From The Sun
Election is Sneaking UP!
By: Bob Sigman, Opinion Page Editor
State Sen. Barbara Allen’s decision to not seek re-election is a top story in this year’s election, but not the only one. The Overland Park Republican, a state legislator the last two decades, has chaired the Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee, considered one of the key policy-making bodies in the upper chamber.
Her departure opens the 8th Senate District seat, which has prompted a flurry of activity in the political arena. As of Monday noon, the election office Web site showed one House member, Rep. Tim Owens, and Ben Hodge, a former state representative, filed in the Republican primary.
Judy Macy had declared her candidacy on the Democratic side. All are from Overland Park.
Owens’ run creates an opening for his House seat and sets off the politicians’ version of musical chairs. The game has broken out for other offices this year. They will play the chairs game in the primary if enough candidates file. If not, the races will move to the November election.
We will soon know who the players are. The filing deadline is Tuesday. Then, in a little more than a month, on July 16, advance voting begins.
Ready or not, the 2008 election in Johnson County is upon us.
Allen, who served 12 years in the Kansas House and eight in the Senate, said in an interview that she is leaving the Kansas Legislature to pursue a master’s degree in public health at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Health issues led to her leaving, she noted.
Allen, a moderate voice and consistent supporter of adequate financing of education, was stricken with a very aggressive type of breast cancer in 2005.
“I was blessed to regain my health, and I knew I was called to support other women who find themselves as cancer patients,” she said in recent written comments about her new venture.
“My hope, passion and goal is to commit my energy to raising breast cancer awareness and to increasing breast cancer research, treatment and outreach in Kansas.”
Two years ago, Allen sponsored legislation that created the state income tax check-off for breast cancer research.
Two other members of the Johnson County delegation to the Kansas Senate are not seeking new terms. They are Nick Jordan, R-Shawnee, in the 10th District, and Dennis Wilson, R-Overland Park, in the 37th District.
Jordan passed up running for another Senate term to seek the GOP nomination in the 3rd Kansas U.S. House District. The incumbent is Rep. Dennis Moore, a Democrat who lives in Lenexa. Paul V. Showen, Shawnee, has filed in the Republican primary.
In the musical chairs game, Sue Gamble, Shawnee, a Republican member of the Kansas Board of Education, is seeking the GOP nomination for Jordan’s place in the Senate. Two candidates are running to succeed Gamble. The Republican is Mary C. Ralstin, Shawnee, the Democrat, Sue Storm, Overland Park, currently a member of the Kansas House from the 22nd District.
Lisa Benlon, Overland Park, a former Republican member of the Kansas House from Shawnee, is filed as a Democrat in the 22nd House District to succeed Storm. Benlon was a member of the House for 12 years before retiring in 2002.
A House member, Jeff Colyer, R-Overland Park, is seeking the Republican nomination in Wilson’s 37th Senate District. That leaves the 48th House District seat open to a new candidate.
In the comeback category, Jim Yonally, Overland Park, who has served two stints in the Kansas House, is running for the Republican nomination in the 16th District. Rep. Gene Rardin, D-Overland Park, is the first-term incumbent there.
Yonally was a House member from 1973 to 1977 and from 2003 to 2007. He lost the GOP primary two years ago to a candidate who was defeated by Rardin in the general election.
Based on recent filings, incumbents in the 2nd and 3rd districts of the nonpartisan Johnson County Board of County Commissioners face opposition.
Jim Allen, former mayor of Shawnee, is challenging incumbent John Patrick Segale, Shawnee, in the 2nd District. Segale, who served on the Shawnee City Council for seven years, is seeking a second term on the County Commission.
In the 3rd District, incumbent David A. Lindstrom, Overland Park, is opposed by James Azeltine, Leawood, a first-term member of the Leawood City Council. He is chairman of the Johnson County Park and Recreation District. Lindstrom, who is seeking a second term on the commission, ran for lieutenant governor with gubernatorial candidate Tim Shallenburger in Shallenburger’s unsuccessful bid for governor in 2002.
Up for election, too, is district attorney, an office now held by Phill Kline, former Kansas attorney general. He was selected by the county’s precinct committeemen and committeewomen after Paul Morrison left to become attorney general in January of 2007. Morrison, a Democrat, had defeated Kline, a Republican, for state attorney general in 2006. Two other candidates, a Republican and a Democrat, have announced they will run for district attorney this year.
Frank Denning, the incumbent Republican sheriff, has filed for re-election.
Republican and Democratic precinct committeemen and committeewomen will be elected in 444 precincts in the August primary. One of their most important duties is filling vacancies when elected officials leave office during a term. That occurred when Morrison resigned as Johnson County district attorney to become attorney general and the committee chose Kline to succeed him.
More candidates are expected to file before the deadline, setting up additional contested races in the primary.
Contact Bob Sigman at 385-6034 or e-mail bsigman@sunpublications.com.
Her departure opens the 8th Senate District seat, which has prompted a flurry of activity in the political arena. As of Monday noon, the election office Web site showed one House member, Rep. Tim Owens, and Ben Hodge, a former state representative, filed in the Republican primary.
Judy Macy had declared her candidacy on the Democratic side. All are from Overland Park.
Owens’ run creates an opening for his House seat and sets off the politicians’ version of musical chairs. The game has broken out for other offices this year. They will play the chairs game in the primary if enough candidates file. If not, the races will move to the November election.
We will soon know who the players are. The filing deadline is Tuesday. Then, in a little more than a month, on July 16, advance voting begins.
Ready or not, the 2008 election in Johnson County is upon us.
Allen, who served 12 years in the Kansas House and eight in the Senate, said in an interview that she is leaving the Kansas Legislature to pursue a master’s degree in public health at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Health issues led to her leaving, she noted.
Allen, a moderate voice and consistent supporter of adequate financing of education, was stricken with a very aggressive type of breast cancer in 2005.
“I was blessed to regain my health, and I knew I was called to support other women who find themselves as cancer patients,” she said in recent written comments about her new venture.
“My hope, passion and goal is to commit my energy to raising breast cancer awareness and to increasing breast cancer research, treatment and outreach in Kansas.”
Two years ago, Allen sponsored legislation that created the state income tax check-off for breast cancer research.
Two other members of the Johnson County delegation to the Kansas Senate are not seeking new terms. They are Nick Jordan, R-Shawnee, in the 10th District, and Dennis Wilson, R-Overland Park, in the 37th District.
Jordan passed up running for another Senate term to seek the GOP nomination in the 3rd Kansas U.S. House District. The incumbent is Rep. Dennis Moore, a Democrat who lives in Lenexa. Paul V. Showen, Shawnee, has filed in the Republican primary.
In the musical chairs game, Sue Gamble, Shawnee, a Republican member of the Kansas Board of Education, is seeking the GOP nomination for Jordan’s place in the Senate. Two candidates are running to succeed Gamble. The Republican is Mary C. Ralstin, Shawnee, the Democrat, Sue Storm, Overland Park, currently a member of the Kansas House from the 22nd District.
Lisa Benlon, Overland Park, a former Republican member of the Kansas House from Shawnee, is filed as a Democrat in the 22nd House District to succeed Storm. Benlon was a member of the House for 12 years before retiring in 2002.
A House member, Jeff Colyer, R-Overland Park, is seeking the Republican nomination in Wilson’s 37th Senate District. That leaves the 48th House District seat open to a new candidate.
In the comeback category, Jim Yonally, Overland Park, who has served two stints in the Kansas House, is running for the Republican nomination in the 16th District. Rep. Gene Rardin, D-Overland Park, is the first-term incumbent there.
Yonally was a House member from 1973 to 1977 and from 2003 to 2007. He lost the GOP primary two years ago to a candidate who was defeated by Rardin in the general election.
Based on recent filings, incumbents in the 2nd and 3rd districts of the nonpartisan Johnson County Board of County Commissioners face opposition.
Jim Allen, former mayor of Shawnee, is challenging incumbent John Patrick Segale, Shawnee, in the 2nd District. Segale, who served on the Shawnee City Council for seven years, is seeking a second term on the County Commission.
In the 3rd District, incumbent David A. Lindstrom, Overland Park, is opposed by James Azeltine, Leawood, a first-term member of the Leawood City Council. He is chairman of the Johnson County Park and Recreation District. Lindstrom, who is seeking a second term on the commission, ran for lieutenant governor with gubernatorial candidate Tim Shallenburger in Shallenburger’s unsuccessful bid for governor in 2002.
Up for election, too, is district attorney, an office now held by Phill Kline, former Kansas attorney general. He was selected by the county’s precinct committeemen and committeewomen after Paul Morrison left to become attorney general in January of 2007. Morrison, a Democrat, had defeated Kline, a Republican, for state attorney general in 2006. Two other candidates, a Republican and a Democrat, have announced they will run for district attorney this year.
Frank Denning, the incumbent Republican sheriff, has filed for re-election.
Republican and Democratic precinct committeemen and committeewomen will be elected in 444 precincts in the August primary. One of their most important duties is filling vacancies when elected officials leave office during a term. That occurred when Morrison resigned as Johnson County district attorney to become attorney general and the committee chose Kline to succeed him.
More candidates are expected to file before the deadline, setting up additional contested races in the primary.
Contact Bob Sigman at 385-6034 or e-mail bsigman@sunpublications.com.
Labels: johnson county, kansas
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