This Topeka Democrat hopes to oust Republican US Rep. Jake LaTurner from Congress

A Topeka Democrat hopes to challenge incumbent Republican Jake LaTurner for his seat in Congress.

Elgin "Eli" Woody IV formally launched his campaign Saturday with a speech at Lake Shawnee.

Woody, a former teacher, said he is entering politics because he realized there were obstacles preventing his students from succeeding, and he wants to be part of the solution.

"These obstacles are things like access to food, access to reliable transportation, access to the internet, access to equitable and affordable health care, and income inequality," he said.

Quoting abolitionist John Brown about dark days, Woody said people are struggling.

"We're fighting for our lives financially, all while working longer hours than we ever had before," he said. "The cost of health care, education, housing — they're astronomical — and yet our wages remain underground, it seems. And many of the people who can create change, the people capable of giving us a glimmer of hope, seem content to ignore us."

Federal Election Commission reports show three candidates have so far filed to run in the Kansas 2nd Congressional District in 2024: LaTurner, Woody and Democrat Michael Soetaert, who is also attempting to run for president in 2024 and Senate in 2026.

"As President Biden and Washington Democrats continue to sell out American families, Rep. LaTurner is laser-focused on delivering for Kansans," said Mike Howard, a spokesperson for the LaTurner campaign. "In just the last six months, he has taken action to protect veterans' benefits, strengthen our economy, and hold the Biden administration accountable. Congressman LaTurner will not back down in his fight to defend Kansas values and get America back on track."

Woody said politics is too focused on outrage, comparing watching the news to "a roomful of kindergarteners who skipped naptime for three weeks fighting over the last available glue stick during arts and crafts side," eliciting laughter.

"We can laugh about how silly it seems for someone like Jake LaTurner to co-sponsor House Resolution 9 about the horrors of socialism," Woody said. "But not too long ago, there was a large group of Republicans including him who refused to certify our presidential election, and we all remember how that turned out. A temper tantrum turned insurrection."

LaTurner won reelection in 2022 with 58% of the vote to Democrat Patrick Schmidt's 42%.

"There are people who work in politics in Kansas and nationally who have no idea that this event is happening right now," Woody said. "They don't care because they've seen the history of this district's elections and they assume the result, because the result has been the same for years. And on top of that, state legislators redrew the shape of this district so that candidates like me in campaigns like this one don't stand a chance."

Woody acknowledged he will be an underdog, but said he believes he will win.

FEC filings show LaTurner ended the most recent reporting period with about $401,000 in cash on hand. Woody and Soetaert had no financial filings available.

Woody said his campaign began with $0. He was critical of special interest money in politics.

"I'm tired of watching politics be a game that benefits the rich and the privileged while the rest of us get left behind here in the dark," he said. "I'm tired of hearing friends and family members and community members make their voices heard on issues affecting them while our elected officials wear earmuffs made of money from special interest groups."

Jason Alatidd is a statehouse reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jtidd@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jason_Alatidd.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Topeka Democrat hopes to oust GOP Rep. Jake LaTurner from Congress