Former Allen County Commissioner Kent Thompson was nominated Sunday afternoon to fill the Ninth District seat in the Kansas House of Representatives made vacant by the death of Ed Bideau.
“I’m humbled and flattered,” said Thompson, 49, after Jim Talkington, Allen County GOP chairman, announced Thompson had more than enough votes for the nomination, which required at least 29 votes.
Thompson’s nomination drew 37 of a possible 57 votes from precinct representatives in Allen and Neosho counties. His name will be forwarded to Gov. Sam Brownback, who will make the appointment.
Vote totals for the other candidates, Jeff Locke, Judy Brigham and Ken Lott, were not announced.
“I will do the job to the best of my God-given ability,” Thompson told the gathering of precinct leaders and a handful of spectators. “I will do my best for you and go to bed each night with a clean conscience.”
“I’m excited,” Thompson told the Register later Sunday afternoon of the appointment.
“I’ve thought about running the last two election cycles, and very seriously last time,” in 2012, when Bideau, a Chanute attorney won the Republican primary election and ran unopposed in the general. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”
He is no stranger to elective politics, having served 12 years — three terms — on the Allen County Commission, completing his last term in 2008.
“I absolutely anticipate being a candidate” for a full two-year term in the House come the November 2014 election, Thompson said.
He characterizes himself as a conservative Republican, though not an extremist.
“I intend to be prepared” when the 2014 session starts in January, Thompson said, saying he hadn’t immersed himself in state-level politics previously. “Ed (Bideau ) was doing the job for me, and doing it well.”
“I have to bring myself up to speed and it’s going to be a steep learning curve, although I have more time than if I were elected in November,” he said.
Thompsons said state dealings from his service as a county commissioner has left somewhat of a sour taste.
“I remember well when the state cut (Allen County’s) ad valorem tax relief funding by $680,000, after we had set the county budget,” he said.
Candidates fielded questions from party representatives.
Thompson said the state and other levels of government have responsibilities that require funding, and that if one tax were cut another has to be increased. He saw that occur as a commissioner, when state funding cuts led to increases in local property taxes.
