One candidate for Douglas County district attorney touted his career in prosecution, and the other said his community ties help compensate for less experience. But both agreed the office needs revitalization.
The Lawrence-Douglas County chapter of Women for Kansas hosted Republican candidate Mike Warner and Democratic candidate Dakota Loomis at a forum Monday evening.
Educator and author Tai Edwards, who serves on the chapter’s executive leadership team, moderated.
Warner, who worked for nearly 30 years as a state and federal prosecutor, said violent crime cases the DA’s office has lost are “the result, almost completely, of prosecutorial inexperience.” Relationships with law enforcement are wounded, too, he said.
“I know as a career prosecutor, you want a prosecutor to come in that office,” Warner said. “You’ll respect someone who’s done it before, particularly a troubled office that’s directionless like this one, and probably has a bunch of young kids that don’t know what they’re doing. I’m the old hand that can come in and fix that and give them direction, and I can attract experienced prosecutors if I have the ability to hire them to come there.”
Loomis currently serves as Baldwin City Attorney and was previously Baldwin City Municipal Judge. He has several years of experience working primarily as a defense attorney, with some experience as a prosecutor.
Edwards asked Loomis to respond to some residents’ concern that he lacks the necessary experience for the job. He said community relationships set him apart.
“We need someone who hits the ground running day one, who knows everyone, who’s involved with those problems and can help fix those problems,” Loomis said. “And I’m the only person up here who has local experience, who’s been in the courtroom in Douglas County over the last 10 years and has had jury trials in Douglas County over the last 10 years.”
Both candidates said a pressing concern for them is stepping into office in January and a trial for a violent crime, for example, is rounding the corner. They want to be prepared.
“When I went to trial, I made sure holes were filled,” Warner said. “And you can see just by reading the paper that that doesn’t happen. That’s why you need an experienced prosecutor. … I will start working right away to try to initiate change there for the better as soon as possible.”
Loomis, too, said he’d like to get a fresh start but that the transition will be anything but standard, regardless of who is elected. He said he’d begin by working to reconnect the office with law enforcement agencies, judges and other partners.
A restructuring could take years, he estimated.
“Until we get your hands on what’s actually going on in that office, actually see what’s been transpiring, I don’t think there’s any way for me, or for anyone else, to say, ‘I can come in and fix this and turn around right away,’” Loomis said. “Having spoken with staff, I do strongly believe that they’re trying the best they can to make sure cases are being handled appropriately for transition.”
No politics
Warner said he has been prejudged in this race for “running with an R.”
Originally registered as an independent voter, Warner said he decided to run as a Republican to spice things up. Typically, DA races in Douglas County have solely included Democratic candidates. Warner is the first Republican to file for the office in 20 years.
He said he actually considers himself “very moderate,” which Edwards asked him to expand on.
“I’m going to show that there could be a legitimate two-party election in this county and not have the opposing party be presumed to be some sort of radical kook, because I’m definitely not,” Warner said. “My political values are not related to the current extremist Republican Party. And what we really are at the local level — what I have anyway — is I’m offering a pragmatic solution to a local problem.”
Warner and Loomis rejected the idea of incorporating their political stances into their potential leadership in the DA’s office. Both shared their motivation behind running is civic engagement.
“This is a completely apolitical position for me,” Loomis said. “My only reason for running was to make sure this community is safer.”
Loomis won the Democratic primary in August, ensuring incumbent DA Suzanne Valdez will not be reelected. Warner faced no primary opponent.
The general election is set for Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Oct. 15 is the final day to register to vote in Douglas County, and Oct. 29 is the final day to apply for an advance ballot. Douglas County voters can take care of both quickly at KSVotes.org.
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Maya Hodison (she/her), equity reporter, can be reached at mhodison@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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