by Chuck Weber
Pope Leo recently addressed and encouraged elected officials from around the world to “infuse the earthly society with the values of God’s kingdom” in order to allow for “authentic human flourishing.”
Few Catholics probably think of elected officials as channels of “human flourishing”! But politicians, like each of us, have a role to play in this great humanitarian mission.
The Catholic Church has a rich history of engaging in civic activity on behalf of “the common good.” The role of the church is also that of properly forming each person’s conscience, then providing authentic information to better help each Catholic fulfill their obligation to engage in faithful citizenship.
With that brief background, here is an overview of what Kansas Catholics should know about what’s happening in the world of politics and policy.
The opening of the 2026 Kansas legislative session is still four months away, but the political season is in full swing as we enter an election year.
Statewide seats to be decided upon in 2026 include Kansas governor, attorney general, secretary of state, insurance commissioner and state treasurer. Campaigns are underway.
Each elected position is important, but the governor’s seat is perhaps the most consequential. Gov. Laura Kelly is completing her second and final term. Several candidates from both major parties have declared their intentions to run.
Every Kansas state representative seat is up for election. On the federal level, every congressional representative seat is up for election. U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall’s seat is up for election.
Next August, there will be a historic statewide ballot measure to determine how Kansas appoints state Supreme Court justices. Few realize that the current judicial selection process in Kansas is unlike any other in the United States. The results of this election will have a profound impact for decades to come.
To learn more about 2026 campaigns, go online to: www.kansascatholic.org, then click on the “Issues” tab to find Campaign 2026.
The Kansas Catholic Conference does not endorse or otherwise engage in political campaigns. Our role is advocating for policies reflecting Catholic thinking and the common good.
Issues of importance include defending and protecting women and their preborn children; justice for the migrant; educational opportunities for children from low-income or minority families; access to adequate health care; basic nutrition for the underprivileged; and many others.
This is but a partial list where we seek to answer Pope Leo’s call “to infuse the earthly society with the values of God’s kingdom” in order to allow for “authentic human flourishing.”
We persevere!
