Two incumbents lose in Wichita-area legislative primaries
Updated 11:59 p.m.: Losses in two Wichita-area legislative races left Republican incumbents ousted from their seats in the Kansas House of Representatives, according to unofficial election results.
The major upset of the night came in District 85, where political newcomer Patrick Penn handily led Rep. Michael Capps as the vote tally rolled in throughout the evening. Capps, an embattled lawmaker who was elected to the seat in 2018 despite being abandoned by the Republican party after allegations that he’d abused boys surfaced, received 26% of the vote compared to Penn’s 74%, according to state election results.
“Kansans in the 85th District were clear – they want conservative representation from a candidate with honor and character,” U.S. Congressman Ron Estes, who endorsed Penn in the primary, said in an emailed statement after the race results came in Tuesday night.
“Patrick Penn has proven that he can serve the Sunflower State well and I look forward to seeing him serve his constituents in the statehouse.”
Penn didn’t immediately answer a phone call seeking comment about his victory Tuesday night.
But he told The Eagle earlier in the evening that he was “prayerful” that voters in the district would choose “to not only restore decency and integrity to our seat, but they also rally around the conservative who is trusted, respected, and able to deliver the results they want on the big issues we face going forward together, as Kansans.”
Capps did not respond to multiple messages from The Eagle seeking comment on Tuesday’s race.
Sedgwick County Republican Chair Dalton Glasscock, who called for Capps to resign after he was connected to a false smear video advertisement accusing then-mayoral candidate Brandon Whipple of sexual harassment, celebrated Penn’s victory as a move to “restore decency to the legislature.”
“I think tonight my proudest accomplishment was making sure that Mike Capps is not serving in the state legislature,” Glasscock said. “He was demolished, and decency and honor won out tonight.”
Penn will face Democrat Marcey Gregory in the Nov. 3 general election. District 85 covers parts of Bel Aire, Kechi and northeast Wichita in Sedgwick County, as well as Benton in Butler County.
In the other primary upset, Rep. J.C. Moore, a retired teacher and freshman lawmaker who was elected in 2018, also suffered a defeat Tuesday, losing to Koch Industries project manager Brian Bergkamp in House District 93. Bergkamp, who recently moved to the district, raked in 81% support in the three-way Republican primary, compared to Moore’s 11% and Mike Webb’s 9%.
Bergkamp will take the seat because there is no Democrat running in November’s general election.
“I’m pretty happy with how it’s going so far,” Bergkamp said. “I’m a little surprised, but pleased. I was feeling optimistic about it, but it was a wider margin than I expected. I’m just very appreciative of all the support.”
Moore, meanwhile, said Bergkamp’s win “didn’t surprise me a lot.”
“My opponent ran a very negative campaign and had a lot of special interest money to back him up. The truth will catch up but not by election day, I guess.”
Moore said he was okay with losing, as he wasn’t sure he wanted to go to Topeka because of the COVID-19 pandemic and his health issues.
“We’ll let Mr. Bergkamp do that.”
The 93rd district includes Cheney, Clearwater and Viola and parts of Goddard, Haysville, Mulvane and southwest Wichita.
On the Democratic side, Melissa Gregory beat out Amy Lyon for the state Senate nomination in District 30, with 60% of the vote. The seat, which represents east Wichita, was left without an incumbent with Rep. Susan Wagle’s retirement.
Neither Gregory nor Lyon immediately responded to requests for comment after the race results were in Tuesday night. Earlier in the evening, Lyon told The Eagle that the pandemic and social distancing was “a game-changer” for her campaign, “but we tried to help as much as we could.”
Gregory will face Republican Renee Erickson in November’s general election.
Race results are not final until the canvass, scheduled for Aug. 14. Provisional ballots, which are cast when a voter’s eligibility is in doubt, and ballots mailed on Election Day have yet to be counted.
In other local House races, incumbents who were challenged in the primary came out on top.
With 83% of the vote, Republican incumbent Jesse Burris, a 38-year-old attorney, beat out his challenger Jerimiah Webb to represent in the House District 82 race. Burris is expected to run against Democrat Edward Hackerott in November.
Neither candidate responded to interview requests.
Robert W. Herrick, the incumbent in the 89th house district, led Emanuel Banks with 80% of votes.
“It was a nice race and I’ll support him (Herrick),” Banks said. “I think I’ll be done with politics after this. I jumped into this race pretty spontaneously. It was an experience but, honestly, I wanted to see if I could do a different approach to politics. 2022 could be different.”
Herrick didn’t respond to multiple calls and texts for comment.
The Republican incumbent Nick Hoheisel held onto his seat in House District 97 with 72% of the votes in a lead against Michael E. Walker.
“Obviously, we are thrilled with the results,” Hoheisel said. “It just goes to show that positive campaigning pays off. I’m with the family celebrating tonight and tomorrow we get back to work building a better Kansas.”
Walker did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In House District 98, unofficial results show Democrat Steven Crum leading Carol Brewer, with 55% of the votes.
Brewer did not immediately respond to an interview request and Crum did not respond to multiple emails.
Updated: 9:50 p.m.: With 5 of 12 precincts reporting in Sedgwick County, Patrick Penn continues to maintain a solid lead over House District 85 incumbent Michael Capps.
Penn had more than three times as many votes as Capps as of 9:50 p.m., holding 76.7% to Capps’ 23%. So far 2,605 ballots have been counted in the part of the district in Sedgwick County. A precinct in Butler County had Penn over Capps, 62% to 38%, widening the early single-vote lead Penn had with advance voters.
Melissa Gregory also held onto her early lead over Amy Lyon, 59.9% to 40.1%, in the state Senate District 30 Democratic primary, with 12 of 33 precincts reporting and 3,528 votes counted.
In the House District 93 race, Brian Bergkamp (77.9%) is still ahead of incumbent J.C. Moore (12.7%) and candidate Mike Webb (9.4%). So far 2,015 ballots have been counted in 9 of 19 precincts.
In other Wichita-area legislative races incumbents continued to hold the lead.
Jesse Burris, the Republican incumbent representing House District 82, is leading challenger Jerimiah Webb, 82% to 17%, with 1,167 advance ballots counted. None of the precincts were reporting as of 9:50 p.m. Neither candidate responded to early interview requests.
Robert W. Herrick, the incumbent in the 89th house district, is leading Emanuel Banks 81% to 18%, with 3 of 15 precincts reporting and 1,100 votes counted. Banks said he was feeling “nervous and excited” leading up to Tuesday’s results but thought his chances “are pretty good.” Herrick didn’t answer a call or text.
Nick Hoheisel is so far holding onto his seat in House District 97. With 3 of 13 precincts reporting and 1,100 votes counted, the Republican incumbent has maintained a steady lead over Michael E. Walker, 75% to 24%. In Eagle interviews, Hoheisel said he was “cautiously optimistic” for a win while Walker said he didn’t think his odds were good “because I’m running against an incumbent with more money to spend.”
With 5 of 15 precincts reporting in House District 98, Democrat Steven Crum is leading Carol Brewer, 55% to 45%. Brewer told The Eagle on Tuesday that she feels “a little anxious” but thinks both candidates “ran a really good race.” So far, 621 votes have been counted.
Updated 8:35 p.m.: Early returns out of Sedgwick County show Patrick Penn taking an easy lead over House District 85 incumbent Michael Capps.
With 1,742 advance ballots in, Penn led Capps with 77.9% of the vote. None of the county’s 12 precincts were reporting yet.
In the state Senate District 30 race, Melissa Gregory was leading Amy Lyon with 59% of the vote. So far 2,949 ballots have been counted.
Lyon said Tuesday before results were in that her campaign, which has a lot of help from young people, was focused on coming up with tangible plans, drafting legislation and focusing on unaffiliated people, as well as Democrats. They handed out more than 2,000 masks with campaign information cards.
“COVID and social distancing has been a game-changer, but we tried to help as much as we could,” Lyon said. “I’m an advocate and listening to people is motivating. Hearing what people are going through during this time is heart-wrenching.”
In the House District 93 race, challenger Brian Bergkamp shot ahead of incumbent J.C. Moore, holding 78% of the advance votes. Moore, who held just over 13%, said Tuesday that he was pretty confident about the race, but that had been “really tough.”
He said that he hoped people would focus on what he’s done so far in the legislature and what he plans on doing as a representative of the people.
“I got a lot of negative campaigning from one of my opponents and I tried to turn that on him,” Moore said. “ I got seven postcards about me that were just ridiculous...We’ll see if that was the right method.”
Bergkamp, meanwhile, told The Eagle he was feeling optimistic about a win “but there’s a lot of unknowns.”
“Voter turnout is questionable at this point,” he said.
Mike Webb, who is also vying for the seat, had 8% of the vote with advance ballots counted.
So far, 1,130 votes are in.
Updated 7:54 p.m.: With one precinct reporting in Butler County, Michael Capps and Patrick Penn are neck and neck in the race for the Republican nomination in Kansas House of Representatives District 85.
Penn led Capps by a single vote, 80 to 79, according to unofficial results posted on the state’s website.
“My wife Talia and I are very hopeful of successful results this evening,” Penn said in an interview before results came in. “We take nothing for granted, and as a result, have partnered with all our outstanding volunteers from all over the District to work hard - harder than any other candidate in this race - to meet and connect with the voters. And our reception on the doorsteps has been beyond wonderful!”
Capps did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment Tuesday.
None of the Sedgwick County precincts have reported results.
Original story: Several Wichita-area Kansas House of Representatives spots and one in the Kansas Senate are up for grabs during Tuesday’s primary. Whoever comes out on top will move on to face challengers in November’s general election, with the exception of one race — House District 93, where the Republican primary winner will take the seat since there is no Democratic opponent.’
The entire Legislature - all 125 House seats and all 40 Senate seats — are up for election this year. House members serve two-year terms; Senate members, four-year terms.
Legislators are considered part time workers and receive $88.66 per day plus $149 per day for living expenses during the 90-day session and for attending interim committee meetings. They also get $787 a month to cover expenses during non-session times.
Only residents can cast votes in their district’s race. Polls closed at 7 p.m.
Here are the local races:
House District 85 - Northeast Sedgwick County, Benton in Butler County
Republican incumbent Michael Capps is looking to hold onto his seat in House District 85 against primary challenger, Patrick Penn. District 85 includes the city of Benton in Butler County and parts of Bel Aire, Kechi and northeast Wichita in Sedgwick County.
Capps is a first-term legislature who won the seat in 2018 after the Republican party withdrew its support for him following allegations that he emotionally abused boys. The troubled legislator has since been tied to attack ad targeting Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple during his 2019 campaign against former Mayor Jeff Longwell, but denies involvement. The 42-year-old is a lifelong Kansan, U.S. Air Force veteran and business owner who has also served as Boy Scouts and Civil Air Patrol volunteer. He says his priorities as a legislator include promoting business growth, job creation and giving parents a say in where the children attend school. He’s also in favor of cutting spending and reducing tax burdens but opposes Medicaid expansion.
Capps’ endorsements include the Kansas Republican Assembly and the Kansas Coalition for Life.
Penn is participating in his first election. The 41-year-old is an educator, a former Army captain and an active member of the Kansas Republican Party, the Kansas Black Republican Council, the Sedgwick County Republican Party, among other political organizations. Penn, who grew up in foster care and says that experience influenced his decision to enter the District 85 race, says if elected his priorities as a legislator would include controlling state spending, stabilizing taxes, protecting life from conception until natural death, and changing the state supreme court selection process to mirror the federal model.
Penn has been endorsed by several Republicans, including U.S. Congressman Ron Estes and former Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer. Other endorsements include the Family Policy Alliance of Kansas and the Kansas State Rifle Association.
The winner will face Democrat Marcey Gregory in November.
House District 93 - West, southwest Sedgwick County
The Republican primary in House District 93 is a three-way race and with no Democrat running, Tuesday’s vote will determine who takes the seat. The district includes Cheney, Clearwater and Viola and parts of Goddard, Haysville, Mulvane and southwest Wichita.
The candidates are incumbent J.C. Moore and political newcomers Brian Bergkamp and Mike Webb. All three men say they live in Haysville.
Moore, a 77-year-old retired university chemistry and physics professor who grew up on an Oklahoma farm, has served the 93rd district for nearly two years after beating former Rep. John Whitmer in the 2018 primary. This is his first re-election bid.
He says if re-elected, his priorities will include school funding, improving infrastructure, making smart budget cuts while maintaining essential services, prescription drug savings, and promoting fiscal responsibility. He favors expanding Medicaid and reducing incarceration costs. Moore’s endorsements include former Kansas governors Bill Graves and Mike Hayden, the Kansas National Education Association, and the Kansas Agri Business Council.
Bergkamp is a 34-year-old project manager for Koch Industries who also serves on the Lord’s Diner Advisory Council and is a mentor with Big Brother Big Sisters. Raised on a farm near Cheney Lake, he says he’ll focus on growing the economy and bringing news jobs to Kansas if he’s elected.
He also wants the state to have a sustainable balanced budget and says he does not support permanent tax increases or expanding the state Medicaid program right now. Bergkamp is endorsed by Kansans for Life, the Kansas Chamber of Commerce, the Kansas Farm Bureau, Congressman Ron Estes, among others and has an A rating from the National Rifle Association.
Webb, a 41-year-old high school and technical school graduate, has political experience as a precinct committeeman. Webb says he grew up in Sumner County, is an entrepreneur and works at Coleman Materials.
If elected, he plans to focus on strengthening the state through industry and would support allowing medical marijuana in the state. He also opposes the the way Kansas Medicaid currently works and thinks the state can create a health care system that cover Kansans with minimal government resources. He listed no endorsements.
Kansas Senate District 30 - East Wichita
The candidates facing off in the Democratic primary in state Senate District 30 are Amy Lyon and Melissa Gregory. The district, which covers east Wichita, was left without an incumbent when Republican Susan Wagle announced she was retiring from the Legislature. The winner of Tuesday’s primary will face off against Republican Renee Erickson in November.
Lyon, a 54-year-old U.S. Navy veteran and independent consultant who works in the tax compliance unit at Wolters Kluwer, is no stranger to politics. She worked as a campaign staffer for late former Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer during his gubernatorial bid and ran for the Wichita mayoral seat in 2019. She also serves as the Kansas director for Objective Zero, an online platform working to end military suicides, and has served on the YMCA’s Camp and Childcare Division board.
Lyon, who holds the 2020 Equality Kansas endorsement, says if elected her top priorities will be advocating for her constituents including expanding Medicaid, ensuring access to health care and saving rural hospitals. She also says she’ll focus on rebuilding the economy and reviewing and revamping the state education budget.
Gregory, a 73-year-old public servant, also has experience in the political realm. Raised in a middle-class Wichita family, she has served in Congressman and U.S. Secretary of State Dan Glickman’s office, worked under former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius recruiting for professional boards and commissions and served on current Gov. Laura Kelly’s transition team.
Gregory says if she wins the seat, she’ll focus on health, safety and restoring jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also favors Medicaid expansion, wants to protect funding for public schools and calls for reforming law enforcement and corrections systems.
Gregory’s endorsers include Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple, former District Attorney Nola Fouston, Glickman, Sebelius and the current Kansas governor.
House District 82 - Mulvane area
Jerimiah Webb hopes to unseat incumbent Jesse Burris, 38, in the Republican Primary for House District 82. The winner of the Tuesday primary will face off with Democrat Edward Hackerott of Mulvane in November.
Webb and Burris are both from Mulvane and share some platforms, as they both oppose Medicaid expansion and “unlimited” abortion access.
If elected, Burris is adamant against raising taxes and wants to reduce government spending. Endorsed by the NRA, he is also an advocate for the Second Amendment and was a former firefighter with the U.S. Air Force.
Webb wants to focus on education and transparency with education funding, according to his website.
House District 89 - Northeast Wichita, Bel Aire and Park City
Emanuel Banks, 50, and Robert W. Herrick Jr., 29, are battling in the Republican primary for a chance to beat Democrat Kelechi (K.C.) Ohaebosim for Kansas House District 89. Ohaebosim was elected to the House in 2016.
Both Banks and Herrick champion themselves as men of the people who will represent their constituents. What this looks like for each of them, however, differs.
Herrick wants to focus on defending the 2nd Amendment, lowering taxes, limiting the government’s power and pro-life amendments. He opposes Medicaid expansion and raising taxes.
If elected, Banks’ priorities are to help make Kansas self-sufficient, balance the state budget, promising to educate himself on the situation before making decisions to raise or lower taxes, and protect Kansans’ liberties. He supports the expansion of Medicaid and Kansas women’s right to abortion.
House District 97 - Southwest Wichita Area
Michael E. Walker. 73, is opposing incumbent Nick Hoheisel, 34, in the Republican primary for House District 97. The winner of Tuesday’s election will face Democrat Kim Webb in November.
Walker’s top priorities are to eliminate sales tax and, eventually, the state income tax. He believes Kansas is moving too far left and wants to be the conservative candidate to reverse this trend. He opposes the expansion of Medicaid and access to abortion.
Hoheisel’s top priorities, if re-elected, is to restart the economy after the shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He will oppose raising taxes or expanding Medicaid, believing the answer remains in innovation and the free market. Hoheisel is pro-life and supports the Second Amendment.
House District 98 - South Central Wichita, Oaklawn Neighborhood and Haysville
Carol Brewer, 44, is challenging Democrat Steven G. Crum, 54, in 98th House District primary. The winner of Tuesday’s primary will oppose Republican incumbent Ron Howard in November.
Both of them list similar top priorities, such as the expansion of Medicaid, protection of social services and education funding.
The daughter of a former Wichita mayor, Brewer’s other priorities includes holding the Kansas Department of Children and Family accountable. Brewer’s nephew, Evan, died when he was 3-years-old in a child abuse homicide in Wichita in 2017. She supports women’s right to choose for abortion and hopes to be a politician that can represent her entire district.
Crum does not want to add tax increases for poor and middle-class Kansans and intends to support plans to give women more choices, such as better health coverage and access to birth control and adoption.
This story was originally published August 4, 2020 at 8:00 PM.
