By Roger Sims, rsim@linncountyjournal.com
MOUND CITY – With a little more than a week remaining until the June 3 deadline to file for county, state and federal offices, most of the posts have a least one candidate.
Monday, June 3, at noon is the deadline for candidates to file for office. Candidates will be on the ballot for the Aug. 6 primary election, and winners of that election from each party will be on the ballot for the Nov. 4 general election.
In county elections, former County Commissioner Vickie Leonard, a Pleasanton Republican, has filed for the race in District 2, a seat currently held by Danny McCullough. Richard Morrell, a Sugar Valley Lake Republican, has filed for the District 3 post currently held by Commissioner Jim Johnson. Morrell is a member of the county’s planning and zoning commission and was recently the chair of that commission.
Current County Clerk David Lamb, a Mound City Republican, has filed to retain his post. Joannie Reed, a Fulton Republican, has filed for the county treasurer post currently held by Janet Kleweno. Both Lamb and Kleweno had indicated as early as last year that they planned to retire from their posts, but because Lamb had no successor within the office, he has opted to run again with hopes of training a new successor.
James Akes, a Parker Republican, has filed to run for county sheriff, a post now held by Kevin Friend. Like Lamb and Kleweno, Friend has declared that he wouldn’t run for another term.
Kristy Schmitz, also a Parker Republican, will seek to retain her seat as register of deeds.
So far, there is no candidate for county attorney, a post currently held by Burton Harding. Last year Harding offered to resign the post after being elected to the post three years before that. However, he relented and resumed his duties, but with an increase in salary and more help from his assistance county attorney Justin Meeks.
At the state level, Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican who represents all of Linn County, has filed for reelection as senator from District 12. Political newcomer Stetson Kern, a Pleasanton Republican, has thrown his hat in the ring hoping to unseat her.
For the state House of Representatives, three candidates have emerged to vie for the District 4 seat now occupied by Trevor Jacobs. Rick James, a La Cygne Republican and former Linn County commissioner is seeking the post. So are Republicans Kaety Bowers, Fulton, and Joshua Jones, Fort Scott.
While almost all of Linn County is in District 4, Liberty Township including Parker is in District 9. Garnett Republican Fred Gardner is seeking to be reelected to that post.
In the race for U.S. House of Representatives District 2, which includes all of Linn County, former Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, Independence, Kan., will face Jeff Kahrs of Topeka, in the Republican primary. Democrat Matt Kleinmann of Kansas City, Kan., will face the winner of that race in the November general election.
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