Are Gov. Laura Kelly's rising approval numbers because of her frequent use of veto powers?
In Kansas, we’re used to seeing the Wildcats and Jayhawks rank highly in all kinds of national polls, from athletics to their reputations for their programs. And now, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly is rising in a recent poll of the most popular state leaders in the U.S.
Kelly is the eighth most popular governor in the U.S. at the moment. She’s also the second most popular Democratic governor.
Kelly now has a 62% approval rating, according to independent firm Morning Consult. That’s a decent majority of Kansans who view the governor favorably. Not quite a bully pulpit but certainly an important endorsement.
The Topeka Capital-Journal’s Jason Alatidd reports polls show Kansans have viewed Kelly more favorably since her 2022 reelection. Kelly's approval ratings have gone up in her second term, despite — or perhaps because of — her frequent use of her veto powers. Last session, Kelly broke her own record for the most vetoes in three decades, and she appears to have broken it again this session.
So why is this? Maybe there's something to be said for standing on principle.
The governor this session twice vetoed a Republican-led tax cut package — and she's threatening a third veto and a special session — insisting they were too expensive for long-term budget stability in Kansas. The Kansas Senate failed to override her veto. Kelly has made other stands, including on gender-affirming care and sugaring.
Maybe Kelly's popularity is based less on where she stands on the issues than her consistency in those beliefs. The governor isn't changing her mind based on the latest hot topic on social media nor is she chasing clout. She appears to believe what she believes and that's that.
Even former President Donald Trump has offered Kelly praise. In 2020, he said she had done a “fantastic job” tackling the coronavirus.
Washburn University political science professor Bob Beatty suggested Kelly's appeal to Kansans might come from being a check to Republican power in the Legislature.
"It's very similar to when Kathleen Sebelius was governor, that Kansans seem to like having that check of the Democratic governor on a Republican Legislature," Beatty said.
He also said it might be the fact that she actively visits constituents across the state.
“She is out around the state quite a bit. … Medicaid expansion tour, rural prosperity tours, she's quite active in reaching out across the state,” he said.
Whatever it is, Kansans are showing they just might respect her approach. Perhaps her biggest naysayers — Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins — should consider that.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Can Gov. Laura Kelly's popularity be attributed to check on GOP power?
