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Mark Powls
From Ballotpedia
This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.
Mark Powls (Republican Party) ran for election to the Kansas House of Representatives to represent District 5. He lost in the Republican primary on August 4, 2020.
Powls completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Mark Powls was born in Garnett, Kansas. Powls served in the U.S. Army from 1979 to 2007. He obtained a bachelor's degree in 1984 and a master's degree in 1986, both from Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas. His professional experience includes working as a music instrument repair technician and educator, as a custodian for St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Catholic School and First Christian Church, as the owner of Renaissance Man Construction, Inc., and the owner and manager for The Coffee Loft, LLC. Powls is affiliated with the First Christian Church Praise & Worship Team and the Founders Keep Anderson County chapter of the Constitution & Founding History Study Group.[1]
Elections
2020
See also: Kansas House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Kansas House of Representatives District 5
Incumbent Mark Samsel defeated Roger Sims in the general election for Kansas House of Representatives District 5 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Mark Samsel (R) | 77.3 | 8,061 |
 | Roger Sims (D)  | 22.7 | 2,362 | |
| Total votes: 10,423 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Kansas House of Representatives District 5
Roger Sims advanced from the Democratic primary for Kansas House of Representatives District 5 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Roger Sims | 100.0 | 870 |
| Total votes: 870 | |||
| = 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 House of Representatives District 5
Incumbent Mark Samsel defeated Mark Powls in the Republican primary for Kansas House of Representatives District 5 on August 4, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Mark Samsel | 60.2 | 2,181 |
 | Mark Powls | 39.8 | 1,442 | |
| Total votes: 3,623 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = 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
To view Powls' endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.
Campaign themes
2020
Video for Ballotpedia
| Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released July 12, 2020 |
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Mark Powls completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Powls' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Mark Powls was born on April 12, 1961, the youngest of five children, to parents, Bill and Wilma Powls of Garnett, Kansas. He served with H.Q. Battery, 1st Bn, 127th Field Artillery Kansas Army National Guard in Ottawa, KS as a counter mortar radar mechanic/operator and NBC (Nuclear Biological, Chemical Warfare Defense) NCO until 1983. He later served with the 35th Infantry Division Band, Kansas Army National Guard in Olathe, Kansas. Sergeant Powls retired in 2007 in the rank of Sergeant First Class (SFC), with 22 years of service. He earned his B.M.E. and M.M. at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas and taught 15 years in the public schools as a band director. Mark married his wife of twenty-two years, Carmen Hofer Powls, on June 6, 1998 and the two were blessed with daughters, Bethany (20 yrs) and April (17 yrs). He taught part-time in a local private Catholic school as a music teacher, P.E. Teacher, and custodian for 12 years while operating his own construction business and Coffeehouse/restaurant until the housing market collapse of 2009-13. Mark now owns a new business called, "MP Vantage Solutions, LLC" & repairs musical instruments, tunes pianos, & sells music accessories for the area. He is co-chair for the "FOUNDERS KEEP" Anderson Co, KS Charter which is a constitution/founding history study group founded in Gardner, KS. Mark hopes to serve as your Kansas District 5 Rep. to help restore constitutional government for Kansans.
- To guard our natural Right to (ALL) human Life, Liberty, and ownership of Property without government infringements and promote local control of our cities and counties and less regulation from State government.
- To phase out the unconstitutional practice of taxing our real & personal Property while replacing it with a flatter, fair tax that is up for vote to be reduced, retained, or increased locally with a cap based on school population.
- To reform our public schools so they are compliant with our Kansas Constitution, less costly, and highly efficient while making sure most funding gets to our teachers and their classrooms which should be our priority.
- It is not the job of State's government to save lives but to create an environment and infrastructure that serves the interest of the "general" public, not groups, individuals, special interests, private corporations, or social welfare.
- Government should create an environment in which business owners, individuals, and farmers can own their properties without it being taxed by government (exception: land/property as stated in our Kansas Constitution).
- The "Use it, or Lose it Rule for appropriations in taxpayer funded public institutions should be abolished and replaced with a requisition policy based on need and unused funds can be rolled over into the following year if not used.
- A review of our Kansas Constitution by the KS legislative body to recognize that all power to appropriate funding to our schools is vested with the Legislatures, not the judicial branch or the governor and our local school boards actually have control over their own school districts while the KS board of Education has "general" oversight. This recognition will improve the efficiency and outcomes of all Kansas schools instead of having a one size fits all policy coming from the Federal Department of Education and State Board of Education.
Jesus Christ is who I will always look up to but will always fall short of this example now matter how hard I try. Christ is the ultimate, best example that one could follow as He is the example of pure Truth in this world. He gave it all and took the fall in the harshest, most humiliating way for me and I can't overlook that. The world would be far more barbaric and cruel without His time on earth.
"The 5000 Year Leap" by Cleon Skousen "The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Constitution" by Dr. Kevin Gutzman, or "9 Presidents Who Screwed Up America" by Dr. Brion McClanahan, and "Sovereign Duty" by Krisanne Hall, to name a few . I liked the HBO movie series, "John Adams" as well.
Honesty, transparency, knowing your place as a public servant and not the other way around, a good working knowledge and understanding of your constitution, and Oath-Keeper no matter how inconvenient it is to you or your district.
I'm not doing this for own pleasure or for an agenda. I'm doing it because government has exceeded its limited and defined nature per its original purpose for existence. The Kansas Constitution is a fairly simple document to understand for a very good reason. I can read and understand it and determine whether or not a Statute or ACT is not pursuant to the constitution. I understand that my job will be to protect the Right to Life, Liberty, and Property for all of the people in my district. if they are angry with their government, then there is surely a good reason for it and that needs to be remedied.
You have to know what's in the Kansas Constitution and the U.S. Constitution for the General Government. You have to have an understanding how your State's Government and the U.S. General Government is to function together in true federalism. You must understand that it is a requirement that we have republican forms of government and States are sovereign countries that are part of a united compact. The U.S. General Government is NOT superior to any State because it is not sovereign. The core responsibility of any branch of a government is to protect the natural Right of all Kansans to Life, Liberty, and Property without infringements by government or other individuals. It is the responsibility of our elected officials to insure that no BILL is drafted and passed that is not in pursuance to that mission.
I do not want to leave a legacy; I just want our government to do its enumerated job, then stay out of the lives and pocket books of Kansans so they can thrive.
I vaguely remember the residual effects of the JFK assassination but was old enough to remember Robert Kennedy's assassination, followed by the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination, and later the Apollo 11 mission where we landed the first humans on the moon. I was born in 1961.
Working 40 hour weeks for City of Garnett Parks & Recreation at age 15 years during the summer for $1.75 per hour.
Bible - Because it is the book of life that everyone can understand
"The Law" by Frederic Bastiat because it is a blueprint for a Free Society
"The Law" by Frederic Bastiat because it is a blueprint for a Free Society
Captain America (it's all about the shield and the suite of course). The guy was humble and made ethical decisions that were about protecting the Rights of others.
"Carry On My Wayward Son" - KANSAS It just keep coming back and I can't get rid of it.
Avoiding the destructive nature of bad government. Every time I start to grow a business they've already set the wheels in motion to kill it through excessive regulation or unreasonable taxes, especially property taxes and we have to reform that.
A bicameral system is more similar to what was created for the U.S. general government by the original 13 sovereign States which also include the same checks and balances between the branches of government. Like the U.S. General Government most bicameral representative bodies function to the State's government. The Senate will confirm or deny a governor's appointments, committees, etc in the executive branch of our State government. The Senate will also concur with legislation drafted by the State's Lower house of Representatives during the regular legislative session. The lower house of representatives function as the direct representatives of the several smaller districts in creating legislation. It is the lower house that will create legislation that most directly effects the lives of those they represent.
I believe it is very important but it's more important that a potential legislator understand his/her State's constitution first because no bill shall be passed if not in pursuance to our Constitutions as written and ratified. I have no experience working in government but if I win this election, it will be studied daily until the first session begins in January 2021. Being a Legislator will not be a part-time job for me. It will be a year-round occupation of mostly donated time in research, study, and preparation.
COVID-19 has already had a negative social-economic effect on our State and it will likely get worse as the economy tanks and more people are left without work to pay bills. Government will attempt to save itself before it will think about the people's Right to Life, Liberty, and Property unless good people are elected to serve who want to reform government. COVID-19 did not collapse the economy, cause businesses to fail, and create shortfalls in an already overextended government. It was government's reaction to the COVID-19 scare that caused all of this so it should be the job of government to reign itself in so the people, farmers, and the small business owners can get back on their feet and restore this economy through a free market. The purpose of government is the secure the Rights of the people, not the other way around, and that's what it should do.
The idea relationship would be for the governor to obey his/her constitution as enumerated in Article 1 (Executive) and for the personnel elected to serve in the State's Legislature to obey their oaths to the Kansas Constitution per Article 2 regardless what party they affiliate themselves with when running for election.
Yes, relationships were built before, during, and after the founding period of our Articles of Confederation and eventually, the U.S. Constitution for the general government by the several sovereign and Independent States. The same should be true today. I do not believe there should be restrictions on that as long as everything is on the table during legislative sessions. This is how we prepare and plan. We have to talk with each other. To silence like-minded individuals in, and outside, regular session works against our governments. Ethic Rules are already in place to hold those accountable that choose to behave in a manner that is bad for government and those they serve.
In Kansas I believe the best method for redistricting by population is by considering the communities and how similar they are. There is no perfect way to create our districts but I do believe that social-economic commonalities is the preferred method at the moment. The system of following property lines, roads, and highways is an acceptable method for drawing out the lines as well.
Education, assessment and taxation, Judiciary to name a few that are in my sights that may need some reform and constitutional guidance.
I am not a Legislator yet.
I would not be interested in joining the leadership in my first term unless asked to do so.
I do not know enough about each of the current or past legislators to make that kind of judgement. I would prefer to make my own way and other legislators should do the same according to their district. Their behavior should be directed by the Kansas Constitution as written and ratified.
Only if I'm asked to serve or if there was a need for someone like me. Otherwise no, I would rather return to my normal life and focus on my family and small business. I'm only doing this because I was asked to serve and it was necessary. If not me, then who?
In an effort to avoid the detail, let me just say that many people are not happy that they've lost their job, business, or farm profits due to the COVID-19 scare and the excessive reaction to it . It will take a long time to get over this, if that's even possible.
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.
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on July 13, 2020
Current members of the Kansas House of Representatives
Leadership
Speaker of the House:Daniel Hawkins
Majority Leader:Chris Croft
Minority Leader:Brandon Woodard
Representatives
District 1
Dale Helwig (R)
District 2
Kenneth Collins (R)
District 3
Chuck Smith (R)
District 4
Rick James (R)
District 5
Carrie Barth (R)
District 6
Samantha Poetter (R)
District 7
Dan Goddard (R)
District 8
Chris Croft (R)
District 9
Fred Gardner (R)
District 10
Suzanne Wikle (D)
District 11
Ron Bryce (R)
District 12
Doug Blex (R)
District 13
Duane Droge (R)
District 14
Charlotte Esau (R)
District 15
Lauren Bohi (R)
District 16
District 17
Jo Ella Hoye (D)
District 18
Cindy Neighbor (D)
District 19
District 20
Mari-Lynn Poskin (D)
District 21
Jerry Stogsdill (D)
District 22
Lindsay Vaughn (D)
District 23
Susan Ruiz (D)
District 24
Jarrod Ousley (D)
District 25
Rui Xu (D)
District 26
Chip VanHouden (R)
District 27
Sean Tarwater (R)
District 28
Carl Turner (R)
District 29
Heather Meyer (D)
District 30
Laura Williams (R)
District 31
Louis Ruiz (D)
District 32
Pam Curtis (D)
District 33
Carolyn Caiharr (R)
District 34
Valdenia Winn (D)
District 35
Wanda Paige (D)
District 36
Lynn Melton (D)
District 37
Melissa Oropeza (D)
District 38
Timothy Johnson (R)
District 39
Angela Stiens (R)
District 40
David Buehler (R)
District 41
Pat Proctor (R)
District 42
Lance Neelly (R)
District 43
Bill Sutton (R)
District 44
Barbara Ballard (D)
District 45
Mike Amyx (D)
District 46
District 47
Ronald Ellis (R)
District 48
Dan Osman (D)
District 49
Nikki McDonald (D)
District 50
Kyle McNorton (R)
District 51
Megan Steele (R)
District 52
Jesse Borjon (R)
District 53
Kirk Haskins (D)
District 54
Ken Corbet (R)
District 55
District 56
Virgil Weigel (D)
District 57
John Alcala (D)
District 58
Alexis Simmons (D)
District 59
Rebecca Schmoe (R)
District 60
Mark Schreiber (R)
District 61
Francis Awerkamp (R)
District 62
Sean Willcott (R)
District 63
Allen Reavis (R)
District 64
Lewis Bloom (R)
District 65
Shawn Chauncey (R)
District 66
Sydney Carlin (D)
District 67
Angel Roeser (R)
District 68
Nathan Butler (R)
District 69
Clarke Sanders (R)
District 70
Greg Wilson (R)
District 71
Steven Howe (R)
District 72
Avery Anderson (R)
District 73
Rick Wilborn (R)
District 74
Mike King (R)
District 75
Will Carpenter (R)
District 76
Brad Barrett (R)
District 77
Kristey Williams (R)
District 78
Robyn Essex (R)
District 79
Webster Roth (R)
District 80
Bill Rhiley (R)
District 81
Blake Carpenter (R)
District 82
Leah Howell (R)
District 83
Henry Helgerson (D)
District 84
Ford Carr (D)
District 85
Steven Brunk (R)
District 86
Silas Miller (D)
District 87
Susan Estes (R)
District 88
Sandy Pickert (R)
District 89
KC Ohaebosim (D)
District 90
Steve Huebert (R)
District 91
Emil Bergquist (R)
District 92
John Carmichael (D)
District 93
Brian Bergkamp (R)
District 94
Leo Delperdang (R)
District 95
Tom Sawyer (D)
District 96
Tom Kessler (R)
District 97
Nick Hoheisel (R)
District 98
Cyndi Howerton (R)
District 99
Susan Humphries (R)
District 100
Daniel Hawkins (R)
District 101
Joe Seiwert (R)
District 102
Kyler Sweely (R)
District 103
Angela Martinez (D)
District 104
Paul Waggoner (R)
District 105
Jill Ward (R)
District 106
Lisa Moser (R)
District 107
Dawn Wolf (R)
District 108
Brandon Woodard (D)
District 109
Troy Waymaster (R)
District 110
Ken Rahjes (R)
District 111
Barbara Wasinger (R)
District 112
Sherri Brantley (R)
District 113
Brett Fairchild (R)
District 114
District 115
Gary White (R)
District 116
Kyle Hoffman (R)
District 117
Adam Turk (R)
District 118
Jim Minnix (R)
District 119
Jason Goetz (R)
District 120
Adam Smith (R)
District 121
John Resman (R)
District 122
Lon Pishny (R)
District 123
Bob Lewis (R)
District 124
Martin Long (R)
District 125
Shannon Francis (R)
Republican Party (88)
Democratic Party (37)
