The COVID-19 crisis has altered many activities in Kansas. One of those is how candidates running for political office get their message out to the public.

No one knows that better than former Lt. Gov. Tracy Mann of Salina, who is seeking to represent the 63-county Big First District in the United States House of Representatives.

Mann, 43, is a Republican candidate for the seat because the current occupant, Dr. Roger Marshall, wants to replace long-time senator, Pat Roberts, who has announced his retirement.

Also running for the Big First seat are Republicans State Rep. Troy Waymaster of Bunker Hill and Finney County Commissioner Bill Clifford. Democratic primary candidates are Kali Barnett, Christy Davis and Brandon Williams.

Mann’s campaign made brief stops Thursday, May 14, in Ellsworth, Great Bend, Hays and Russell as part of a 20- stop media tour of the district.

Mann told the Independent-Reporter the big news of his campaign has been a recent endorsement from the Kansas Farm Bureau.

“I am honored to receive it,” he said.

Mann said he wants to go to Washington, D.C. to advocate for agriculture and Kansas conservative values. He describes himself as pro-life, pro-ag, pro-gun and pro-Trump.

“I believe President Trump is the right man to continue leading the country,” Mann said, adding most of the voters in the First District support Trump.

Mann said while he supports President Trump, he plans to represent the people of the First District in Congress. Asked if he considers himself more independent when it comes to President Trump than Marshall is, Mann said he is going to do what he thinks is best in representing the people of the First District.

Asked for his thoughts on COVID-19, Mann said agriculture had a lot of challenges before COVID-19, such as lower prices, tariffs, and a gap in broadband internet access.

“COVID-19 made those worse,” he said. Mann said Kansas and

Mann said Kansas and the United States needs to get back to work, ease restrictions and get the economy going again.

Mann said the more local decisions are made, the better.

“In Kansas, we need the counties to be deciding.” Or “One size fits none.”

Mann was born in Quinter and raised on the family farm south of town. He attended Kansas State University in Manhattan. While at K-State he studied agricultural economics and was elected student body president. He also was then-Congressman Jerry Moran’s first intern.

Mann and his wife, Audrey, live in Salina with their four children, Quincy, Austin, Whitney and Elise. Mann is a commercial real estate agent.

This is the second time he has campaigned for the First District seat. He lost the nomination to Tim Huelskamp of Fowler when Moran left the House to seek a Senate seat.