Meagan Rico - Kansas House District 69 - Full Conversation
Meagan Rico is running in the August Democratic primary for Kansas House District 69, which encompasses parts of Salina and surrounding communities from Brookville to Gypsum in Saline County. Born and raised in Salina, Rico has always returned to the area, describing Salina and central Kansas as possessing a unique “vibe and flavor” that continually draws her back.
Rico characterizes herself as a reluctant newcomer to politics. Running for office was not a childhood dream, but a deep concern for Kansans motivates her, as does a belief that everyone deserves dignity and opportunity. This conviction largely stems from her extensive work as a registered nurse in various settings, including critical access hospitals, larger hospital systems, home health, and long-term care. She recounts witnessing young families burdened with medical debt upon leaving the hospital and older couples contemplating divorce to afford long-term care. For Rico, these stories exemplify how broken systems force individuals into cruel choices.
Her focus heavily centers on understanding systems and identifying their true beneficiaries. With a master’s degree in nursing specializing in health systems leadership, Rico views healthcare from a broad perspective. She contends that many systems benefit specific entities, often at the expense of working-class people. She emphasizes that working-class individuals drive society, yet they are frequently the least served by the systems built around them.
Rico also addresses the current political climate and the rise of unaffiliated voters. She observes that many people feel disempowered by both major parties. Some neighbors question trusting her as a Democrat, viewing Democrats and Republicans as two sides of the same coin. While Rico doesn’t fully agree with this sentiment, she understands its origin. She believes government failures in education, transparency, and honest communication have fostered deep distrust.
Voters, Rico notes, are seeking candidates who are not establishment politicians. While she doesn’t consider herself an establishment Democrat, she recognizes the necessity of collaborating with both establishment Democrats and Republicans. She draws parallels to her life as a biracial woman of white, Mexican, and Native American heritage, having always navigated different worlds. She also connects this to her nursing experience, where she often mediated between patients, families, doctors, and healthcare systems.
When asked about experiencing extreme financial hardship, Rico affirms she has. She recalls this struggle during her childhood, as a low-income nursing student, and as a single mother. She remembers thinking her family would be financially secure when her father earned $50,000 annually, finding it jarring to reflect on that now. She also speaks of the financial strain of nursing school and the challenges of re-entering the workforce as a single mother. Rico states she has had less than zero cents in her account at various life stages, with each experience imparting different lessons.
This leads to a discussion of property taxes and local budgets. Rico points out that while officials might describe an increase as only $20 more per year for the average person, this amount is significant for seniors on fixed incomes who might have only $50 remaining at month’s end. Her argument is that policy must not be judged solely by averages but by its impact on those already living on the margins.
Rico reports that the most pressing issues she hears about from constituents are AI, data centers, personal privacy, and Flock cameras. She views these issues as interconnected, given that some camera systems utilize AI, which in turn requires data centers. Rico states she hasn’t encountered anyone who supports data centers. Her immediate reaction is opposition due to water concerns. As a public health professional and a Native American woman, she emphasizes water as one of our most vital resources, stressing that Kansas does not have an unlimited supply.
She acknowledges the labor argument, being pro-union and understanding that some unions view data centers as a source of jobs. However, she questions whether these jobs are truly long-term and if they justify the strain on natural resources. She advocates for reserving tax incentives for projects that offer long-term benefits to workers and communities. Although Saline County has a three-year moratorium on data centers, Rico states the issue is not resolved, and she is monitoring it closely.
The conversation also covers property taxes, privacy, and the August 4 constitutional amendment vote. Rico notes that Democrats are concerned the amendment could lead to the overturning of abortion rights, despite Kansas having already voted on abortion rights in 2022. She also highlights that the amendment concerns school funding and the balance of power in Kansas. Rico finds it troubling that Republicans often claim to oppose big government while simultaneously pushing for greater political control over the courts.
Rico believes many working people are too preoccupied with survival to meticulously study every election. Their focus is on bills, work hours, deductibles, and keeping their households afloat. She argues that the current system benefits from an overworked and exhausted populace. She asserts that government must rebuild trust through transparency and improved communication. If elected, she plans to use tools like TikTok or livestreams to explain daily legislative proceedings in clear, accessible language.
Rico also discusses Kansas’s loss of young people, particularly in rural areas. She attributes this exodus to young people’s inability to envision a future in the state. She aspires for Kansas to be a place offering meaningful work, quality healthcare, strong public schools, safe communities, and genuine opportunity. She believes Kansans are straightforward; they simply desire to live ordinary lives.
Concluding the conversation, Rico urges voters to choose her because of her authenticity. She is not seeking a career in politics but is driven by her personal experiences and her work as a nurse. She expresses a willingness to collaborate across the aisle and incorporate voices often excluded from political discourse.
The full conversation reveals Rico as a candidate shaped by her experiences in nursing, public health, motherhood, identity, financial struggles, and frustration with systems that complicate ordinary life. Her core message advocates for a government that is more transparent, understandable, rooted in lived experience, and focused on the working-class Kansans who bear the brunt of the current system.
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