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Fourth Congressional District candidate Wink Hartman is catching flak from rival Republicans for claiming to be a lifelong Kansan when records show that he was registered to vote in Florida until shortly before he launched his campaign last year.
Kansas and Florida election records show that Hartman was registered to vote in Florida from June 11, 2002, until July 23, 2009 — when he re-registered in Kansas six weeks before announcing his intention to seek the seat being vacated by Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard.
Hartman's voting record was assailed last week in a campaign release by Republican National Committeeman Mike Pompeo, who also is seeking the 4th District GOP nomination.
Copies of public records attached to the release indicated Hartman has held a Florida driver's license and claimed a homestead tax exemption on a house in Palm Beach County.
Hartman did not vote in Kansas while he was registered in Florida, Sedgwick County records show.
But voter registration information obtained by The Eagle shows that on different forms, Hartman declared himself a resident of both Kansas and Florida at the same time.
By signing his 2002 voter registration card, he indicated his legal residence was in Florida.
On his 2009 Kansas registration, he indicated he had established residency at his Rose Hill home in 1992.
Pompeo said he's not claiming that Hartman, who owns residential property in both Florida and Kansas, broke any laws.
But he did say he thinks Hartman has not been honest with voters in the 4th District about his Florida ties.
"Living in Florida does not disqualify you from being a congressman, but not being honest with voters, I view that as a very serious matter," Pompeo said. "And Mr. Hartman has, since the beginning of this campaign, told voters... 'I'm a lifelong Kansan and I've lived here all my life,' and that's not what the facts are."
'I'm one of you'
Hartman said he has a house in Florida, but has always considered his home to be in Kansas, where he was born, reared and educated, and where he has started and run numerous businesses.
"The situation was my wife and I, we do have a vacation home in Florida," he said. "And during the election cycle, that's where I happened to be at that particular time, so that's where I voted."
He said he switched his driver's license for a time because his Kansas license expired while he was in Florida.
"When your driver's license expires, you're no longer allowed to drive a car," Hartman said. "I don't wish to make light of it, but that is exactly the situation that occurred."
The Eagle could not confirm the time period that Hartman held a Florida license because of a federal law that prohibits public access to driver's license records.
Hartman maintained a visible presence in Wichita's business community during the period he was registered to vote in Florida.
He served as president of Wichita-based Hartman Oil Co., started the upscale Chester's Chophouse restaurant in east Wichita, launched a chain of four Jimmy's Egg restaurants, started the Wichita Wild indoor football team and built the Hartman Arena near Park City for his team to play in.
Pompeo said Hartman's ties to Florida wouldn't be an issue if he didn't keep saying on the campaign trail that he's a lifelong Kansan.
One of the latest examples was Friday morning, when Hartman told voters at the southeast Wichita Jimmy's Egg: "First of all, I'm the only Kansan (in the race). Everybody else moved here from another part of the country. I'm one of you."
Later, Hartman said he doesn't think Kansans will focus on "the negative slant that other campaigns are trying to use."
"I have created thousands of jobs over four decades," he said. "I have proven in this community and the 4th District that I'm a guy who can stand up and get the job done.
"Sadly, we're seeing politics as usual, and the political insiders are now going to go to the negative attack ads and misinformation."
Pompeo replied: "I don't consider, when someone's trying to make sure that the voters know the truth, in the 4th District of Kansas, I don't consider that negative."
Ken Ciboski, a professor of political science at Wichita State University, said he thinks the situation is "kind of strange."
He said he doesn't think it will drastically hurt Hartman's chances, but could affect perception among voters with deep Kansas roots.
"People are funny," he said. "They might say, 'Where's his loyalty? Where's his allegiance?' I think people can legitimately ask that question."
Other rivals divided
Two other Republican primary candidates were split on Hartman's residency.
State Sen. Jean Schodorf, R-Wichita, said she thinks Pompeo has a point.
"You have to describe where your home is and if you're going to run for Congress, hopefully Kansas is your home," she said. "And if not, then an explanation is needed to voters and then voters will decide."
Of Hartman's Florida ties, she said, "That is unusual, and I think he needs to explain it to the voters and then the voters can decide whether they agree with him or not."
Schodorf has lived in Wichita since 1974 and owns farmland in rural southeast Kansas. She said she's always been up front with her Wichita constituents about her holdings elsewhere.
"But this is different because it's out of state," she said of Hartman's Florida ties. "Where is his residence? Where was his residence? That's the question."
Candidate Jim Anderson, a retired airline pilot who now owns a copying and office-service business, sided with Hartman.
He said he thinks it's hypocritical of Pompeo to "beat up on Wink" after a recent Eagle report on a Pompeo fundraiser in Washington that was hosted by lobbyists and former government officials representing various domestic and foreign interests.
"At the end of the day, did he (Hartman) do anything illegal?" Anderson said. "He didn't. That was a personal decision that he made.
"It's hypocritical of him (Pompeo) to complain about that when he himself is taking PAC money from people who represent international interests."
Pompeo countered that he sees no hypocrisy in his campaign taking issue over Hartman's residency.
"The challenge is not that Mr. Hartman chose to live in Florida, it's that Mr. Hartman has intentionally misled voters with respect to that," Pompeo said.
Paij Rutschman, who filed as a Republican to run for the congressional seat about two weeks ago, could not be reached for comment.
The winner of the five-way Republican primary on Aug. 3 will face either Rep. Raj Goyle, D-Wichita, or retired court services officer Robert Tillman in the Nov. 2 general election.
