When you are running for governor, you tend to establish a signature issue. In Kansas, Democratic Laura Kelly has begun her campaign for better schools and a functional state Government. Greg Orman has made his issue selling books left over in a warehouse somewhere. And Kris Kobach has made his big issue, drumroll please: defunding Kansas schools.

No, that isn’t a joke, he’s literally said it. Out loud.

Brad Cooper, at the always worthwhile Sunflower State Journal, lays it out from Kobach’s appearance before the Republican state primary winners.

Republican gubernatorial nominee Kris Kobach said Thursday he would like to see the Kansas Legislature adopt a constitutional amendment limiting the courts’ involvement in school finance cases as early as his first year as governor. “My hope would be that we would get it done this first session and get it on the ballot very quickly,” said Kobach, adding it could go to voters as early as the fall of 2019. A constitutional amendment is expected to be a challenge since it takes support from two-thirds of the Legislature and needs to be ratified by votes. It’s unclear still how this year’s election might affect support for an amendment in the Legislature.

Kobach has made his signature issue, the first issue he will take on, to remove from the Kansas Constitution the role the courts play in establishing that schools be adequately and equitably funded. Checks and balances? Not for Mr. Kobach!