State Sen. Barbara Bollier, the Democrat, is the moderate in the race for the U.S. Senate.
That’s because until two years ago, Bollier was a Republican, championing fiscally responsible measures to fund education, build roads and provide healthcare.
Bollier’s political career over these past 10 years has mainly been spent in the background. A retired anesthesiologist, Bollier’s foray into politics was a symbiotic step.
Two years ago, however, Bollier began to question her allegiance when Republican politics took a decided turn to the right.
First, in early 2018, Kansas Republicans amended their party platform to reject those of the gay and lesbian communities, opposing their right to marry as well as receive other legal protections.
This was on top of state Republicans’ long-standing opposition to expanding Medicaid, denying an estimated 150,000 elderly and poor health insurance.
As a physician, both measures struck Bollier as unethical.
Second, Bollier did not support the party’s 2018 candidate for governor, Kris Kobach, and publicly endorsed Laura Kelly, the Democrat, citing her history of working with Kelly, including legislation to roll back former Gov. Sam Brownback’s tax cuts that robbed the state economy of $900 million.
Senate President Susan Wagle retaliated, stripping Bollier of her leadership role on a health committee.
That’s when Bollier knew that after 43 years, her time as a Republican had come to an end.
In December of 2018, Bollier switched her allegiance to the Democratic Party.
And, it’s safe to say, she’s never looked back, eagerly embracing reforms that have brought Kansas to the soundest financial footing in decades.
Going forward, Bollier promises to be an advocate for healthcare by making the Affordable Care Act more inclusive, a godsend to the millions who have lost their health insurance along with their jobs because of the pandemic.
And you can count on Bollier to be a voice for science in regards to how best to combat COVID-19, including fighting for free vaccines, once developed.
She’s also a realist about global warming and the threat it poses to Kansans, particularly its farmers.
BOLLIER’S opponent, Rep. Roger Marshall, is also a physician. Their similarities end there.
