The Emporia Gazette

May 28, 2012

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Rep. Peggy Mast will run for re-election in the 76th District of the Kansas House of Representatives, the Emporia Republican announced in a news release this weekend.

Mast joined the Legislature in 1997. She is the vice chair for the House Health and Human Services Committee and for the Social Services Budget Committee and also serves on the Legislative Post-Audit Committee and the Energy and Utilities Committee. She was chairman of the Legislative Post-Audit Committee during the 2007 legislative session.

Mast said many factors went into her decision to run again, including the unresolved issue of state health care.

“We’re just on the forefront of really trying to address some things that we need to look at in health care in order to make it more affordable and more accessible, and trying to get more transparency in health care so that people can be informed about the actual cost to them, and trying to manage their health care,” Mast said.

House Speaker Melvin Neufeld, R-Ingalls, commended Mast for a near-perfect attendance record to House sessions and committee meetings, according to the release.

“Rep. Mast’s leadership and experience is invaluable in our chamber,” Neufeld said. “She is an effective representative because of her experience and knowledge of the legislative process. She is a very balanced legislator — making sure we craft the best policy possible while not forgetting about what is important to her district.”

Mast said some challenging times were ahead with respect to the economy and that many people are discouraged right now.

“But it’s something that we’re just really gonna need to look at and paste together, and it’s no time to jump ship,” she said.