The article "AI, Cheap Shots, and Hotel Drama: Topeka’s Mayor Race Heats Up" by Mack Callahan, published on July 1, 2025, details the escalating Topeka mayoral race between City Council member Spencer Duncan and outsider Henry McClure. Duncan, a policy-driven front-runner, accused McClure of using AI to complete a candidate questionnaire, sparking McClure’s retaliatory social media posts mocking Topeka’s downtown drinking district and alleging mistreatment at Hotel Topeka.
McClure has made the city-owned hotel a key campaign issue, claiming mismanagement and an ignored $7.6 million offer, positioning himself as an anti-establishment populist. Duncan remains composed, but the race is growing heated and theatrical ahead of the August primary. The article raises the question of whether voters will prioritize these disputes or focus on broader issues.
READ it HERE
