University Daily Kansan / Monday, October 7, 1991
5
Despite variety of other interests, Winter maintains loyalty to KU
By William Ramsey
Kansan staff writer
Patrick G; Brungardt/ Special to the KANS
College Republicans Vice President Mike Abbot, left, talks with Winter.
State Sen. Wint Winter Jr., sits with his hand over his mouth, leaning back toward a legislative assistant while Ronald Peyton, KPERS national investment consultant, tries to explain to a bipartisan panel how the state's retirement fund board could have made such risky investments.
Is he listening to Peyton?
"Why did he ...?"
"When did he...?"
When did he ...
"Why did he ...?"
Winter turns toward the witness — his profile hawklike, his hair peppered with gray. He zings Peyton with a series of lawyerly questions:
Finally, Peyton admits that once the board began investing state employees' retirement money, he did not try to stop them for fear of his job.
Winter, KPERS crusader and state senator whose district includes the University of Kansas, always seems at the center of events that shape the University's future. He seems driven by family history and a sense of duty to confront the enemies of KU and Lawrence voters.
"I'm proud of the fact that I'm accused of being called the Senator from KU." Winter, R-Lawrence, said in a meeting of KU College Republicans.
Winter was a college Republican in the early '70s. Politics and people at KU have changed since then, but the university has been best for Lawrence and the University.
"This is my home," Winter said.
And he does everything he can for it, said the Rev. Vince Krische, director of the St. Lawrence Catholic Center.
Krische and Winter were students together at KU and still are friends.
"He's a dyed in-the-wool Jayhawk'
said Krische, who is chaplain for the
Kings.
Winter and his wife went to the game at Virginia last weekend. He often is seen enjoying a football game from the couch, looking relaxed in a casual sweater.
Winter's constituency ties him directly to KU, and he takes his concern for the University with him to the coomis, professor of political science.
"Day to day, Winter does a lot for the University." Loomis said.
He said the senator had strongly supported the Margin of Excellence, the financing drive that failed to receive money in its final year.
Young, conservative college Republicans speak excitedly about Winter, a party member with more liberal ideas than theirs.
"Wint Winter is a pragmatic Republican who is able to compete and get the job done," said Doug Brubaker, KU College Republic president.
He speaks from experience.
Looking out across the room full of political hopefuls, Wilt tells them to jump from the KU campus into involvement on a local and state level.
The 38-year-old is entering his 10th session of the Legislature in January. He finished his law degree at the University 13 years ago.
When asked in June to head a special
panel to look into the investment practices of the $4-billion Kansas Public Employees Retirement System. Winnipeg focuses of statewide media attention.
Winter now estimates KPERS has lost $231 million, and that means tightening a weakened state budget.
Higher education in Kansas will have problems, he said. The money is gone.
"It's now being soaked up, suckered by the failures of our retirement system," Winter said. "And students are caught in a tuition squeeze."
Winter's concern, along with his financial and political success, is not limited to the state.
Wint Winter Sr. has been a lawyer, judge, state senator and banker.
The elder Winter once considered running for governor but decided against it because his family was more important.
His son Wint, the oldest of five children, has followed his father in many waves, said his mother, Nancy Winter.
"I don't know that he's done that knot," she said. "I guess it's in the groove."
Nancy Winter said her son, who is a fourth-generation Douglas County resident, considered not going to KU because he was offered a football scholarship.
Winter played center for the team, but rarely started in games because he did not grow as much as his coaches thought he might, she said.
Near the end of his junior year, he
turned in his football scholarship to
Stanford.
"I saw another side of my boy that I hadn't seen before," she said.
Winter Louis, publicity director for KLWN Radio in Lawrence, has been friends with Winter since they were KU students.
Winter is motivated by a sense of duty, Louis said.
"His father was a public servant, and his family historically has been very involved in their respective communities," he added.
People see him as a non-partisan, responsible senator, he said.
Not all of Winter's reviews have
been so favorable, however.
Senate Minority Leader Jerry Karr, D-Emporia, said Winter had manipulated the media to promote himself.
"Wint is very effective at capitaliz-
ing a big business." he said.
Winter may not be serving his constituency well by trying to confront too closely.
"he who chases two rats catches none," he said, quoting an African man.
Others are less kind. Ryan Tarpley, Shawne junior and executive assistant to the Democratic state party chairman, said Winter had received credit for the KPERS investigation that actually was run by a committee.
"He's a real charmer," Tarpley said, "especially when you look at the other senators in there. He comes off as dashing and young and attractive."
Winter probably will use the hearings as a springboard to other things, Tarpey said.
Winter said the only thing he was sure of was that he would run for state office.
Like his father before him, family life will play a big role in Winter's future. He and his wife, Mary, have three daughters in grade school.
Mary, who teaches first grade at St John's school in the mornings, said she
"That's Wint's interest, and I respect that," she said.
Winter himself said he struggled with his job, personal life and political responsibilities.
But the years as the second district senator have taught him to manage.
At the Lawrence law firm where he is a partner, he works calls from his daughters and from other politicians into his busy schedule.
But the telephone calls he relishes
the most are those such as the one he
receives on the telephone.
He said a Lawrence woman called, frantic because she had a problem and had gotten nowhere in a muddle of traffic. Winter said he would try to help her
"That's what is rewarding about this job," he said. "That's a nice feeling."
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