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Cruz, Sanders Win Big in Kansas Caucus

A Republican voter drops off his ballot in a Lawrence caucus location. (Photo by Stephen Koranda)
A Republican voter drops off his ballot in a Lawrence caucus location. (Photo by Stephen Koranda)

Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders left Kansas with the most delegates following this weekend’s presidential caucus.

Cruz took nearly 50 percent of the Republican vote. Ian Appling supports Cruz because the senator takes conservative positions and sticks to them, even if it means butting heads with the Republican leader of the Senate, Mitch McConnell.


“He has been very much against, you hear this term all the time it sounds cliché now, against the establishment. He has been staunchly against Senator Mitch McConnell,” says Appling.

Both Republicans and Democrats at many locations faced long lines after heavy turnout. Sarah Trout came to a Lawrence caucus site with her husband and 1-year-old son. She supports Sanders because she’s paying student loans and worrying about the cost of college for her son.


“How are we ever going to save for his college education when we’re paying off my student loans? So I really believe in his message for free public tuition for college for everyone,” says Trout.

Sanders took about 2/3rds of the Democratic vote. Around 40,000 Democrats and 80,000 Republicans took part in the Kansas caucus. The Republican turnout this year was more than double the 2012 caucus.

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(VERSION TWO)

Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders are leaving Kansas with the most delegates following wins in the presidential caucus over the weekend. Heavy turnout had Republicans and Democrats facing long lines at many locations. KPR’s Stephen Koranda reports on the caucus results.


(SCRIPT)
Cruz will take 24 of the 40 Republican delegates in Kansas. Ian Appling supports Cruz because Cruz has taken conservative positions and stuck to them.

“He’s stood firmly in the ground and followed through with it, even though it may be unpopular even within his own party. He’s followed through with it,” says Appling.

Bernie Sanders is leaving Kansas with 23 of the 33 delegates. Jayden Garetson says he supports Sanders because the senator wants to take big donors out of politics.

“None of us will get anything we want to see changed in Congress or in the presidency until we eliminate super PACs and get the dark money out of politics and have some transparency. I think Bernie will achieve that as president,” says Garetson.

Around 40,000 Democrats and 80,000 Republicans took part in the Kansas caucus.

Stephen Koranda is KPR's Statehouse reporter.