Raymond “Buddy” Sifers, Iola, filed Friday for the District 9 seat, Kansas House of Representatives.
He joins Iolan Judy Brigham on the Republican slate. The deadline to file was noon today.
Bill Otto, who would have been the 9th District incumbent, found himself in another district after new legislative districts were announced Thursday by a panel of three federal judges.
The new District 9 contains the western two-thirds of Allen County and part of Neosho County, including Iola and Chanute.
Sifers, 55, sought the Republican nomination in the 9th District in 2010. He lost in the primary election to Otto.
The Register was unable to contact Sifers this morning.
When he ran two years ago it was on principles espoused by the Tea Party. He was among those who organized the first and subsequent rallies for the upstart party on the courthouse square in 2009. Since then the Tea Party has gained a foothold in American politics.
Sifers spoke at the first rally, and recalled the admonition from Thomas Paine that it is “the responsibility of the patriot to protect his country from its government,” and that “our government’s spending is completely out of control …”
Two years ago Sifers said he “never thought about running” for the Legislature, then heeded encouragement from others who share his political beliefs of lower taxes, curtailed spending and less government intrusion into the private sector.
Vocationally, Sifers is involved in oilfield businesses.
