Topeka ? Candidates for state insurance commissioner Wednesday traded accusations that they were beholden to their campaign contributors.

Democrat Jim Garner blasted Republican Sandy Praeger for taking more than $25,000 in campaign funds in one day from a Texas insurance company that has a high rate of consumer complaints in Kansas.

“Who is shaking down whom?” Garner asked at a Capitol news conference as he called on Praeger to return the money.

Praeger responded, accusing Garner of running a negative campaign “bereft of ideas,” and she said he had received “strong support from trial lawyers and labor unions who have a vested interest in how the department is regulated.”

Praeger, a state senator from Lawrence, and Garner, a state representative from Coffeyville, are vying in the Nov. 5 election to lead the Kansas Department of Insurance. The current commissioner, Democrat Kathleen Sebelius, is running for governor.

One of the main issues in the insurance race is the effect of donations from insurance interests. Praeger has solicited and received tens of thousands of dollars from the industry, while Garner is following in Sebelius’ footsteps of refusing to take money from the insurers.

Garner questioned why Praeger received $25,650 from companies within the UICI holding company, top company executives and their spouses.

The checks, many of them for the $2,000 limit, were contributed to Praeger on July 26, the day after the reporting deadline for the last campaign finance report before the Aug. 6 primary.

The company does business in Kansas as MEGA Life & Health Insurance Co. Last year, Kansans paid MEGA about $10.5 million in premiums, and the state Insurance Department registered 32 consumer complaints, for a complaint ratio of 3.06, which is nearly five times the state average of 0.62.

In 1999, Sebelius issued a cease-and-desist order against MEGA, alleging the company was violating state insurance laws. Currently, MEGA is seeking a rate increase, and the Insurance Department has requested more backup documentation, according to state officials.

“UICI and its employees regularly contribute to the campaigns of candidates, Republicans and Democrats alike, whose views with respect to the accessibility and affordable health care coverage are consistent with ours,” said Glenn Reed, MEGA’s executive vice president and general counsel.

Praeger did not address the contributions from the UICI interests. Spokesman John Shoemaker said Praeger wanted to maintain a positive campaign message and was tired of responding to Garner.

Garner also criticized Praeger for a comment she made last week in the Winfield Daily Courier.

In the Courier, Praeger said Mutual of Omaha had recently left the Kansas market for individual health insurance policies because it could not get premiums high enough to cover costs.

“There may be too much protecting of consumers and then the company leaves,” she said.

Garner said that showed Praeger was “already being affected by her huge reliance on the insurance industry money.”