There has not been a two-party, two-candidate election for Douglas County District Attorney in 20 years.
If you are not a registered Democrat, you have probably never been able to vote for a county prosecutor. You have been constructively disenfranchised by single-party control.
Incumbent District Attorney Valdez was elected by Democratic primary voters in August 2020. She had no opposing party competition.
DA Valdez assumed office with no prior prosecutorial experience. Her selection was obviously affiliation-based, with little voter consideration for experience or ability to do the job.
Clearly, the still ongoing Valdez administration is grossly unsuccessful. Her office does not serve county citizens well and has eroded confidence in all aspects of criminal justice. Even Democrats agreed via primary voting in August 2024.
Nonetheless, county Democrats still want to control the District Attorney selection process. They believe Douglas County is “blue,” and whoever they present as a candidate will be elected. This implicit entitlement seems to imply, “It doesn’t matter who we choose as a candidate; we have more voters, so our candidate will prevail.”
So, if you are not a registered Democrat, the message seems to be that you are a political minority and not a very influential member of Douglas County.
Dakota Loomis is the now-chosen Democratic candidate. Like incumbent Valdez, he has no prior felony case prosecutorial experience. He is a career defense attorney. The theory must be, “Well, he’s a Democrat, and hopefully, he’ll learn on the job.”
How did that work out over the past four years?
The Democrats do not want competition for the District Attorney position. The Loomis backers and donors represent wealthy, entitled, vested political and business interests in Lawrence and numerous Lawrence defense attorneys. Vested interests in Lawrence, Kansas, want someone known and arguably controllable.
The opposite of this would be electing someone who has substantial prosecutorial experience and no connection to vested interests. Ironically, competence and independence are assumed to matter less than affiliation and whom elite interests want in office.
This election, however, is for Douglas County, not just Old West Lawrence and Massachusetts Street. County-wide voters need to communicate that they matter, too.
I entered the race to allow voters to choose an experienced, independent prosecutor. I am running so Douglas County can have an actual District Attorney free of politics and conflicts of interest.
But you’re running as a Republican in Douglas County? Don’t you know that’s not allowed?
I do not discount the interest or knowledge of county voters. I trust they will choose the most experienced, independent person for DA. My opponent’s more ideological supporters probably believe non-Democrats don’t matter in this county and are probably just “deplorable” Trump supporters who “cling to their guns and religion.”
I respect county voters’ right to have political views and the ability to vote for their preferred candidate. I believe county voters are tired of arrogant single-party control. The same folks who support Dakota Loomis have brought us poor city and county government, higher property taxes, increased property valuations, and little fiscal transparency.
The Douglas County District Attorney election is not a national race. It is about who may best serve the county. My candidacy centers on fixing a dysfunctional District Attorney’s office rather than pushing a political agenda. I’m not going to worry about pleasing politicians or considering people who gave me campaign money.
I entered the race not as a political figure with ideological objectives and massive political party support but as a career prosecutor concerned about the future of law enforcement in this county. I have no support from the Kansas or National Republican parties nor have I received donations from them. I am highly moderate in political values and support democratic processes, the Constitution, and the Rule of Law—not a political party or person. If you review my website, mikewarnerforda.com, you will see I have no history of extreme views and have fought against such. Being an effective District Attorney means not being tied to a political party, ideology, or business and lawyer donors.
The District Attorney election will hinge on voter turnout and knowledge. Be informed about actual candidate qualifications and experience, not slick mailers, yard signs, and smiling digital or print ads. My establishment opponent will outspend me. However, no publicity can compensate for his lack of experience to do the job.
So, I can offer undecided voters the promise of reconstructing a broken office, repairing relations with police, judges, and victims, and improving county-wide public safety without being tied to a political party, vested interests, prior clients, or defense attorneys. The last thing defense attorneys want is an experienced, independent DA. They want one of their own in office.
Please make an informed choice in November!
