Governor Laura Kelly

Governor Laura Kelly
Name	Laura Kelly
Office	48th Governor of Kansas
Term start	January 14, 2019
Predecessor	Jeff Colyer
Birth date	May 24, 1950
Birth place	New York City, New York, U.S.
Party	Democratic Party
Spouse	Ted Daughety
Alma mater	University of Missouri–Kansas City

Governor Laura Kelly

Laura Kelly is an American politician who has served as the 48th Governor of Kansas since January 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously represented parts of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas in the Kansas State Senate. Her tenure as governor has involved interactions with state institutions such as the Kansas Legislature, state agencies, and regional stakeholders including the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.

Early life and education

Kelly was born in New York City and raised in the Brooklyn borough before relocating to the Midwestern United States. She attended public schools and later enrolled at the University of Missouri–Kansas City, where she completed undergraduate studies. During her university years she became involved with local civic organizations and faith-based groups in Kansas City, Kansas, engaging with community development initiatives tied to regional nonprofits and service agencies.

Early career and public service

Before elective office, Kelly worked in human resources and organizational management across private and nonprofit sectors, collaborating with institutions such as United Way, regional health providers, and municipal administrations in Wyandotte County, Kansas. She served on boards and commissions that liaised with entities like the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services and local public school districts in Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools. Her public service background included work on bipartisan task forces and partnerships with groups connected to the Mid-America Regional Council.

Kansas State Senate tenure

Kelly was elected to the Kansas State Senate representing a district centered in Wyandotte County, Kansas. In the Senate she worked on legislation touching on issues managed by bodies such as the Kansas Board of Education, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and the Kansas Department for Children and Families. She served on committees that coordinated with the Kansas Legislative Research Department and collaborated with colleagues from both the Republican Party and the Libertarian Party on budgetary and health policy matters. Her voting record reflected engagement with bills involving interactions with the Kansas Supreme Court on court rulings about school finance and state fiscal policy.

2018 gubernatorial campaign

In the 2018 gubernatorial cycle Kelly won the Democratic nomination and campaigned statewide against candidates including Kris Kobach and the incumbent Jeff Colyer. Her campaign emphasized restoring state funding to public schools and expanding access to healthcare through interactions with programs administered by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and federal partners like the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Endorsements and coalition-building involved groups such as the Kansas State AFL–CIO, Planned Parenthood, and regional business organizations like the Kansas Chamber of Commerce. The general election mobilization included outreach to constituencies in Johnson County, Kansas, Sedgwick County, Kansas, and urban precincts in Wichita, Kansas and Topeka, Kansas.

Governorship

As governor, Kelly has worked with the Kansas Legislature on state budgets, tax policy, and administrative appointments, negotiating with leaders from the Kansas Senate and the Kansas House of Representatives. Her administration has overseen state agencies including the Kansas Department of Transportation, the Kansas Department for Children and Families, and the Kansas Department of Commerce while coordinating with federal officials from the United States Department of Health and Human Services on public health initiatives. She has also engaged with regional institutions such as the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and the Wichita State University system on higher education funding and research partnerships.

Political positions and domestic policy

Kelly’s policy priorities have included state fiscal management, healthcare access, and education finance. She has advocated for Medicaid expansion policies consistent with guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and worked on state budget proposals affecting the Kansas Board of Regents and public K–12 funding influenced by rulings from the Kansas Supreme Court on school finance. On economic issues she has interacted with workforce development programs tied to the Kansas Department of Commerce and regional economic development groups like the Mid-America Regional Council and the Greater Wichita Partnership. Kelly’s administration has addressed public health responses in coordination with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and federal agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Personal life and honors

Kelly is married to Ted Daughety, a physician affiliated with medical institutions in Kansas City, Kansas. The couple has one child and has participated in community and faith-based organizations across Wyandotte County, Kansas. Her recognitions include acknowledgments from civic groups and nonprofit organizations active in the Kansas City metropolitan area, and she has received awards from local chambers and public service associations for her work in state and regional affairs.

Category:Governors of Kansas Category:Democratic Party (United States) politicians from Kansas Category:People from Kansas City, Kansas Category:1950 births Category:Living people