Topeka — It was at the 11th hour that Rep. Anthony Brown, of Eudora, and J.C. Tellefson, of Leavenworth, were campaigning in the Republican primary race for the Kansas Senate 3rd District seat.
Both were walking in the Leavenworth County Fair Parade through downtown Tonganoxie about the time polls were closing Tuesday.
Brown, though, will be the only one marching on to the general election.
The state representative took 68 percent of the vote (3,111 to 1,434) with all 43 precincts reporting. The results are unofficial until the state canvasses the votes.
Brown said Tellefson was a “complete gentleman” and ran a clean campaign. He said he plans to approach Tellefson about uniting campaigns later this week.
Tuesday evening, Brown was meeting with supporters about campaign sign locations and other strategies.
As he moves on to face another Leavenworth County Fair participant, incumbent Tom Holland, D-Baldwin City, Brown said job growth was his top priority.
“We have to get back to work,” Brown said. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s Wyandotte or Leavenworth or Douglas counties or somewhere out west — people want jobs and want to get back to work, and that’s what we have to focus on.”
Tellefson said he was disappointed that he, the more moderate choice on the ballot, did not win the election. He’s concerned about what a conservative-controlled House and Senate, as well as a conservative governor, could mean for the state. He pointed to the Affordable Care Act becoming a reality on the national level with a Democrat-controlled House and Senate and Democratic president.
“Now we’ll see how that is in Kansas,” Tellefson said.
As for working with Brown, Tellefson said he would be open to meeting with him but said he would like to focus on his family after a hectic two months of campaigning.
“I think that Anthony has demonstrated he has a huge network of supporters willing to go out and work for him,” Tellefson said.
Brown reported raising $20,875 from Jan. 1 through this past Thursday, while J.C. Tellefson reported raising $2,427 in that span.
— Shawn Linenberger, news editor at The (Tonganoxie) Mirror, can be reached at 913-845-2222.
Comments
bearded_gnome 10 months, 2 weeks ago
very good news indeed!
we need many more conservatives in the state senate instead of the mooshy moderates.
and, as to Obamacare, we'll get that yanked out by the roots, so that I, and people like me, can survive. yes, I am being deadly serious.
average 10 months, 2 weeks ago
People have somehow managed to live through the last decade in Massachusetts. I know, it shouldn't be possible. But they have. True story.
Hepburn 10 months, 2 weeks ago
bearded_gnome, what are you specific objections to Obamacare? Interested in finding out what I'm missing or don't understand.
vertigo 10 months, 2 weeks ago
He just said... he's deadly serious. Meaning everyone else should go off and die so that he can pay a dollar or two a year less in taxes.
Phoghorn 10 months, 2 weeks ago
Now let's think about this for a minute. Obamacare means less doctors in the system. Decreased supply and steady demand. Now, pray tell, what do you think will happen to the cost of health care and health insurance. If you said that both will increase, you are correct.
jafs 10 months, 2 weeks ago
How does the ACA mean less doctors in the system?
It includes a variety of incentives for people to enter the health care field, in fact.
kernal 10 months, 2 weeks ago
Hepburn, I suspect it's more what he has misunderstood about the act.
Phoghorn 10 months, 2 weeks ago
Hi Cody, how is the weather in Nigeria? I sure hope y'all are getting some much needed rain.
fred_mertz 10 months, 2 weeks ago
Man the conservative agenda resonated across the state.
jafs 10 months, 2 weeks ago
What was the turnout?
Cant_have_it_both_ways 10 months, 2 weeks ago
Anthony Brown is probally the worst Republican to vote for in this election. It is going to kill me to vote for a Democrat, but I have personally had a long chat with Holland. I believe him to be a man of his word and takes more of a middle stance than one from the extreme left.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 10 months, 2 weeks ago
Brown shares your political and ideological perspectives 100%. Therefore, your objections must be personal. What'd he do to you?
Barclay 10 months, 2 weeks ago
Anthony Brown is a good, honest man. I just think Holland is a good politician. I once engaged Holland in a lengthy, very amiable conversation in my front yard as he was doing a campaign walk, it was a couple of campaigns ago. He got me excited about a school funding related issue, saying, "I am very open to that." Less than a week later during a press conference in response to a question concerning that very issue, Holland basically answered, "Never, not on your life." Nonetheless he had my support. But I have been underwhelmed by Holland's representation. I have tried to be a fan of Holland's. Now I think it is time for Tom Holland to find work outside of Topeka.
none2 10 months, 2 weeks ago
"Anthony Brown is a good, honest man."
LOL! LOL! LOL!
Is that what you call people who insult a large part of their own constituents? I thought they were usually referred to as arrogant and a fool.
KansasConscience 10 months, 2 weeks ago
Tom Holland definitely has my vote now, especially after Anthony Brown having won The Guv's Party primary. That party by the way is no longer Republican, they've simply co-opted the name. I can't in any good conscience even think of supporting a man who intentionally alienates a large pat of his constituency. ""KU and Lawrence are not very well-respected," said Brown.
He said many people across the state see Lawrence as too liberal. Brown said he sees signs in local businesses that read "Free Republic of Lawrence."
"That needs to change," he said." LJW, 5 Jan 2011. (http://tinyurl.com/2fxms3p)
He uses "many people" across the state don't respect Lawrence and KU because they see them as too liberal. If that's the case, why do they keep sending their kids here to go to school?
Regarding the "Free Republic of Lawrence" signs. About what businesses does he speak? I've not seen any signs like that, except perhaps some in a novelty or T-shirt shop. Did he stop to think that those signs are the result of people like him.
Anthony Brown is the wrong person to represent Lawrence, especially since he endorses the idea that people in Kansas disrespect Lawrence and KU. (Keep in mind, I said "people in Kansas," not the majority of the "Conservative" posters on the LJW.
StirrrThePot 10 months, 2 weeks ago
Amen. I remember Brown's words, he does not represent me. I voted for Tellefson yesterday and in November Holland has my vote. These so-called goppers, using their faith as a political vehicle, and Koch money to buy their campaigns and elections do NOT get my vote.
cdomin01 10 months, 2 weeks ago
Amen, Amen. Anthony is but a pawn to the Governor. He makes silly statements which goes to show his intelligence. Such as he stated in the House, that God called him to be there. Those who use the Lord's name to promote themselves....beware.
Tom Holland has always represented the constituents of the district; Anthony will represent the ultra-right Governor Brownback agenda with no regard to the people of Kansas.
avoice 10 months, 2 weeks ago
Tom Holland has always worked to represent his contituents, regardless of party lines. That's as a representative and as a senator. Now, his recent run for governor was a whole different matter. I blame it largely on his campaign management, and probably the fact that he was being "handled" by the Democratic Party, but his gubernatorial campaign was nothing like what we've seen from Holland in the past.
A couple of weeks ago we found a Holland flier on our door. The word "INDEPENDENT" was very prominent across the bottom of the card. Nowhere was the Democratic Party affiliation mentioned. I'm not sure how to take this. As an independent voter, I applaud any candidate who truly is independent. On the other hand, there's a strong possibility that this is sneaky ploy to downplay the Democrat affiliation. If so, then intentional misdirection is very disappointing behavior.
jayhawklawrence 10 months, 2 weeks ago
Anthony Brown has mentioned that God called him to Topeka to cut programs and he has also come out against funding for Kansas University on at least one occasion.
This is a guy whose goal in life is to become the perfect Koch conservative and who is happy to scold the people of Lawrence for having a "bad attitude", whatever that means.
If we allow this guy to be elected and have power over our communities, it would make all of us here in Lawrence extremely uncomfortable. This is a guy who actually hates Lawrence.
Believe it or not.
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