To the editor:

There are many candidates for public office nationwide who provided support for the “Big Lie” election fraud claim, including several in Kansas. One of these is Derek Schmidt, Republican candidate for governor. In 2020 he added his name to the frivolous lawsuit filed by the Texas Attorney General challenging the election. He didn’t just sign as a private citizen but he signed as the Kansas Attorney General dragging Kansas into that morass.

This lawsuit was maintained after almost 60 other lawsuits maintaining fraud were denied. The Texas lawsuit was thrown out by the United States Supreme Court. Whatever Mr. Schmidt claims, this lawsuit alleged enough fraud to overturn the election. I have never heard Mr. Schmidt withdraw his support for this lie or apologize for his actions.

Mr. Schmidt says in his campaign that we are at a turning point in our country. He is right. The turning point is whether or not our democratic republic survives. The republic will not survive with people in public office who facilitated the “Big Lie” of election fraud.

No matter where he stands on other issues, he has utterly a very basic requirement to serve, the willingness to support and defend on of the basic principles on which our country was founded, faith in our elections. Not only did he fail to support and defend this principle, he participated in the vicious attack by joining the scurrilous lawsuit. Politicians have to pay a price for this type of behavior or it will be repeated. If you want to save our democratic republic, don’t vote for Derek Schmidt.

Ron Svaty

Ellsworth