Hartman
Onetime Republican congressional candidate Wink Hartman has ended his flirtation with the Libertarian Party, announcing that he won’t take the small party’s nomination in the general election.
“After several days of prayerful reflection, I have decided not to seek the Libertarian Party’s congressional nomination,” Hartman said in a statement. “I am humbled by the Libertarian Party’s consideration and belief in me. Through this process, I have gained additional respect for their dedication to the fight for limited government.”
Hartman said he would support Republican candidates in the November election, but stopped short of endorsing his own former Republican rival, Mike Pompeo, who beat him in the GOP primary last month.
“They still have not spoken since election day, Aug. 3,” said Hartman spokesman Michael O’Donnell. “I think that issue will be addressed at the time they meet.
“I do see a meeting in the future between Mr. Hartman and Mr. Pompeo. All options are on the table,” O’Donnell said.
“Wink Hartman made a courageous and principled decision today and put the interest of our state and country first,” Pompeo said in a statement.
Pompeo
Hartman met with Libertarian party leaders in a teleconference earlier this week after their candidate, David Moffett of Bel Aire, dropped out of the race citing health problems.
Andrew Gray, the Libertarians’ state chairman and gubernatorial candidate, said he regrets that Hartman did not take the nomination.
“He was in a unique situation to change the dynamic of how people think about politics in Kansas,” Gray said.
But Gray said he and Hartman both had gotten quite a bit of negative feedback, Hartman from Republicans and Gray from Libertarians. He described it as “extreme apprehension.”
With Hartman out of the picture, the nomination will now go to Shawn Smith of Wichita, who had originally been in line to replace Moffett on the ballot.
Smith is the Libertarians’ 4th District coordinator, Gray said.
In his release, Hartman said re-entering the 4th District race would have benefited Democrats.
“I cannot, in good conscience, do anything that will make it easier for Nancy Pelosi to retain the title of Speaker of the House,” Hartman said in a statement. “Though I possess a strong passion to bring change to Washington, my entrance in this race would only make it easier for Nancy Pelosi to maintain her majority.”
Hartman placed third behind Pompeo and state Sen. Jean Schodorf, R-Wichita, in the Republican primary — after an expensive and bruising campaign in which Hartman faced attacks over his Kansas residency, two DUI convictions, a 1987 bankruptcy and a 1981 comment he made that was complimentary of Planned Parenthood.
“In the coming weeks, I will look for new ways to help promote conservative principles and elect Republican candidates,” Hartman said.
Kansas Republican Party chairwoman Amanda Adkins said she applauds what she called Hartman’s “patriotic decision.”
“This action demonstrates his commitment to the cause of life and his dedication to his home community, Wichita,” Adkins said in a statement.
After Hartman’s consideration of the Libertarian nomination became publicly known, some Pompeo supporters had begun to call for a boycott on his restaurants and his arena near Park City.
Local political analysts had speculated that Hartman joining the Libertarian ticket would have drawn votes from Pompeo and benefited the Democratic candidate in the race, state Rep. Raj Goyle.
Goyle
Late today, Goyle campaign manager Kiel Brunner said in an e-mail that the race “has been and continues to be a single digit battle between moderate Raj Goyle and the negative Mike Pompeo.”
Goyle had not expressed a position on whether Hartman should re-enter the race.