ABOUT PAUL

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I grew up in a small town in south-central Nebraska, Holdrege. Population 5000. County seat. Very much an agricultural community.

My father was a preacher and my mother was a teacher. I am the youngest of three children. We lived in Nebraska until I was 9; then 6 years in Grand Junction, Colorado. My Dad then accepted an administrative role with the church and we moved to Derby, Kansas in 1976.

During my three years in high school,  I was mostly involved in speech and debate activities, and then off to the University of Kansas. While my academic journey began in the sciences, I found my love and passion in psychology. I went on to graduate school to study counseling psychology, which then led to my involvement in academic counseling and advising with the University of Kansas Athletics Department. This has been my career path for the last 38 years – connecting with thousands of amazing young adults along the way.

Kansas is where I met my wife, Lauren. She came to the University of Kansas from California to pursue graduate school in clinical psychology. When we first met, I suppose that we both saw our path in Lawrence as short-term. Yet, here we are 32 years of marriage later – very much embracing Kansas as our home. We have two amazing daughters – both KU graduates and both making their way as young professionals. We are very proud parents and incredibly blessed.

While my 38-year career in academic support has provided me with amazing opportunities to connect thousands of truly special young adults, I have always known that there would be a time and a place when the needs around us would require that I step up on a larger platform, with a larger voice, to help more people. I have always known this to be true.

Today so many of us watch our federal government with great concern. This 118th session of Congress may be one of the most combative and unproductive terms in decades. The Federal Budget Bill was delayed for 6 months. A Farm Bill was kicked down the road for a full year, leaving our farmers in limbo. A Foreign Aid Bill was delayed months while our allies waited to see if America’s pledge to freedom would be upheld. And an Immigration Bill, the first one in years to provide sense to our country, was derailed at the 11th hour. Why? Because the leader of one party could not allow the other party to claim victory. Even Hollywood could not concoct a melodrama as vivid as the real-life version of our very own government.

My father was a preacher and my mom was a teacher. Their parents were preachers and teachers. My sister was a nurse and my brother was a doctor. Service was embedded in our upbringing. Service wasn’t just taught in our family, it was expected. We work to serve one another and support each other.

My parents taught me to believe the best in a person unless they prove themselves otherwise. I choose to believe that many, maybe even most, of our elected representatives entered their careers believing that they would serve the people who sent them to Washington. Somewhere along the way, these same representatives seem to have lost their way. They bicker and fuss with each other about ideologies and party affiliations and seemingly have lost sight of what it means to serve.

This is why I am running. I am here to listen to and serve as the voice of the people in the 1st District of Kansas. Much of my campaign has been spent listening to the needs of our communities and learning from the people how I can help to better serve these needs in Washington.