Meet Seth Cordell!
Lyons resident Seth Cordell believes in the power of Kansans to enact change towards a freer state. In 2021, he decided to take the extra step to show his enthusiasm for liberty by running for office. At the LPKS Convention on 4/23, Cordell was nominated to be the official governor candidate. Get to know more about him and what he stands for in this interview with LPKS Communications Director, Allison Ross.
AR: Thanks for being willing to talk about your campaign. And congrats on the nomination! We’re excited to support you in the race for governor.
SC: Thanks Allison, I’m really happy to be here! What many people don’t realize is that I began this journey over a year ago. From officially hammering out my platform, to fundraising and kicking off my campaign, the amount of work my team and I have accomplished so far has been astronomical, and we are all very excited to see it pay off. Now that I’ve got the nomination, I can’t wait to dive headfirst into this campaign and spread our message of liberty. AR: I have a few things to ask of you personally. But first, tell us about your history and background with the LP. SC: Like most people, I’ve been a libertarian my entire life, but it took me a while to find the party. At the root of it all, I’ve always just wanted to be left alone, and to leave other people alone. J.R.R. Tolkien once said, "The most improper job of any man is bossing other men. Not one in a million is fit for it, and least of all those who seek the opportunity." For years, this led me to be registered as an independent voter. However, as time wore on, and our government got more and more corrupt, I could no longer justify sitting on the sidelines while I watched my friends and neighbors suffer at the draconian policies of the political elite. I felt compelled to become more active politically and chose to align myself with a political party that doesn’t just talk a big game, but actually backs it up with direct action to improve the lives and increase the freedom of Kansans. AR: What inspired you to pursue the nomination? SC: Kansas is the home to many unique, intelligent, hard-working people. We have natural resources and natural beauty. We have all the ingredients needed to have a prosperous economy while ensuring equal opportunity for all Kansans. Kansas needs action that reflects those qualities and brings results. As a state, we need to look deeper into our shortcomings and find practical solutions. We need to acknowledge the draconian systems of the past have not worked to solve the underlying issues that lead to our many societal problems. I believe that the great people of Kansas can solve those problems if only the government would get out of the way and allow us to help each other. Senseless regulations, laws, and mandates are limiting the ability of Kansans to step up and show the U.S. what we can do. While the rest of the country is looking to Washington, D.C. for answers on how to solve these problems, I am looking at my neighbors and asking, 'why not Kansas?'AR: Let’s talk about you not as a political candidate, but as a person. Kansans want to know who you are! Tell us about your family, your job, your life outside of the campaign.SC: I grew up in Little River, KS, the second oldest of eight siblings. We lived on a small farm and raised a variety of livestock, and were active in 4H. In junior high and high school I did football, basketball, track, band, choir, theater, debate, forensics, scholar's bowl, and was student council president my senior year. You can say I had a bit of pressure to overachieve. I played one year of college football and track at Sterling College, but due to injury I wasn't able to play anymore. I was lost without sports and dropped out after my freshman year. I bounced around for several years before getting my CNA. With that certification, I worked at a couple nursing homes and fell in love with healthcare. After meeting my wife, we decided we both wanted to go back to school. So at 30 I went back to college, and we both finished our bachelor's degrees in biology and doctorates in chiropractic. Following this we moved back to Rice County, where we opened Cordell Chiropractic Clinic. We currently have offices in Lyons and Sterling. The first two years we were open, I was also the assistant debate and forensics coach at Lyons High School. During this time I was inspired by my students to run for office. About one year ago, we moved into a house with 4 acres, and my free time has been spent trying to turn it into a self-sufficient homestead. We have 2 dogs, 5 cats, and 40 chickens currently. Oh, and when needed we foster dogs that are up for adoption at the vet.AR: Ok, back to politics. In your opinion, what is the most pertinent issue (or issues) we should focus on? SC: After seeing our state’s misguided and ineffective response to the pandemic, there are 3 very important issues that I have decided to make the cornerstone of my campaign.
- The government has no right to interfere with private business, period. I believe that through limited and local government we can build resilient communities based on voluntary, mutually beneficial transactions.
- Along with full legalization of cannabis, I propose real criminal justice reform that will recognize that non-violent drug use is not worthy of a felony conviction, and that substance abuse and addiction is a health issue and not a criminal issue.
- Finally, as with any free market, competition is vital to keep products affordable. Eliminating unnecessary regulations in the food production and distribution industry will bring jobs and products back to Kansas by making it easier for Kansans to compete in the marketplace.
AR: How can Kansans best get involved and support you? SC: Running as a third-party candidate automatically puts me at a disadvantage in comparison to the other two major parties. Obviously, donations are the quickest and easiest way to support my campaign.Since we get a fraction of the earned media coverage that the Democrats and Republicans do, any advertising we can afford really helps spread the word about our campaign. We also need funds to purchase literature, yard signs, and promotional materials for our volunteers to distribute. Just as important as funds, however, is volunteers! From phone banking to canvassing, running an effective third-party campaign requires an army of volunteers spread out across the state. Even if you only have a few minutes per month to dedicate to my campaign, I would encourage you to contact my campaign team and let them know your availability. We certainly need all the help we can get!Following my campaign on Facebook and YouTube helps boost numbers, and if you share my content as it comes out, that’s a great way to spread the word. AR: This is all very exciting! We look forward to watching your race. What’s next for you? SC: Obviously winning the gubernatorial race is the ultimate goal, but I believe that it’s important to be realistic in what a third party can accomplish (which is actually a lot). Getting 5% of the popular vote is a lofty but very attainable goal. Doing that would grant the Libertarian party major party status in the state of Kansas, which gets us notoriety and puts us on even footing with the other two major parties. This would be a massive step forward for the Liberty movement in Kansas. Another major goal of my campaign is to grow the Libertarian Party. I believe that my message is not only principled but also very accessible and popular with people who are new to the liberty movement. I hope my campaign becomes an introductory point for these people, and that we can bring in many new volunteers and donors to the LP.
Stay tuned for updates as LPKS follows Seth’s race for governor! For more info on the campaign: https://www.cordellforkansas.com/Contact Cordell for Kansas’s campaign manager, Dan Gaeddert: Gaeddertd@gmail.com or 620-204-1468Questions or comments: communications@lpks.org