A 24-year-old Kansas University student, Nicholas D. VanWhye, has filed to run for the Republican nomination in Kansas House District 10.

The position is currently held by state Rep. John Wilson, D-Lawrence, who is seeking his second term to represent the district, which includes southeast Lawrence, Baldwin City and portions of rural Douglas County.

VanWhye also manages a limousine service and serves in the Kansas Army National Guard. He was deployed to active duty for a year in the Horn of Africa.

VanWhye is a political science major at KU working on his bachelor of arts degree. He is originally from Liberal.

He said his major priorities are improving the economy, additional funding for education, and stopping government from infringing on the rights of citizens.

“The economy is spiraling out of control, not just on the national level, but the on the state level too,” he said.