with lived experience in the community—like average blue-collar workers—shape public policy. Their firsthand knowledge and perspectives ensure that the needs and concerns of everyday Kansans are represented and addressed. Combining both types of experience helps create more well-rounded and effective policies that genuinely reflect our state's diverse voices and experiences.

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

Building relationships with other legislators, regardless of political affiliation, is essential. This collaboration helps ensure that we address local issues effectively and work together to find standard solutions for the benefit of all Kansans.

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

I believe a legislator I would like to model myself after would be former State Rep. Russell Jennings and State Senator John Doll.

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

That is possible, but at the current moment, I would like to focus on running for state senate.

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?

A particular story, an issue that is occurring among many residents in my district that I have found impactful is choosing to treat health issues and pay essential bills.

Tell us your favorite joke.

I do not have one.

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

I believe the legislature should have a mix of overseeing and granting the use of emergency powers.

What is the first bill you would introduce if elected?

Expansion of Medicaid.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

The Center for Freethought and Equality has endorsed my campaign.

What committees interest you?

Committees that interest me are Commerce, Agriculture & Natural Resources, Education, Transportation, and the Kansas Senior Care Task Force.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I believe in strict financial transparency and strong government accountability to ensure public trust and responsible use of taxpayer funds.

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

A state ballot initiative process should benefit the state if all legal procedures are met.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

Isidro Marino campaign contribution history
Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	Kansas State Senate District 39	Lost general	$0	$0
Grand total			$0	$0
Sources: OpenSecrets, Federal Elections Commission *This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Candidate

Kansas State Senate District 39

Personal

Footnotes

↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on September 9, 2024

[show]

Current members of the Kansas State Senate

Leadership

Senate President:Ty Masterson

Majority Leader:Chase Blasi

Minority Leader:Dinah Sykes

Senators

District 1

Craig Bowser (R)

District 2

Marci Francisco (D)

District 3

Rick Kloos (R)

District 4

David Haley (D)

District 5

Jeff Klemp (R)

District 6

Pat Pettey (D)

District 7

Ethan Corson (D)

District 8

Cindy Holscher (D)

District 9

Beverly Gossage (R)

District 10

Mike Thompson (R)

District 11

Kellie Warren (R)

District 12

Caryn Tyson (R)

District 13

Tim Shallenburger (R)

District 14

Michael Fagg (R)

District 15

Virgil Peck (R)

District 16

Ty Masterson (R)

District 17

Mike Argabright (R)

District 18

Kenny Titus (R)

District 19

Patrick Schmidt (D)

District 20

Brenda Dietrich (R)

District 21

Dinah Sykes (D)

District 22

Brad Starnes (R)

District 23

Adam Thomas (R)

District 24

Scott Hill (R)

District 25

Mary Ware (D)

District 26

Chase Blasi (R)

District 27

Joe Claeys (R)

District 28

Mike Petersen (R)

District 29

Oletha Faust-Goudeau (D)

District 30

Renee Erickson (R)

District 31

Stephen Owens (R)

District 32

Larry Alley (R)

District 33

Tory Blew (R)

District 34

Michael Murphy (R)

District 35

TJ Rose (R)

District 36

Elaine Bowers (R)

District 37

Douglas Shane (R)

District 38

Ronald Ryckman (R)

District 39

Bill Clifford (R)

District 40

Rick Billinger (R)

Republican Party (31)

Democratic Party (9)

[1] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on September 9, 2024

[1]

	v • e State of Kansas Topeka (capital)
Elections	What's on my ballot? \| Elections in 2025 \| How to vote \| How to run for office \| Ballot measures
Government	Who represents me? \| U.S. President \| U.S. Congress \| Federal courts \| State executives \| State legislature \| State and local courts \| Counties \| Cities \| School districts \| Public policy

Isidro Marino

Contents

Biography

Elections

2024

General election

General election for Kansas State Senate District 39

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Kansas State Senate District 39

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Kansas State Senate District 39

Endorsements

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Campaign finance summary

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

2025 Elections

2026 Elections

2024 Election analysis

Trending

Public Policy

Information for candidates

Get Engaged

Services

Additional analysis

SITE NAVIGATION