Steve Fitzgerald is confident Americans’ strong support for President Donald Trump’s agenda will translate to victory for him in his bid for U.S. Congress representing the 2nd District.
Fitzgerald, in his second term as a state senator representing the 5th District, said he makes “no bones,” about his record as a conservative and regards it as a strong selling point.
The candidate visited the Register Tuesday morning.
Fitzgerald was one of 11 senators this summer who voted against passing a state budget to increase funding and override a veto by Gov. Sam Brownback.
In 2015, Fitzgerald was cosponsor of a bill allowing concealed carry of firearms in Kansas without a license.
Fitzgerald faces fellow state senator Caryn Tyson, R-Parker, for the Republican nomination, along with Kevin Jones, Wellsville, and Vernon Fields, Basehor. On Tuesday, Antonio Soave, former Commerce Secretary of Kansas, dropped out of the race after being dogged by allegations of awarding state contracts as perks.
For Democrats, Paul Davis, Lawrence, has thrown his hat in the race.
Fitzgerald said he would have deferred to either Alan Cobb or Kris Kobach had they voiced interest in running for the position. Cobb is a former executive with Koch Industries now serving as director of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce. Kobach is Kansas Secretary of State and a candidate for Kansas governor.
Fitzgerald sees himself philosophically aligned with Cobb and Kobach — and by extension, President Trump — and thus the strongest opponent to Davis.
Fitzgerald brushes aside any brouhaha about Trump, maintaining it’s the president’s agenda, not personality, that the American people support.
“He’s not a good candidate. He had no political experience. He’s mercurial. But he’s a successful negotiator,” he said. Fitzgerald blames Congress for the lack of any significant legislation being passed so far this year, maintaining that Trump’s ability to agitate both Republicans and Democrats has brought them closer to negotiating.
As for Russia and whether it can be pegged for influencing the outcome of the 2016 election, Fitzgerald holds no doubts.
“Russia has always worked in disinformation around the world. Their espionage has always been very strong. They like to fish in troubled waters. They are in favor of undermining the moral authority of the United States, no matter who gets elected,” he said.
Fitzgerald said he’s a fan of Trump’s immigration policy banning those from predominantly Muslim countries, alleging it’s no different from when President Jimmy Carter during the Iran hostage crisis banned Iranians from entering the United States in 1979.
Most foreign policy experts disagree with that analogy, saying Carter’s ban was in direct response to Iran supporting the militants who stormed the U.S. embassy. Trump doesn’t distinguish by nationality, but rather religion.
