FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 27, 2026
Sen. Cindy Holscher Slams Sen. Ethan Corson on CoreCivic Ties During Democratic Gubernatorial Debate
TOPEKA, KS — Following last night’s Democratic gubernatorial debate, Senator Cindy Holscher, Democratic frontrunner for Governor, is laying bare the clear contrast between her and Senator Ethan Corson on the role of private prisons and immigration detention facilities in Kansas:
During the debate, candidates were asked about the controversial decision to allow CoreCivic, the largest private prison company in the United States, to reopen its Leavenworth facility as an ICE detention center — a move that has drawn strong opposition from local residents, advocates, and community leaders. While Corson stated that he opposes private prisons and ICE detention facilities, his record tells a different story.
In one of the most defining moments of the night — captured in a video clip — Holscher directly confronted Corson over his financial ties to CoreCivic and its allies. She called attention to Corson having previously accepted the maximum campaign contribution from CoreCivic during his 2024 State Senate run, as well as $5,000 from the law firm representing the company in his gubernatorial campaign.
“You can’t say you’re against private prisons or ICE detention facilities when your campaigns and personal life are intertwined with that very business,” said Sen. Cindy Holscher. “I have consistently stood with the community opposing ICE overreach. I have never taken CoreCivic money and never will.”
The exchange drew the loudest applause of the night, underscoring what voters are looking for in their candidate for Governor. As the debate made clear, this race offers voters a real choice: a candidate with a consistent record of standing up to private prison companies, or one who is trying to hide their financial ties to the very institutions the community is against. .
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Cindy Holscher was raised on a farm and brought up with common sense, Midwest values, and a love of her country. Cindy and her husband Greg have lived in Kansas for over 25 years, and their three kids graduated from public schools. She first ran for office to help end the disastrous Brownback experiment and to restore funding to the schools. As a legislator, Cindy co-founded the Women’s Bipartisan Caucus, and she focused on lowering costs for working class and middle class Kansans. Now, she’s running for Governor because Kansas deserves a leader who has a proven track record of fighting for all Kansans.
For more information about Holscher and the campaign, visit CindyforKansas.com.
