State Sen. Cindy Holscher’s legislative record makes her the most liberal nominee in Kansas history, placing her to the left of Gov. Laura Kelly on a range of issues. Her votes included opposition to bipartisan legislation signed into law by Gov. Kelly.
During the 2026 Democratic primary, while actively backing state Sen. Ethan Corson, Gov. Kelly publicly characterized Holscher’s views in strong terms, telling the New York Times that Holscher had “positioned herself so far to the left” that “it will be very hard for her to come back.” The governor also has said, “Kansas is not New York. We’re not going to elect an extremist … We’re not going to elect an extremist on the left wing this year.”
These comments from a sitting Democrat governor about a member of her own party underscore just how radical Sen. Holscher is, regardless of her later endorsement.
This website is devoted to demonstrating Sen. Holscher’s long history of extreme proposals and votes. Each is backed up by a link documenting her words and actions.
Radical Proposals
In addition to Sen. Holscher’s votes against bipartisan and common-sense legislation, she has also sponsored a number of bills that put her out of touch with the majority of Kansas. While none of these bills even earned a vote, they demonstrate the type of extreme ideas Cindy Holscher would likely propose as governor.
Undermining Our Elections
Holscher proposed letting people register and vote on Election Day itself, scrapping Kansas’s longstanding 21-day deadline, completely undermining eligibility checks, and promoting polling-place chaos instead of orderly advance verification.
Making the Swamp a State
Holscher proposed making Washington, DC, a state to create two more Democrat senators.
Putting Law Enforcement at Risk
Holscher endorsed making law enforcement targets by proposing to not allow law enforcement to wear face coverings.
The Election Loser Is the Winner?
Holscher proposed a convoluted election bill that would allow someone who finished second in a primary to become their party’s nominee. It proposed that, if the first-place finisher didn’t secure 70% or more of the vote, the nomination would go to the person who finished 2nd. Theoretically, under her bill, if a first-place finisher garnered 69% of the vote, and the second-place finisher only 10%, the second-place finisher would become the nominee instead.
Votes for Higher Property Taxes
Cindy Holscher has consistently voted against key Kansas property tax reforms.
Voted Against Truth in Taxation
Holscher’s opposition to property tax relief even included her vote against a bipartisan measure strengthening transparency requirements that the governor signed into law. The law simply requires revenue-neutral rate notices, public hearings, and recorded votes for tax increases beyond the prior year, much like we witnessed recently with the Board of County Commissioners. Holscher opposed this type of transparency.
Voted Against Limiting a Tax on Unrealized Gains
Holscher voted NO several times on allowing the people to vote on constitutional amendments to cap annual assessment increases at 3% that would have provided immediate relief due to establishing 2022 as a baseline.
Voted Against Giving the Legislature Authority to Set Limits
She opposed a related constitutional amendment that simply would give the legislature flexibility to define valuation limits and adjustments by statute.
Voted Against Allowing Taxpayers to Fight Back
Holscher voted against providing the people with the ability to fight back against excessive property taxes at the local level via a protest petition process.
Votes Against Bipartisan Bills
Sen. Cindy Holscher’s voting record is so far left that she repeatedly voted against legislation that was bipartisan or signed into law by the governor:
For Open Borders and Against Ban on Sanctuary Cities
Holscher voted against a ban on sanctuary cities and counties that was signed into law.
Against Bipartisan Legislation Curtailing Cell Phones in Classrooms
Holscher voted against bipartisan legislation to restrict cell phone usage in classrooms, that was signed into law by the governor.
Against Paying Down Debt
Holscher voted against using over a $1 billion massive surplus to pay off KPERS debt so teachers’ and other public employees’ retirement fund is on firmer ground and future taxpayers pay less. The bill was signed into law.
Against Bipartisan Housing Legislation
Holscher voted against the historic bipartisan legislation to streamline regulations and make it easier to build affordable single-family homes, including duplexes and townhomes, in Kansas. The law was backed by even most Democrats and signed into law.
Against Health Care Reform
Holscher was one of only two votes against a bill that was signed into law to add advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to Kansas’s Health Care Stabilization Fund (the state’s excess malpractice coverage) and give them a board seat, helping improve health care access.
Holscher also voted against allowing APRNs to prescribe medicine without a signed doctor protocol, while requiring national certification and malpractice insurance, so rural clinics and busy practices can get patients their prescriptions without waiting on a supervising physician’s paperwork. Many Kansans rely on APRNs for regular health care. Despite Holscher’s opposition, this measure earned wide, bipartisan support and was signed into law.
For Big Government
Holscher voted against letting licensed hair, nail, or body artists from other states get a short 14-day temporary permit to work at a Kansas salon, convention, or approved, making it easier for visiting professionals to legally work a show or pop-up without jumping through extra paperwork. Holscher was one of just four in the legislature to oppose the bill, which was signed into law.
Holscher voted against rewarding state employees who report activities of fraud, waste, or abuse in any state-administered program to the secretary of administration. The bill earned bipartisan support.
Holscher voted against legislation reforming the state nursing board after the out-of-control board punished nurses for trivial paperwork errors, harming their careers and contributing to the nursing shortage. The bill restored the licenses of nurses who were wronged and was signed into law.
For Taxing Netflix
Holscher voted for a tax on Netflix and other streaming services by voting against a bipartisan bill to exempt streaming services from local franchise taxes that could have been passed on to cable television cord-cutters. It was signed into law.
Against Elected Sheriffs
Holscher was originally one of just two senators to oppose a constitutional amendment requiring that county sheriffs be independently elected. The amendment was approved by Kansas voters.
Against Transparency by Elected Officials
Holscher voted against the truth-in-taxation law, a bipartisan measure strengthening transparency by requiring revenue-neutral rate notices, public hearings, and recorded votes for tax increases beyond the prior year, much like we witnessed recently with our Board of County Commissioners. The law is what required the commissioners to conduct a hearing attended by hundreds of JoCo residents.
Holscher voted against the truth-in-taxation law, a bipartisan measure strengthening transparency by requiring revenue-neutral rate notices, public hearings, and recorded votes for tax increases beyond the prior year, much like we witnessed recently with our Board of County Commissioners. The law is what required the commissioners to conduct a hearing attended by hundreds of JoCo residents.
Holscher Is Soft on Crime
Cindy Holscher voted against a bipartisan measure that creates severe penalties interference with a religious assembly and lets victims seek civil damages when worship is disrupted by force, threats, obstruction, or property damage. The law was drafted after a vehicle attack and fire at a Michigan synagogue and a coordinated disruption of a Minnesota church service. The law was backed by many Democrats and was allowed to become law by the governor.
Holscher voted against a bill banning kratom in Kansas. Kratom can be addictive and has been linked to withdrawal, liver damage, seizures, and emergency-room visits, especially in concentrated or 7-OH products. The bill earned bipartisan support and was signed into law.
Holscher voted against restructuring the Kansas Prisoner Review Board after it paroled the man convicted of murdering Highway Patrol Trooper Conroy O’Brien, who was shot twice in the head at close range during a 1978 traffic stop near Matfield Green. The bill passed with little opposition and was signed into law.
Holscher voted against simply making sure people who already have a felony record and then commit another felony while on probation, parole, or in custody actually serve real prison time instead of getting another slap on the wrist. This stops one day in jail from being counted twice so repeat offenders don’t get an extra break, and it requires meaningful cash bonds for those new charges so dangerous people are less likely to walk free before trial and put the public at risk again. The bill earned bipartisan support and was signed into law.
Holscher was the only senator to vote against a law letting police remove squatters occupying a house or apartment without the resident’s consent. The law lets a homeowner or landlord file a sworn, notarized statement with police so officers can quickly remove people who have broken into a house or apartment and are living there without any lease or permission. The bill was signed into law.
Holscher voted against making it a crime to flee from an officer who has a lawful reason to stop you and raising the penalty if the person is already a felon or fires a gun while running. This gives officers chasing someone who bolts on foot clearer authority and allows stronger consequences when that chase turns dangerous.
Holscher originally voted against making organized retail theft a crime and letting the attorney general help local prosecutors pursue crime rings that hop from county to county.
Holscher proposed abolishing the death penalty.
Votes Against Common Sense
Over the course of her 10 years in the legislature, Sen. Cindy Holscher has built a voting record that places her on the far left across a range of issues important to Kansans.
Higher Taxes
For a list of Cindy Holscher’s record in support of higher property taxes, click here.
Holscher voted to allow counties to establish a separate earnings tax like they have in Kansas City, Missouri.
Holscher repeatedly voted against opportunities to reduce the sales tax on food, both during her time in the House and in the Senate.
Holscher voted against cutting income taxes for low- and middle-income Kansans, simplifying income tax filing, and eliminating the income tax on Social Security.
Holscher voted for the largest income tax increase in state history, raising income taxes on all Kansans and adding an additional higher tax bracket to apply to “rich” Kansans making more than $30,000 a year.
Holscher voted against legislation to ensure that, as revenues grow, that money will be returned to the people via lower and simpler individual income tax rates.
Holscher voted against tax credits for adoption.
Open Borders
Holscher voted to allow in-state tuition and other public benefits to continue to be provided to illegal immigrants, in violation of federal law.
Holscher voted against providing funding to help secure the southern border.
Holscher voted against a ban on human smuggling.
Against Expanding Health Care Access
Holscher voted against legislation providing tax relief to families who choose faith-based health care sharing as an affordable alternative to traditional insurance that they cannot afford.
Holscher voted against legislation expanding the use of telemedicine that was signed into law.
Big Government / Against Fighting Fraud
Holscher voted against a law to ensure our state agencies, including our schools, will never shut down by voting for continuous funding of state agencies in the event a budget is not agreed to by the end of the fiscal year.
Holscher voted against ensuring state assistance is truly going to those who need it by requiring an audit of state welfare programs to detect waste, fraud, and abuse.
Holscher voted against requiring the state to work and share data with federal inspectors general to detect and prosecute fraud in state public assistance programs.
Holscher voted against legislation reducing the waiting list for intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) services.
Holscher voted to allow local governments to require landlords to accept Section 8 housing vouchers.
Against Our Constitutional Rights
Holscher voted against protecting the First Amendment rights of students on college campuses.
Holscher voted against protecting Kansans’ 1st Amendment right to assemble.
Holscher voted against creating severe penalties for interference with religious assemblies.
Holscher voted against a bill barring the Department of Children and Families from requiring foster parents to abandon their moral and religious beliefs in order to provide children loving homes.
Holscher voted against eliminating fees for concealed carry permits.
Holscher voted against gun safety education.
Woke Agenda
“I have no idea if Jesus was trans, gay, straight, etc.” — Cindy Holscher
Holscher repeatedly voted against protecting women’s sports.
Holscher voted against legislation defining what a biological woman is.
Holscher voted to allow people to change their genders on their birth certificates and driver’s licenses.
Holscher repeatedly voted against the Help Not Harm Act, which prevents transgender surgeries and procedures on children.
Holscher voted against requiring the State Board of Education to develop curriculum, and school districts to provide instruction, on the negative impacts of communist, fascist, and socialist regimes and ideologies.
Holscher voted against legislation to support pregnant women via a child tax credit and by holding deadbeat dads accountable by requiring child support for pregnant women.
Holscher voted against legislation banning the killing of infants who are born alive.
Holscher voted against legislation banning coerced abortions.
Holscher voted against requiring biological boys and girls to have separate accommodation on overnight school trips.
Holscher voted to allow biological male and female prisoners to be housed together.
Holscher voted against the Kansas Public Investments and Contracts Protection Act, which protects public investments from environmental, social, or governance (ESG) criteria.
More Regulations on Small Businesses
Holscher voted against creating a regulatory “sandbox” program where innovative small businesses can petition for relief from rules and regulations.
Holscher voted to allow state bureaucracy to create new occupational licenses without legislative approval.
Holscher voted against legislation stopping new rules and regulations that have a significant ($1 million+) negative economic impact on the economy.
Soft on Crime / Soft on China
Holscher voted against legislation protecting critical infrastructure in Kansas.
Holscher voted against tort reform that prevents criminals from filing lawsuits that stem from their own criminal conduct.
Holscher voted against the HALO Act to ensure law enforcement and other first responders are safe from interference from those who would distract from their jobs.
Holscher voted against increased penalties for harming or killing police dogs or horses.
Holscher voted against legislation stopping foreign adversaries, like China, from owning land near military installations in Kansas.