Interview of Mark Parkinson, December 14, 2010

The article linked below and downloadable, “ 'You can get a hell of a lot done as a governor': A Conversation with Former Governor Mark Parkinson," edited by Grant Armstrong, Bob Beatty, and Amber Dickinson, is, as noted in the body at footnote 3, excerpted from interviews conducted with Mark Parkinson in 2010 and 2021. The article was published in the Spring 2022 issue of Kansas History: A Journal of the Central Plains. The questions were removed and footnotes added during preparation of the transcripts for publication as a journal article. The Kansas Oral History Project is grateful to the Kansas Historical Foundation for allowing us to post this article as part of the collection of interviews of Kansas Governors.

From the Kansas History Kansas History webpage: "The seventh piece in our special series of articles based on interviews with former Kansas governors, this conversation with former lieutenant governor and governor Mark Parkinson explores topics such as the Kansas death penalty law, alternative energy and the proposed Holcomb coal-fired power plants, budget cuts and tax increases to deal with the great recession of 2009, and the possibilities for Democrats and Republicans to work together in Kansas."

Abortion; Centrist Republican; Clean Indoor Air Act; Coal-fired power plant; Conservative movement; Death Penalty; Driving age; Energy; Highway Fund; Highway program; Holcomb Power Plant; Minimum wage; Moderate; polarized political landscape; Political campaigns; Political culture; Political philosophy; Pro-choice; Smoking ban; Sunflower Electric Corp.; Water fluoridation; Wind Farm

From the Kansas History webpage, "Parkinson, a native of Wichita, narrowly lost his first race for the state legislature in 1978 at age twenty, but after getting his law degree embarked on a state political career that included serving in the state house (1991-1993), state senate (1993-1997), and as chair of the Kansas Republican Party (1999-2003). Parkinson switched his party affiliation from to Democrat when Governor Kathleen Sebelius shocked the state by asking him to be her lieutenant governor in 2006. He served as lieutenant governor from 2007 until April 28, 2009, when he became Kansas governor after Sebelius joined President Barack Obama’s cabinet as Secretary of Health and Human Services. "

Additional biographical information: Mark Parkinson graduated from Wichita Heights High School and went on to graduate summa cum laude from Wichita State University in 1980. Parkinson was first in his graduating class from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1984. He formed a law firm in 1986. Parkinson was elected to one term in the Kansas House of Representatives to represent the 14th District in Johnson County followed by a term in the Kansas Senate representing the 23rd Senate District, also in Johnson County.

June 24, 1957

Democrat

State Representative, Kansas House of Representatives 1991-1993
State Senator, Kansas Senate 1993-1997
Chairman, Kansas Republican Party 1999-2003
Lieutenant Governor, State of Kansas 2007-2009
Governor, State of Kansas 2009-2011

23

14

Statehouse, Topeka, KS