Chuck Ahner, of Overland Park, became the first Republican to announce his candidacy in the 2006 race for 3rd Congressional District, which includes east Lawrence.

If successful in the August GOP primary, Ahner probably would face four-term Democratic incumbent Dennis Moore in November.

Moore has drawn a relatively unknown opponent in the Democratic primary, Thomas Scherer, 52, of Merriam, who describes himself as a writer who focuses on disability rights issues.

Ahner, 39, is senior vice president of Midland Loan Services and a graduate of West Point. He received a master’s degree in business from Boston College.

He said his military and business experiences were vital qualifications to serving in Congress to improve the economy and fight terrorists.

“I am no stranger to the threats from the outside. Americans do not cut and run,” he said in a news release.

He has run two failed campaigns for the Blue Valley school board in Johnson County.

A spokeswoman for Moore, the only Democrat in the four-man Kansas congressional delegation, said it was too early to talk about the campaign.

Ahner and his wife, Jennifer, have four children who attend school in the Blue Valley district.

According to campaign finance reports from Sept. 30, Ahner had $109,170 in donations, which included $100,000 from his own pocket. Moore had $480,534 on hand.

Moore has made a career of toppling Republicans in the predominantly Republican district, including:

¢ Upsetting incumbent Vince Snowbarger in 1998.

¢ Defeating Phill Kline in 2000. Kline later was elected state attorney general.

¢ Defeating Adam Taff, a former Navy pilot, in 2002. Last month, Taff pleaded guilty to using $300,000 in campaign funds to cover a check for a fraudulent down payment on a home. Taff faces sentencing in February.

¢ Beating conservative attorney Kris Kobach in 2004.