Education, employment and the economy are themes emerging in the race for the 38th District seat in the Kansas House.

Republican incumbent Anthony Brown, a Eudora carpenter, is running against Democrat Roberta Eveslage, a retired educator from Lenexa.

Both candidates have spent the last several months reaching out to voters. Brown said he’s found door-to-door visits to be the most effective way to campaign. Eveslage recently sat on a panel of candidates at the Lawrence Public Library.

Brown said several common issues have surfaced during his visits with voters.

“People are obviously concerned about jobs and the economy,” he said. “People are obviously worried about layoffs and how they’re going to be able to keep a hold of their house, plan for kids’ college and all those things.”

Brown believes as a small-business owner, he’s able to identify with those concerns.

“I understand how slow the economy is right now,” Brown said. “We’re in real estate; we buy and flip homes. That’s tough right now.” He added, “My family shares the burden of a tough economy like most of the folks we’re talking to.”

Eveslage said she also realizes the difficulties in the 38th district.

“Education, getting good jobs in the K-10 corridor and taxes, these three things all go together,” Eveslage said.

The retired professor of psychology at Johnson County Community College said she is running for office to help people.

“I have a general concern for humans and I want to do my best to see to it that they get what they need, but I also want to help them help themselves,” she said.

Eveslage said she believes the state’s education system needs more support in order to boost the economy.

Brown also supports changes in education. He would like to see greater efficiency.

“Right now, we lack a standard accounting practice in the state of Kansas in K-through-12 education. We need to know where the tax dollars are being spent and who’s doing the best job spending those,” Brown said.

Eveslage said she has a better understanding of the public education system than her opponent.

“Anthony Brown homeschools his children, so he’s not so much in favor of public education, and I’m very much in favor of public education,” Eveslage said.

The Brown family says they have never home-schooled their children. They have six children in the Eudora public school system.