Just the facts:
Graduated from Manhattan High School
Graduated from Kansas State University
Worked in property management for 10+ years
Co-founded a nonprofit
Military wife and daughter
Mother to four adult children
Hi, I’m Brenda Bandy.
I did the math - 43 years. That is how long I have been in Manhattan.
I turned one in an apartment complex off Seth Child when my Dad was stationed at Fort Riley. I returned for 5th through 7th grade and again for my junior and senior years of high school.
Without the Army telling me where to move next, I chose to stay in Manhattan. After graduating from Kansas State University with a degree in Chemistry, I was in Minneapolis in grad school when I got a job offer that brought me back to …you guessed it - Manhattan!
I learned a lot about Manhattan and business while managing Westchester Park and Georgetown. I also met my husband, Rufus, who was in the Army. We had the good fortune to live in Germany for four years and then - you guessed it - we returned to Manhattan!
We chose Manhattan to raise our four children (and two dogs). Our children (not the dogs so much) benefited from the education they received from the amazing USD 383 school district.
As their interests took them places, mine did too. My volunteer work helping mothers and babies with breastfeeding took me to the Capitol to advocate for a law that protects a mother’s right to breastfeed wherever she has the right to be. Passing that law was the beginning of a 20-year commitment to passing policies that make raising a family or growing a business easier in Kansas.
I am a co-founder of the Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition, a non-profit that has improved breastfeeding rates across Kansas. I learned the value of building relationships, listening, and working with people who have different ideas to accomplish a singular goal.
My work in public health policymaking was recognized last fall by the Kansas Public Health Association’s highest award, the Samuel J. Crumbine Medal. This medal is given for meritorious service as well as state, regional, or national recognition related to the improvement of the health of Kansans and/or the environment of the state.
I have chosen Manhattan over and over again in my life. I want Manhattan to be a strong, viable choice for others.
That’s why I am running for House District 67.
Receiving the Heartland Health Equity Award, Sept. 2025. (with Todd Moore)
Receiving the Samuel J. Crumbine Award, 2026.
Big Ideas,
Real Impact.
For the past 15 years, I have worked with legislators at the Capitol in Topeka, advocating for policies that support families. I’ve noticed they have less time, and for some, less interest in listening as the majority grows in power. Some in the majority have become emboldened to say and do things under the Capitol dome that were unthinkable in years past. I’ve seen the poor policies that result from rushed legislative sessions with little or no discussion or input from others.
It is time to restore common sense at the Capitol. I know what it takes to pass good policies at the state level – listening, learning, and level-headedness. I would also add compromise and collaboration.
All of these skills I’ve learned while building a non-profit in Kansas that has moved Kansas from the bottom 25 to the top 5 in state breastfeeding rates. I did this by building partnerships with employers, the child care workforce, healthcare systems, and public health.
Some call me tenacious. Others say passionate. Whatever it is that has made me successful in passing pro-family policies and building a nonprofit that has impacted our state - I will put into serving House District 67.
I am committed to listening to constituents, advocates, and my legislative colleagues. The result will be stronger, commonsense policies that –
Will make it easier to raise a family and care for our elderly in Kansas by decreasing costs and giving people time to care for one another
Build a stronger economy that makes Kansas a good choice for those wanting to start a business or start a family
Makes health care easier to access