During Thursday night’s Geary County Democratic Women Kansas Day Dinner, three Democrats, one who has formally filed to run for election to the 65th District seat in the Kansas House of Representatives and two exploring whether to run in the 1st Congressional District in Kansas, had a chance to speak.

First to speak was Tom Brungardt, who last November formally filed for election to the 65th District seat in the Kansas House of Representatives. Brungardt is the first candidate to formally file for that office. Incumbent Allan Rothlisberg of Grandview Plaza has publicly announced that he intends to seek reelection to the 65th District seat.

“We need somebody up there that you  can be proud of,” Brungardt explained. “Somebody that people will point to and say, that person represents the 65th District. That person represents Junction City, Grandview Plaza, Milford and Geary County and that’s what I want to be.”

Brungardt ran for the House seat in 2012 but lost in the Democratic primary to Melody Saxton on a coin flip. The two candidates had received the same number of votes. Saxton was defeated by Rothlisberg in the November general election.

Debbie Wharton of Garden City was next to speak. Her and Jim Sherow of Manhattan are both exploring whether to run for the 1st Congressional District seat against incumbent, Republican Tim Huelskamp.

Wharton explained that the reason she’s exploring to run is because it’s a shame Kansas is not being represented on the Ag Committee.

“Mr. Huelskamp held us hostage, not just us but the whole United States, instead of finding the money needed to fund the Kansas Aquifer,” Wharton said.

Wharton explained that research has shown that changing the way payments are made under the farm program would save almost enough money to complete the Kansas Aquifer project.

Sherow explained that he know’s that a race in the 1st Congressional District can be won. “As a mayor and commissioner it’s not the first one I’ve encountered.”

Sherow served as a former Mayor and Commissioner in Manhattan from 2007 to 2012.

“I share the things that are important to you and I pledge to work as hard on your behalf as Kansas teachers, workers, farmers and ranchers do in their endeavors each and everyday.”

Both Wharton and Sherow are only exploring the possibility of running and have not formally filed for election.

The next election cycle would include a primary, if needed, in August, followed by a general election in November.