He also had support from labor unions representing over 40,000 workers—particularly the Wichita/Hutchinson Labor Federation of the AFL-CIO, a coalition of 30 local unions representing over 30,000 union members, in South-Central Kansas, including teachers, aviation industry workers, operating engineers, construction workers, electricians, firefighters, state employees, janitors, train operators and other occupations. Another AFL-CIO affiliate, the Building and Construction Trades Council of Central and Western Kansas—a coalition of 13 Kansas building-trades unions, respresenting over 10,000 members—also endorsed McKinney for Congress. In announcing his candidacy, McKinney blasted Congressional efforts to privatize Medicaid, citing Kansas troubles with that approach in its failing Kancare system. McKinney also criticized the state's shift from income taxes to higher sales and property taxes, while funding for schools was sharply cut—particularly criticizing state and Congressional moves towards privatizing or cutting education, describing education as "good for the economy," and workforce education as critical to the District's primary manufacturing industry: aviation. Citing his farmer/rancher background, McKinney claimed his experience with those issues, first-hand, and as a legislator, could bring a competent voice to the drafting of the upcoming Farm Bill, critical to the state's foremost industry, agriculture. McKinney faced four Democratic opponents, none of whom had been elected to public office before. The Party nominee was selected by a vote of delegates to the 4th District Democratic convention, at the Sedgwick County Courthouse Jury Room, in Wichita, on Saturday, February 11, 2017. In the first round of voting, by 39 pre-selected party delegates, McKinney and civil rights lawyer James Thompson had the most votes, but neither had the required "50% plus one vote," so they went to a final round of voting, in which Thompson defeated McKinney 21-18. The general election was held on April 11, 2017, with Thompson facing Kansas State Treasurer Ron Estes, the Republican nominee. Estes won, 52.5 to 47.7%, in a race where the Democratic National Committee chairman Tom Perez refused to provide financial support to Thompson. The National Republican Congressional Committee substantially outspent the Democrat, James Thompson. The NRCC contributed $92,000, in part for last minute "venomous" ads supporting Estes, which without any basis, characterized Thompson as an advocate of taxpayer funded, late term abortions, and those based on gender selection. Prior to the election, it was reported that Estes had raised $459,000 to Thompson’s $292,000.