A broad-based nonpartisan group of city and county officials endorsed Wichita City Council member Jeff Longwell on Thursday for the 3rd District seat on the Sedgwick County Commission.
Appearing at Longwell’s New Market Square headquarters, the group headed by Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer and Sedgwick County Commissioner Dave Unruh threw their weight behind Longwell’s bid to unseat incumbent Karl Peterjohn in a winner-take-all Republican primary. There is no Democratic opponent.
Appearing were city council members Brewer, Janet Miller, James Clendenin, Pete Meitzner and Lavonta Williams. Joining Unruh were county commissioners Jim Skelton and Tim Norton. Goddard Mayor Marcey Gregory and former Cheney mayor Carl Koster also spoke.
“The theme and the message that we want to talk about today is a message of collaboration and working together,” Unruh said. “Jeff has certainly displayed a willingness and ability to do that.”
Unruh said his long relationship with Longwell on the Regional Economic Area Partnership is further proof the council member is a consensus builder, with some key goals remaining including city-county services consolidation.’
Brewer agreed, saying the need for collaboration is now a regional issue in the Wichita metropolitan area.
“This is about regional collaboration. We’re about addressing issues of families, whether they be large cities, small cities or towns, whatever the case may be,” the mayor said.