Kerr introduces pick for lieutenant governor

Republican gubernatorial candidate Dave Kerr announced Monday that Mary Birch, longtime president of the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce, would run with him as lieutenant governor.

With the selection, Kerr a powerful lawmaker but relatively unknown outside the Capitol gains a running mate from vote-rich Johnson County, while also validating his moderate Republican credentials.

Mary Birch, left, Kansas Sen. Dave Kerr's choice for lieutenant governor on his Aug. 6 primary ticket, and Kerr, visit with supporters during a campaign stop in Lawrence. Monday's visit to South Park was part of a three-day, 12-city state tour that ends Thursday.

But Kerr dismissed talk about strategic motivations, saying instead that Birch had a long career of successfully fostering economic development. She resigned Friday from the Overland Park chamber after serving as its president for the past 18 years.

“Mary Birch’s record is one that I want to be associated with,” Kerr said during a stop at the South Park gazebo, part of the pair’s 12-city, three-day campaign trip.

Kerr said if elected he would make Birch the secretary of the Kansas Department of Commerce and Housing, the state’s main economic development agency.

That would follow the current model: Gov. Bill Graves, a Republican who is finishing his final term, made Lt. Gov. Gary Sherrer secretary of commerce and housing.

“Gary Sherrer has done an outstanding job. We will continue that, and we must get innovative and creative,” Birch said.

The selection of Birch rounds out the GOP field, for now at least, of Republican candidates for governor and their running mates. The primary is Aug. 6, and the filing deadline for new candidates is June 10.

Other hopefuls and their lieutenant governor running mates are Eudora businessman Dan Bloom and his son Eric; Wichita Mayor Bob Knight and House Speaker Kent Glasscock of Manhattan, and State Treasurer Tim Shallenburger and Overland Park businessman David Lindstrom.

Democrat Kathleen Sebelius selected Cessna executive John Moore, a former Republican, to join her ticket.

Kerr and Birch said education and economic development would be their primary concerns.

“We cannot have a robust economy for the long term if we don’t have an excellent system of education,” Kerr said.

Birch praised Kerr, the president of the Senate, for leading the Legislature during the current fiscal crisis. Kerr helped push through tax increases worth about $300 million. Kerr and Birch said the increases were needed to protect education and social services.

Both Birch and Kerr have Kansas University ties; Birch received a journalism degree at KU in 1974, while Kerr earned his master’s of business administration in 1970 at KU.