Kansas House of Representatives District 15 candidate surveys, 2022

Elections in Kansas, 2022

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This article shows responses from candidates in the 2022 election for Kansas House of Representatives District 15 who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

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• Click here to see Candidate Connection survey responses.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Kansas House of Representatives District 15

Allison Hougland defeated Matt Bingesser in the general election for Kansas House of Representatives District 15 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Allison Hougland (D)	50.7	2,915
		Matt Bingesser (R)	49.3	2,837

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,752
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

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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.

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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?

Matt Bingesser (R)

I will back the blue and prioritize public safety. We need to address rising violent and property crime and work with our federal partners to end drug and human trafficking.

Inflation and high taxes are hurting Kansas families. We need to work to reduce sales and property taxes and restore our nation's supply chain.

We need to fully fund Kansas schools, including special education. We also need to focus on a curriculum that prepares our students for their future.

Allison Hougland (D)

Healthcare. Allison supports expanding Medicaid because the federal tax dollars of hardworking Kansans deserve to be invested here. We have already forfeited an estimated $3 billion in federal funds that could have helped save rural hospitals and provided healthcare to 130,000 Kansans, including 40,000 children. Mental healthcare is healthcare. Abortion is healthcare. Allison will work hard to ensure every Kansan has access to the healthcare they need.

Education Allison was born in Olathe, attended Olathe public schools, and now has grandchildren in those same schools, which is why education will always be a top priority for her. In 2019, under the leadership of Governor Kelly, Kansas finally restored adequate and equitable funding to our public schools after more than a decade of neglect. Yet to prepare our students to compete in a global economy, Kansans cannot settle for adequate. Right now, teachers are fleeing the profession due to hostile work environments and inadequate pay, leaving behind a serious teacher shortage. We must act by increasing teacher pay, restoring due process protections for teachers, and making sure that Gov. Kelly achieves her goal of establishing the best and m

Affordable Housing. Due to skyrocketing home prices, home ownership is increasingly out of reach for many hardworking Kansans. As rents increase, the ability for average wage earners to put together a down payment for a home decreases, creating a vicious cycle. As a real estate agent and volunteer at a local cold weather shelter, Allison is passionate about the need for affordable housing. To break the cycle, she would like to create incentives for developers to build more quality, low-cost housing in our communities, to develop ways to help renters become homeowners, and to raise the minimum wage.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Matt Bingesser (R)

I am passionate about promoting good government, strong schools, safe communities, and enhanced infrastructure. We need to work towards policies that benefit the people, not just the special interests. I am committed to being an independent voice for my community.

Allison Hougland (D)

Reducing Residential Property Tax for Kansans is the topic that is prevalent for voters in House District 15. Most frequently constituents have voiced concerns about staying in their homes with the continuous increase in Property taxes. The House Democrats have a plan for that of which I am fully on board. The current rate for Residential property tax is 11.5% of valuation - we propose a reduction to 9%. A return to implementation of the Local Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Fund will send tax dollars to local governments that would provide a strong tool to begin lowering local property taxes. We also want to raise the residential property exemption for the school mill levy from $40,000 to $65,000. That was raised in 2021 from $20,000 to $40,000 - which provided estimated $46/residence. This 3 pronged approach will provide real savings that our residents need, especially those on fixed incomes.

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

Matt Bingesser (R)

The core responsibility of being a state legislator includes being a delegate of the values and policy preferences of your constituents, while also realizing you have an obligation to make decisions that are in the best interests of the state overall.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Matt Bingesser (R)

I would like to leave a legacy that demonstrates I was able to do something that made a difference in the lives of the people I represent. There will be many opportunities in 2023 to pass transformative legislation that improves our society for the better and I believe that is a good legacy to reference back to once I am out of public office.

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

Matt Bingesser (R)

My first job was as the Christian education assistant at an Olathe based church. I held this position during high school and while I was completing my undergraduate degree at UMKC. Altogether I worked at this job for about three and half years.

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

Matt Bingesser (R)

There was a Facebook reel that had the song "Classic" by MKTO as its background music that I watched scrolling though Facebook. This song has been stuck in my head for most of the day.

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

Matt Bingesser (R)

The governor and state legislature need to be able to work collaboratively to ensure positive results are accomplished for the people of Kansas. Gridlock can bring the lawmaking process to a halt and waste taxpayer resources on pointless partisan battles. In Kansas, the governor has a veto power over bills and should be offering their insight and advice throughout the lawmaking process.

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

Matt Bingesser (R)

Kansas is experiencing slow population growth and even population decline some years. A smaller population is bad for our economy and we need to ensure we are attracting and retaining workers to ensure our economy remains strong for generations of Kansans.

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

Matt Bingesser (R)

Yes, having good relationships with your legislative colleagues helps to achieve results for the people of Kansas. It is especially important to be able to work with legislators who are experts in certain areas of policy so that you can learn from their knowledge and experiences.

See also

More about these elections:

• Kansas House of Representatives elections, 2022

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