ATCHISON — Republican U.S. Congressman Steve Watkins is confident.
Despite winning his very first election to public office ever in 2018 by less than a percentage point, despite the announcement earlier this month by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee that it is targeting his seat, despite all his left-leaning opponents are prepared to do to ensure he will serve for only two years, he believes the GOP will win easily.
“Because they’re running on this impeachment partisan nonsense,” Watkins said. “Because they’re putting forth a candidate, which is probably going to be the most liberal presidential candidate in the history of our country. They’re going to try to win with that, and it’s not going to work, it’s not going to work at the federal level, it’s not going to work at the state or local levels.”
Watkins for a few precious weeks in winter 2019 went unchallenged for the general election, but that changed in a big way in early January, when Mayor Michelle De La Isla of Topeka declared she would be the lone Democratic contender for the U.S. 2nd Congressional District of Kansas, which covers almost all of the eastern third of the Sunflower State.
Watkins also is facing a primary challenge from State Treasurer Jake LaTurner, but the Republican Party appears to have limited interest in changing horses when the Democrats are investing big resources in taking the seat.
LaTurner received the endorsement of the previous GOP governor, Jeff Colyer, and a few others who have argued that the freshman congressman is too inexperienced and has faced too many political setbacks to be a sure hope for re-election — such as an episode in late 2019 when reports arose that Watkins had been using a UPS Store as his registered Kansas address.
Since that time, however, Watkins has had little difficulty flowing between busy committee hearings in Washington, D.C. — where he recently had a significant role in the passage of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement — and packed events of the kind witnessed on Thursday at Jerry’s Again restaurant in downtown Atchison.
The town, though relatively small at 11,000 people, is home to some big-time GOP boosters, like Jonathan Mize, CEO of hardware wholesaler Blish-Mize Co., and Rick Berger, CEO of international leather goods manufacturer Berger Co. The Atchison County Republican Party has yet to make any endorsement in the primary race between LaTurner and Watkins, but that questions appears to be decided.
“Watkins has good, solid local GOP support,” Berger said. “He has really been going to bat for us in anything we have asked.”
