Who is running for Kansas House, District 18 in 2026?

Kansas state representative (District 18, Shawnee)

Cindy Neighbor, a Democrat from Shawnee, represents Kansas House District 18; she has served in the House in three stretches (2003 to 2004, 2007 to 2010 and since 2017)¹. The Legislature lists her as a retired medical administrator¹, and a 2024 KCUR voter guide calls her a former Shawnee Mission School District board member⁴. She lists schools, lower taxes for working families and seniors, and health care affordability as priorities³. She faces Republican Robert Whitman on November 3².

Where they stand 9 issues · tap any issue for the evidence

• HealthcareKeep the Affordable Care Act and fix what is brokenhigh

  Said · high confidence

  • Her campaign site says Kansas should expand Medicaid, which would bring federal dollars back to the state, secure rural hospitals and give relief to 150,000 Kansans. (2026) source
  • Is a named cosponsor of HB 2600 (2026), which expands Medicaid eligibility to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. (2026) source
• School choiceNo, keep public money in traditional public schoolsmedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • Her campaign site says there have been several attempts to siphon tax dollars to private schools and that she will oppose them. (2026) source
• Minimum wageRaise it to around $15medium

  Official action · medium confidence

  • Is a named cosponsor of HB 2151 (2025), which raises the Kansas minimum wage to $15 an hour. (2025) source
• Paid leaveRequire employers nationwide to offer a basic number of paid sick daysmedium

  Official action · medium confidence

  • Is a named cosponsor of HB 2597 (2026), which would set a right to paid sick leave for Kansas employees. (2026) source
• Drug pricesFocus on competition, generics, and price transparency instead of price settingmedium

  Said · medium confidence

  • Her campaign site says she was proud to champion the PBM bill, which "cracks down on the middle man overcharging health plans." (2026) source
  • Voted yes on SB 20 (2026), which sets registration and rules for pharmacy benefit managers (House conference report 104 to 17). (2026-03-23) source
• Death penaltyAbolish it and use life without parole insteadmedium

  Official action · medium confidence

  • Is a named sponsor of HB 2300 (2021), which would abolish the death penalty and create the crime of aggravated murder (introduced 2021-02-09; Rep. Schreiber is the original sponsor). (2021-02-09) source
• AbortionLegal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)low

  Said · low confidence

  • Her campaign site says the Kansas Supreme Court "protected a woman's right to choose" and warns that a court beholden to outside interests could strip those things away. (2026) source
• Housing and growthAllow townhomes and apartments in more places to bring prices downlow

  Voted · low confidence

  • Voted yes on SB 418 (2026), the By-right Housing Development Act (House 97 to 27). (2026-03-18) source
• Energy and climateMaximize oil and gas; climate rules hurt the economylow

  Voted · low confidence

  • Voted yes on HB 2783 (2024), which bars state and local limits on selling or using vehicles based on their energy source (House 89 to 30). (2024-02-22) source

No public position found on: Safety net programs, Business regulation, Guns, Immigration, Curriculum and books, Policing and crime, Election rules, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Gender care for minors, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Childcare and pre-K, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy.

Web applications developer; former sportswriter (Shawnee)

Robert Whitman, a Republican from Shawnee, is running for Kansas House District 18 against incumbent Democrat Cindy Neighbor¹. His site says he has a journalism degree from the University of Kansas, was a sportswriter and is a web applications developer, and lists limiting property tax increases, cutting regulations and improving Medicaid wait lists and reimbursement rates as goals².

No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Abortion, Guns, Immigration, Energy and climate, School choice, Curriculum and books, Housing and growth, Policing and crime, Election rules, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Gender care for minors, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, China policy.