Republican National Committeeman Mike Pompeo has filed to run for the congressional seat being vacated by Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard.
Pompeo is the second candidate to formally enter the race for the Kansas 4th District seat. State Sen. Dick Kelsey filed last month. Both are members of the party’s conservative wing.
A West Point graduate and former Army officer, Pompeo is president of Sentry International, an oilfield and industrial machinery company. He is a founding partner of the aviation subcontracting firm Thayer Aerospace.
A self-described “pro-life Republican,” Pompeo vowed in a statement announcing his candidacy to fight the Obama Administration, which he said “is promoting central planning and a larger government at the expense of future generations.”
Pompeo’s filing in the race was not unexpected. He signaled his intentions at the Republican Kansas Day event on Jan. 31, the same day that Tiahrt announced he would give up his House seat to run against 1st District Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Hays, for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Topeka.
Pompeo and Kelsey are the first two in what is expected to be a crowded Republican primary for the rare vacant House seat.
Other names that have surfaced as potentially in play include state Rep. Steve Brunk, R-Bel Aire; former Bush Administration political aide Matt Schlapp; Schlapp’s mother, Wichita City Council member Sue Schlapp; state Sen. Susan Wagle, R-Wichita; state Sen. Carolyn McGinn, R-Sedgwick; state Senate Majority Leader Derek Schmidt, R-Independence and Wichita businessman and entrepreneur Wink Hartman.
On the Democratic side, state Rep. Raj Goyle of Wichita has been mentioned as a possible candidate, although he has made no announcements of his intentions.
19 Comments
He’ll run on pro-life, all the crazies will vote for him, he’ll get elected, and do nothing against abortion. I’ll vote for him because he vows to fight Obama. He probably won’t do that either.
“Fight the Obama Administration”
Look, I’m all for fighting the current administration, but I am severly disappointed that he didn’t mention Bush in the same breath with Obama.
Both are cut from the same cloth. Bush advocated central planning and bigger government. Anyone who denies this is drinking the “left vs right” kool-aid.
Both parties have no fundamental differences.
I think a quote from Carroll Quigley is fitting here. Quigley was mentioned by Bill Clinton during his acceptance speech in 1992 as having a profound affect on his philosophy and ideology.
From “Tragedy and Hope”:
“The argument that the two parties should represent opposed ideals and policies, one, perhaps, of the Right and the other of the Left, is a foolish idea acceptable only to doctrinaire and academic thinkers. Instead, the two parties should be almost identical, so that the American people can ‘throw the rascals out’ at any election without leading to any profound or extensive shifts in policy.”
Whether you want to believe it or not, this is where we are at folks. It describes our situation to a “T”.
“He’ll run on pro-life, all the crazies will vote for him, he’ll get elected, and do nothing against abortion.”
Sounds just like Tiahart….
Just what we need…yet another republican, pro-life, operation rescue dipstick up running the state into the dark ages.
Haven’t we learned our lesson from the tenure of Mr. Phill “I don’t need to follow the rules since I’m working under god and I’m in charge” Kline?
Quit voting these nutjobs into office, people!
Just what we need… another bible thumper in politics. We are turning into an Iranian type nation where religious beliefs become the rule… Look out.
Probably another creationist wacko. Only Kansas is stupid enough to elect these clowns.
Got to love a wannabe that advertises that instead of his putting forth his own ideas for politics, he will fight the current executive branch. Wow, what a visionary.
Being a West Point grad or pro-life are hardly qualifications to be a congressman, except, of course, you hail from Kansas. I agree with the other sentiments here in that I’d like to see someone running on a platform of truly unique ideas as opposed to the anti-Obama rhetoric.
If I put up a billboard on Kellogg just east of the Central Business District exit, and it said, “I will abolish the Federal Reserve and Restore Sound Money”. I bet I’d get more than 40% of the vote. I could even put a picture of myself on it.
Anyone not campaigning on this platform is committing political suicide in light of all the controversy surrounding fiat money and a private central bank in charge of our nations money.
When will the Eagle refer to the democrat as the Pro-Abortion candidate?
Interesting, this guy thinks that murder is wrong and should be illegal in all cases. He also probably thinks that stealing by the government is wrong.
How dare he dare run for office. What a religious wacko!
And being a community organizer qualifies someone to be president? I wonder if all of you “open minded” people who think all Kansans are clowns will even hear what he has to say before you crucify him…
And being the cheerleader governor of a state (TX) that actually is run by its House Speaker qualified Junior for the Presidency, how, precisely?
News Flash to Obama haters: Barack Obama was the junior SENATOR from Illinois. Can’t get some more up to date Wingnut whining here?
He will run as a House member from the “Party of No”, and be in good company. No progress, no compromise, no bipartisanship, and no viable plan to get the economy stimulated again.
No thank you!
Oh goody, another reich-wing clone who will simply rubber stamp anything promoted by Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity.
As a West Point alum, that barely qualifies him to replace that great Statesman Todd Tiahrt…Did you ever notice there are not enough vowels in Tiahrt ?Maybe that’s his problem, not enough vowels…..
I believe it is hilarious that all of you are basing your opinions on this candidate off of this short, 100 word article. I had a chance to meet with Mr. Pompeo the other weekend, and on the contrary, he is a very intelligent and open minded man. He is a fighter who will stop at nothing to accomplish what he believes to be right. He comes from the business world, giving today’s politics a new perspective as he knows what it takes for a business to thrive. He will be a great representative for the fourth district in Washington after his victory in this election.
I agree with ABCD09……he does have strong opinions but it’s not for lack of having given consideration to all the options. and not only did he graduate from West Point but he was first in his class there, and he also went to Harvard Law School and was on the Law Review, so I’m sure in terms of intellectual wattage he’ll give the field at least a good run. I guess it only goes to show that it’s never good to jump to conclusions or, lamentably, in some cases, confusion.
“Just what we need… another bible thumper in politics. We are turning into an Iranian type nation where religious beliefs become the rule… Look out.” Chrish
yeah right, better to have a hedonistic baby killing pagan?