In Kansas House District 26, Olathe businessman and political author Charles (Skip) Andrews is facing incumbent Larry Campbell in the Republican primary on Tuesday.

The winner faces no opposition in the Nov. 6 general election.

Andrews, who has 11 children, said one of the main concerns facing his district is the quality of education.

In a questionnaire he answered for The Star, Andrews said he would vote to increase the percentage of local option budget authority allowed school districts under the current state law. He thinks it would be fair to allow property owners the chance to raise their own taxes or not.

“I really don’t want to see school finances cut any more than they have been over the last three years,” he said, in an e-mail to The Star. “Education is a primary factor in economic development and a viable work force.”

Andrews, who has lived in Olathe for 36 years, also cites economic development as an important issue facing Kansas and his district. He thinks Kansas needs to attract more businesses and jobs. He said when talking to voters in District 26, one of the most talked about subjects was abortion, which he hopes to address, if elected.

“Most voters don’t want abortions performed in the state of Kansas,” he said. “My personal stand on the issue is that abortion as a means of birth control is wrong but abortions should be allowed for women who had no say in their pregnancy or when the life of the mother is at stake. I would vote for laws that limited abortion to those two areas.”

His opponent, Campbell, is a seasoned Olathe politician who was recently appointed as state representative to serve a vacancy in District 26 that occurred after redistricting.

Campbell, who is also an Olathe city councilman, said voters in District 26 are worried about the economic outlook and job growth.

If elected he wants to help bring more local businesses to the area, which he thinks will help the economy.

“We need to help our small businesses grow and be successful, and we need to make it much easier for new businesses to get started,” said Campbell, a former bank president. “There is no quick easy fix. Steady economic growth and expansion will increase revenues for everyone.”

He said he wants to help small businesses grow in Kansas.

If elected, Campbell says he wants to take action, rather than make noise. He’s worried the legislature spends more time being divisive than actually working together, which is preventing change from occurring.

“The folks I have talked to in the 26th District have made it clear that they want all elected representatives to work together for all Kansans,” he said. “They are tired of party politics paralyzing the ability for real answers and real leadership to occur. There is a big difference between leadership and power.”