At least two more congressional hopefuls are in the race for Kansas’ 4th District seat. Democratic former State Treasurer Dennis McKinney and current state treasurer Ron Estes formally began their campaigns Wednesday for their parties’ nominations to get on the ballot.
In his campaign announcement, Republican Ron Estes emphasized his grassroots political experience and conservative principles.
“Our nation faces a $19.5 trillion deficit because career politicians of both parties have over-spent and over-borrowed," he told a crowd gathered at a manufacturing warehouse in Wichita Wednesday morning.
Estes, a former Sedgwick County treasurer, defeated McKinney in the race for state treasurer in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014.
McKinney is a former House Democratic leader who was elected to nine terms in the state legislature as representative to a large, rural district in south-central Kansas.
A special election has been called for April 11 to fill the seat in Congress vacated by new CIA director Mike Pompeo. The Democratic and Republican parties have until Feb. 18 to hold district conventions to select their candidates. Estes and his wife are both delegates.
If Estes does go on to serve in Congress, it would be up to Gov. Sam Brownback to appoint his replacement.
Other candidates have expressed interest in getting on the ballot for the special election, including former 4th District Rep. Todd Tiahrt. Republicans George Bruce and Pete Meitzner announced their intentions to run even before Pompeo was confirmed.
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