Challengers aim to unseat Feuerborn

Two women have filed to challenge state representative Bill Feuerborn.

Both Cynthia “Cara” Polsley, Ottawa, and Jeannie Plaisted, Osawatomie, filed for the Republican nomination for the 5th House District, setting up a primary.

Polsley, 22, is a student at the University of Kansas and is working on degrees in classical languages and antiquity with an eye to getting a law degree.

Polsley said she’s disturbed by the lack of patriotism or leadership among younger generations and believes everyone should become involved and informed.

“I think a lot of kids don’t care about the future of our country,” she said. “I want to help preserve America.”

In a written announcement, Polsley said she’s “concerned for the proper maintenance of rights, privileges and responsibilities set forth in the federal and state constitutions.

“As the governmental structure becomes more removed from the people even on a local and state level, more powers, privileges and rights of people are abridged.”

Without an education in the Constitution, American history and core academics, young Americans won’t understand the value of freedom and the sacrifices of their forefathers, Polsley said.

She said she’s concerned “that the unprecedented growth of government spending is being upheld by unjustified and unfair taxation and that such threats such as illegal immigration will, if unchecked, overtake an individual’s opportunities and ability to survive.

“Accountability to the people is a necessary part of government, especially when determining where citizens’ money is going and what new laws are being passed.”

She is a 2006 graduate of the Ottawa campus of Neosho County Community College and has an associate’s degree in English.

She is a member of the Ottawa General Edward Hand chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Olathe Wesleyan Church and has served as a state legislative intern.

Both Plaisted and her late husband Wes have challenged Feuerborn, a Democrat, before.

“I wanted to give it a good try,” Plaisted said. “I don’t like the way things have been going and I think we need some changes.”

School finance will be one of her interests, she said.

Too much money is going into the education bureaucracy and not enough is getting to the teachers, she said.

The winner will face Feuerborn, who has no primary opposition.

The 5th District includes south Ottawa and southeastern Franklin County, northeastern Anderson County and part of Miami County.

In other legislative filings, John Dunbar, Colony, filed for House District 10. He is the only Democrat to have filed for the seat.

The seat is held by Bill Otto, R-LeRoy. Otto is being challenged in the Republican primary by Sheila Lampe, Piqua, who also challenged him two years ago.