Priorities
Kansas is built on the promise that everyone deserves a fair shot—no matter their race, gender, or income. But that promise rings hollow when entire communities face barriers to safety, healthcare, education, and economic opportunity. Disparities in educational outcomes, healthcare access, homeownership, and business capital hold too many Kansans back. When we remove those barriers, our communities grow stronger, our economy becomes more competitive, and Kansas lives up to its founding promise.
Here are my top four priorities to help us get there.
01
Fully Funded Public and Special Education
A strong Kansas starts with strong public schools. Businesses, families, and communities all thrive when schools are well-funded — and suffer when they aren't. Fully funding public and special education isn't just a constitutional duty; it's an investment in our workforce, our property values, and our future. Kansas students deserve the tools to succeed, and our educators deserve the support to help them get there.
03
Medicaid Expansion
Kansas families deserve access to affordable healthcare, no matter where they live or what they earn. Right now, thousands of hardworking Kansans fall into the coverage gap — earning too much for Medicaid but too little to afford private insurance. Expanding Medicaid is a practical, fiscally responsible fix. It keeps Kansas tax dollars in Kansas, supports rural hospitals and communities, and ensures that hard work comes with basic healthcare security.
02
A Living Wage for Working Kansans
No one working full-time should live in poverty. A living wage means that an honest day's work covers basic needs—without depending on public assistance. It strengthens families, stabilizes local economies, and reduces the burden on taxpayers. This isn't about politics; it's about fairness. When working people succeed, Kansas succeeds.
04
Social Justice
Civil rights are not partisan issues—they are the foundation of a free and fair society. From voting rights to criminal justice reform to economic and racial injustice, I am ready to fight so that every Kansas is treated with dignity and has an equal voice in our democracy. That includes trusting individuals to make their own healthcare decisions and ensuring that all Kansans, including our LGBTQ+ neighbors, can live, work, and raise families free from discrimination.
About Abi Boatman
Abi Boatman is an Ohio native and U.S. Air Force veteran who has proudly called Wichita home since 2009 when she was stationed at McConnell Air Force Base. In 2012, she began her own transition, and over the past 12-plus years she has channeled that experience into a life of civic engagement and advocacy—becoming one of the most dedicated voices for the LGBTQ+ community in Kansas.
Her commitment to public service runs deep. Abi has served two terms on the Wichita Public Library Board and has been a member of her Wichita District Advisory Board since April 2023. She attended Wichita State University, where she majored in general studies with a focus on women's studies—an academic path that shaped her advocacy and led her to guest lecture at WSU in Gender Studies. She has also presented at conferences and spoken at institutions including Wesley Medical Center and Evergy, bringing her perspective on gender, identity, and community to audiences across the region.
In January 2026, Abi was selected by precinct leaders to fill the vacant seat left by Silas Miller, who had been elected to the Kansas Senate. She now represents the 86th District in southeast Wichita—and as the only openly transgender legislator in Kansas, she brings a unique and vital voice to the Statehouse.
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In the 2025–2026 legislative session, Abi serves on the committees for Education, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Veterans and Military, and Financial Institutions and Pensions. Her legislative priorities reflect the values she has championed throughout her career: a strong and fully funded public schools, expanded Medicaid, a living wage for all, and a Kansas where every person is treated with dignity and has a fair shot.
