Phillip B. Journey and Candy Ruff

Two Kansas State legislators, one a Republican and one a Democrat, are the CCRKBA Gun Rights Defenders of the Month for June.
 The two are State Sen. Phillip B. Journey, who represents Kansas’ 26th Senatorial District, and State Rep. Candy Ruff, who represents Kansas’ 40th House District.
 The two led the recent successful legislative battle to override Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius’ veto of the state’s concealed carry legislation.
 The override vote was 30-10 in the State Senate and 91-33 in the State House of Representatives.
 CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb and CCRKBA Executive Director Joe Waldron made the joint nomination.  They noted that “CCRKBA is proud of the Kansas lawmakers in both parties who stood firm against anti-gun forces and acted swiftly to override the veto.  Sen. Phil Journey and Rep. Candy Ruff are to be especially congratulated for their perseverance.  They did a fine job of spearheading this effort.”
 Journey said he expects about 48,000 Kansans, or two percent of the population, to obtain concealed carry permits in the first four years.
 “The people of Kansas have waited a long time for this,” he said.
 Ruff said she immediately made three phone calls after the override vote.
 One went to her husband, a Leavenworth, Kansas police officer who supports the concealed carry firearm legislation. 
 The other two calls went to rape victims who had contacted Ruff saying they want to carry guns in order to feel safer.
 “People now have the right to defend themselves if they want to,” she said, but added that she herself does not plan to acquire a concealed carry permit.
 “I’ve never had a desire to carry a concealed gun,” she said.  “I pushed it because two rape victims in my district asked me to.”
 Phil Journey, who turned 50 this spring, was born in Kansas City and has been a resident of Haysville, Kansas since 1960.
 A 1974 graduate of Campus High School, he received a BA in Business from Washburn University in 1979 with an emphasis in Accounting.  Other significant areas of study included economics and statistical analysis.
 He graduated from the Oklahoma City University School of Law in 1983.
 An outstanding defender of Second Amendment rights, Phil was named 1993 Firearm Rights Activist of the Year.  He has served on the National Firearms Civil Rights Legal Defense Fund 501(C)3 affiliated with the NRA Board of Directors, the Kansas State Rifle Association (KSRA) Board of Directors, and the NRA Board of Directors, with Legislative Policy, Grassroots Development, Shooting Range Development and other committee memberships.
 Phil has been both President and Vice President of KSRA, an NRA affiliate.  He also has been President of the Kansas Second Amendment Society, a political action committee, since 1995.
 From 1993 up to the present, Phil has hosted talk shows on KCTU TV 55 and VHF Channel 5 at 7 P.M. CST Friday evenings, which may be seen live at www.kctu.com.  Viewers may comment about current political news, with focus on firearm issues, state political issues and local news.
 A panel leader for the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences, he has served on Emmy Committees judging local markets such as New York City, New Orleans, Kansas City and others.
 A grass roots political activist since 1988, Phil is a member of the American Association of Political Consultants.  In 2003, he was appointed to fill an unexpired term in the Kansas Senate, and was elected to the seat two years ago for a full four-year term.
 Candy Ruff, born on February 13, 1951, spent her childhood moving from place to place as the daughter of an Army officer.  She moved to Leavenworth, Kansas in 1976 and developed a career in social work.
 She writes that when her area got a new district, “that district was the one I ran for in 1992.  I was reelected in 1994, unopposed in 1996 and reelected in 1998. 
 “I got married in 1971.  Two years later, the best thing that ever happened to me occurred.  My son, Bobby, was born.  Since then, no career, no election nor recognition has come close to being as important.  God also blessed me with a great husband.  Gregory is my Prince of Wonderfulness.  He is supportive, kind and a good judge of people and events.   He serves as a lieutenant with the Leavenworth Police Department and recently retired as an MP with the Army Reserves.”