Bassem Chahine

With more than two months remaining before the filing deadline, it is now assured both major parties will have Aug. 2 primaries for the 3rd District Douglas County Commission seat.

Bassem Chahine filed for the 3rd District seat Friday, becoming the second Democrat to enter the race to succeed Republican Douglas County Commissioner Jim Flory, who announced in January he would not seek a third four-year term. Jim Weaver, of rural Lecompton, filed earlier this month as a Democrat for the seat.

Bassem Chahine

Two Republicans, Jim Denney and Michelle Derusseau, also have filed for the right to represent the district, which includes west Lawrence precincts, the communities of Lecompton, Big Springs, Clinton, Lone Star, Stull, Worden and surrounding rural areas.

Chahine said he has been a resident of Lawrence since his family moved to the community from the United Arab Emirates after his father retired. He attended Free State High School, received his bachelor’s degree from Kansas University and a master’s in business administration from the University of Houston. The 31-year-old Chahine owns the Euphoria hookah lounge and Crepes and Taters in Lawrence and the North Lawrence Medwakh.com, an importer, distributor and manufacturer of hookah tobacco and products.

His motivation for running for the office is to promote economic development, Chahine said.

“We need job growth in Douglas County,” he said. “Several communities in the 3rd District are at risk of becoming ghost towns.”

Chahine said as a commissioner he wanted to promote the recruitment of large employers. They are the spinal cord of the county and support job creation in smaller businesses, he said.

His approach would be “growth with balance,” meaning county codes and zoning should not be relaxed to promote growth, Chahine said. There should be no discrepancies between city of Lawrence and Douglas County codes, he said.

Although the 3rd District County Commission seat is garnering interest, filings for the other county offices on the ballot in the 2016 election cycle has been limited to incumbents. Democrat incumbent Nancy Thellman has filed for the 2nd District County Commission seat. County Clerk Jamie Shew, County Register of Deeds Kay Pesnell and County Treasurer Paula Gilchrist, all Democrats, have filed for another four years in their offices.

The filing deadline for township, county, state and federal offices is noon June 1.