By Lucky Kidd
SOUTHEAST KAN. — It was not a good night to be a contested incumbent in the area, as six candidates who had opposition in Republican primary elections lost.
Among that group was Allen County Sheriff Bryan Murphy, who was defeated in his re-election bid Tuesday. Allen Community College criminal justice instructor Anthony Maness who beat Murphy 55-45 percent. In Neosho County. County Clerk Heather Ellsworth lost her re-election bid to Dey-Ley Umbarger who took 59 percent of the vote.
In Bourbon and Coffey Counties, the County Commissioners who sought reelection were all defeated. In Bourbon County David Beerbower and Leroy Kruger ousted incumbents Jim Harris and Clifton Beth in the 2nd and 3rd district respectively. In Coffey County Incumbent 2nd district commissioner Donald Meats lost a three-sided primary with Mark Peterson taking the seat, while 3rd District Commissioner Jesse Knight lost to Todd Barker.
One candidate who sought election as county attorney in two counties, which you can do in Kansas, lost in both Tuesday. Elizabeth Oliver of Colony lost to Steven Wilson in Anderson County and to Mary Ann Shirley in Woodson County. In Anderson County’s other contested Republican primary Wesley McClain took 81 percent of the vote over Mark Locke to take the Sheriff’s nomination.
In Allen County’s other contested race Tuesday, John Brocker defeated Nickolas Alan Kinder 71-29 percent for the 3rd District County Commission seat Bruce Symes is stepping down from in January. Brocker will face independent Jon Wells in November. Neosho County 3rd District County Commissioner Gail Klaassen won her re-election bid over Douglas Miller
Jacob Morrison was an easy winner in the primary for Woodson County Sheriff Tuesday, downing Kenneth Robinson by a more than 4-1 margin. No Democrat filed in this race to succeed incumbent Jeffrey McCollough, who ran for County Clerk and finished a distant 2nd behind Amanda DeWitt, who was appointed to the position earlier this year after Tesla Bayles resigned due to health issues. Incumbent 3rd District County Commissioner Justin Clark of Toronto defeated Rusty Drake of Yates Center in the primary.
Area State-Federal Races
Both area state senators who faced primary challenges Tuesday had easy wins. Senator Caryn Tyson of Parker took 69 percent of the vote over Sterson Kern of Pleasanton in the 12th district and will be unopposed in November. Senator Tim Shallenberger of Baxter Springs won 79 percent of the vote in his race with Sam Owen of Fort Scott. Shallenger has a Democratic opponent in November.
In the one contested House race, Rick James defeated Joshua Jones in the 4th District where incumbent Trevor Jacobs did not seek another term. Jones narrowly won in Bourbon County, but James rang up a nearly 3-1 edge in Linn County.
Former Attorney General Derek Schmidt will face former Congresswoman Nancy Boyda for the 2nd Congressional District seat Jake LaTurner did not seek re-election to Tuesday. Schmidt won a five-sided Republican primary with 53 percent of the vote, while Boyda held off Matt Kleinmann
Following his victory in the Republican Primary for Kansas’ Second Congressional District, former Kansas Attorney General released a statement thanking those who voted for him to represent Kansas.
“Our precious system of self-government requires citizen participation. So, thank you to every citizen who voted in this election. And congratulations to my primary opponents for putting themselves forward as candidates for this open seat. I welcome and am grateful for their support as we come together as a united Republican Party.
As I said when announcing my candidacy, my steady guidepost will always be what is best for the people of the 2nd District and for America. America needs more effective, conservative voices in public service.”
Schmidt added that his priorities are securing the border, stopping inflation, and “rolling back big government’s overregulation and over-taxation of our daily lives.”
In the 3rd district Prasanth Reddy defeated Karen Crnkovich 53-47 percent in the Republican primary to face Democrat incumbent Sharice Davids. Reddy’s winning margin came from Johnson County, while Crnkovich carried Anderson County along with Franklin and Miami counties.
