Lee Modesitt Files for Election to Kansas House

Lee Modesitt, a senior at Kansas State University in Manhattan, has filed paperwork to run for the 66th district seat currently occupied by Sydney Carlin. His three main issues, he says, are: Kansas jobs, Energy, and Education.

Leed Modesitt for State Representative

Democrat Tom Wiggans Enters Governor Race

Tom Wiggans, a retired Olathe pharmaceutical executive, is a political newcomer largely unknown in the state he hopes to lead. A native of Fredonia, he returned to Kansas in January after a prominent career in the pharmaceutical industry in California. He is so far the only major Democratic candidate in the race. Wiggans filed paperwork Tuesday allowing him to raise money for the 2010 race. He declined to comment publicly on his campaign, instead e-mailing a statement to reporters.

“Now more than ever as our state and our families deal with this difficult economic climate, we need a successful business leader in the Governor’s office,” Wiggans said in the statement.”… Our state needs a Governor who can speak the language of business, jobs and prosperity — not a career politician.”

Gov. Mark Parkinson and state party chairman Larry Gates, opted not to run. Brownback, who’s leaving the U.S. Senate, is the leading Republican candidate for the job. Republicans said Democrats were desperate to find a willing candidate with the personal wealth to fund a campaign. They noted that Wiggans contributed thousands of dollars to Republican candidates while living in California and raised questions about his dedication to the Sunflower State.

“It is hard to imagine Kansas Democrats would actually nominate for governor someone who has never voted in a Kansas election,” said Amanda Adkins, chairwoman of the Republican Party. Wiggans began his pharmaceutical career after graduating from the University of Kansas. He serves on multiple state economic development boards and is a member of the KU Endowment Board of Trustees. Wiggans is married to Kathryn Wiggans, a nurse. The couple have two teenage daughters.

A search of federal campaign contributions shows Wiggans has contributed over the years to both Democrats and Republicans, including former President George W. Bush, presidential contender Rudy Giuliani and the Republican National Committee. Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka, said Wiggans should appeal to voters more interested in results than partisanship. He said Wiggans’ lack of name recognition, his support for Republicans and his recent arrival in Kansas shouldn’t hurt him.

Source: Wichita Eagle

London Township Tries to Fix Mistake?

Most recall elections make no sense to me. People get voted into an office, do something the voters disagree with, and then there is a recall petition enacted. They are becoming more and more common place. London Township will be holding a special recall election after a petition was filed to oust one of its trustees. A Petition for Recall for Elected Officials was submitted to the Sumner County Clerk’s office on Monday, Oct. 5.

In the petition, members of the recall committee — Shannon Kelly of Peck, Kyle McAdams and Johnny Jordan both of Belle Plaine — allege Township Trustee Michelle T. Langlois should be recalled from the trustee position after she committed “misconduct in office and failed to perform her duties as a trustee.”

“Failed to perform her duties” is pretty standard. It’s the recall descriptive equal to divorce’s no fault. On this one, a committee alleges Langlois committed misconduct by “failing to repair the mail route, specifically by blockading the road located on 130th Ave., North between West and Meridian roads with rocks on or about April 2009 to the present to make it impassible”, and by “obstructing a portion of public highway with intent to prevent the free use thereof by blockading” the same road, court documents say.

According to state law, grounds for recall are “conviction of a felony, misconduct in office or failure to perform duties prescribed by law.” And there’s that failure deal again.

County Clerk Shane Shields said in a court document he has found the petition to be properly filed and had verified the sufficient amount of signatures needed for the recall — 129. County Attorney Evan Watson has also reviewed the petition and found it to be sufficient for a recall, court documents state. According to state statute, a special election will be held on a date not less than 60, nor more than 90 days after the date the petition is properly filed. That date is Dec. 22, 2009. The petition will be reviewed by a District Court judge at the request of Langlois in the coming weeks. Watson says Langlois has a right for the review under state law.
Unless a judge decides the County has no grounds to hold a recall election, it will be held as scheduled, Shields says.
The election will be conducted as any other election, Shields says, with voters of London Township being asked the special question, “Shall Michelle T. Langlois be recalled from the office of Trustee of London Township?” Pending any action by the court, the election is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 22.
Langlois is not the first township trustee to be put through an election recall. Shields says in November 2007, a recall election was conducted for a Ryan Township trustee who was later recalled by voters.

Kansas Senator Laura Kelly to Run for Jenkins House Seat

Kansas Sen. Laura Kelly, a Topeka Democrat, said she’ll run to unseat U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins, a Republican, in next year’s elections.
Kelly, now in her second term, said she’ll run on a platform of finding solutions to help everyday Kansans and “their pocketbooks, their jobs and their health care” and “not sit back and block progress in Washington.”

Kansas’ 2nd District includes most of eastern Kansas outside Wyandotte and Johnson counties, including Leavenworth, Topeka, Manhattan and parts of Lawrence. It’s been a battleground. Republican Jim Ryun lost the seat to Nancy Boyda, a Democrat, in 2006, who then lost to Jenkins last year. Jenkins, also of Topeka, has yet to announce a re-election bid.

Alan Jilka Steps Up for House Run

A seventh candidate has emerged for the House seat held by James Moran. He is former Saline Country Comisioner, Alan Jilka. . He is the first Democrat to enter the campaign. Moran decided to not seek re-election and instead run for the US Senate seat against Rep. Todd Tiahri. Other candidates are: Monte Shadwick, Tracey Mann, Bob Wasinger, Sen Tim Huelskamp, Tim Barker, Sue Boldra, and Sen Jim Barnett.