Supporters of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Paul Davis waited Monday evening near the corner of Main and Lakin streets in Great Bend, “Davis and Docking” signs in hand, awaiting a brief visit by the man they hope will take up residence at One SW Cedar Crest Road in Topeka in January, 2015.  
Davis and wife Stephanie were in the middle of a 40 city tour of Kansas Monday, meeting with supporters, shaking hands, and asking for their votes in the run up to what has been a particularly divisive campaign.  
They made two stops in Great Bend.  The first, a meet and greet hosted by Great Bend business owners Mark and Tammy Hammond at Rosewood Wine Cellar at the corner of Kansas Ave. and Lakin Street.  There, a local businessman questioned Davis how much taxes will need to be raised to get the state’s credit rating back up.  
Davis proposed an income tax freeze at the new year, then addressed what caused the state’s credit rating to be downgraded three times in recent months.    
“It’s because bond companies take a look at your fiscal situation and whether or not you have a plan to get out of it,” he said.  “The problem is, we don’t have a plan to get out of it right now.”  He admitted he didn’t have a detailed plan at this time.  
“We’re going to have to get in under the hood and take a look at what all is there.  We haven’t been able to get the most truthful data on what the true fiscal picture is.  Make no mistake, there are going to be tough decisions that are going to have to be made.”  
USD 355 Superintendent of schools Ben Jacobs was there, and advised Davis not to forget where he came from, and to avoid associations with special interests which in his opinion had caused Kansas to become the butt of jokes in the national media.  “We’ve gone beyond the fringe, and now we’re a caricature of ourself,” he said.  
“We’ve got a lot of work to do to move our state forward and frankly clean up the mess that has been created here,” he said. “The way that we’re going to do it is by working together.  It’s always been the Kansas way.”  He stated under his watch, there would be the most bipartisan administration the state has ever seen.
Former Republican State Senator Ruth Teichman was there, and voiced her support for Davis.
“I’ve worked with both Paul Davis and Brownback, and I can tell you Paul is the one that will work with us,” she said.  “Knowing what kind of person he is and how he does work, he will do what he says will do,”
Down the street, the crowd of supporters cheered when Davis emerged from Rosewood.  He made his way to the group, shook hands and greeted them warmly as before, until it was time to go.  He and wife Stephanie planned to continue the tour until the polls close Tuesday evening.