Mike Brown is an American politician from Kansas who currently serves as the Chair of the Kansas Republican Party.[1] In 2022, he challenged incumbent Scott Schwab in that year's Kansas Secretary of State election.
Mike Brown | |
|---|---|
| Chair of the Kansas Republican Party | |
| Assumed office February 11, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Mike Kuckelman |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kansas City, Kansas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Kristi Brown |
| Children | 5 |
| Education | Johnson County Community College Kansas State University |
| Website | Campaign website |
Early life edit
Brown is a 6th generation Kansan, born and raised in the Kansas City metro area. He graduated from Shawnee Mission Northwest High School as part of the class of 1987, and attended Johnson County Community College and Kansas State University. Brown has worked in construction since high school, opening his own home building firm in 1990 and working as a general contractor.[2]
Political career edit
Early career edit
Brown started his political career volunteering for Tim Shallenburger's unsuccessful 2002 bid for governor and two local county commissioner campaigns in 2004 and 2008. In 2017 Mike ran for Johnson County Commissioner himself and was elected. He would served in this office until 2021. He was defeated by Democrat Shirley Allenbrand in one of the most conservative commission districts due to his over-the-top comments and behavior. He has also served in a series of other Kansas roles including Johnson County's Parks and Recreation commissioner, member of the Kansas State Workforce Development Board, the Kansas Black Chamber of Commerce, the 2007 President (and a 12 year board member) of the Homebuilders’ Association of Greater Kansas City. [2][1]
Secretary of State bid edit
In the 2022 Kansas Secretary of State election, Brown challenged incumbent Secretary of State of Kansas, Scott Schwab, claiming that Schwab was a part of the Republican establishment. Brown’s campaign was based on “Election Integrity First” [3] and was not competitive, losing with 44.76% to Schwab's 55.24%.[3][4][1]
KSGOP Party Chairman edit
Mike Brown was elected Kansas GOP Party Chairman in 2022 against Helen Van Etten, a long-time Kansas GOP leader, by a two vote margin.[5] During his tenure, Brown has worked tirelessly to remove from the state and executive committees anyone who did not support him. He has also overseen a dip in the Kansas GOP's fundraising numbers due to his alienation of the long-time party members who had donated in the past, his unfounded accusations of financial improprieties, the resignation of the previous party CPA because of said claims, his ongoing desire to delay financial reporting, and the sloppiness of those reports. As testimony to the decline in decorum under Brown's leadership of the KS GOP, on March 11, 2024, an event was held in Brown's home county where attendees paid money to beat an effigy of Joe Biden. This renewed calls for him to be removed as party chairman.[6]
On November 4, 2023, Former President Donald Trump commended Mike Brown on doing “a fantastic job” as Kansas GOP Chair during a rally in Kissimmee, FL in which Brown was in attendance. Trump called Brown a “warrior” and added, “Thank you, Mike. Great job. How are we doing in Kansas? Pretty good… I think we are doing pretty good there.”[7]
Brown also met with the President of the United States in the Oval Office in July, 2019.
Personal life edit
Brown is married to Kristi Brown who serves as the Kansas State Director of the Trump 2024 campaign. The couple live in Overland Park, Kansas and have 5 grown children. [2]
Electoral history edit
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Scott Schwab (incumbent) | 245,998 | 55.24% | |
| Republican | Mike Brown | 199,316 | 44.76% | |
| Total votes | 445,314 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Mike Brown | 90 | 50.56% | |
| Republican | Helen Van Etten | 88 | 49.16% | |
| Total votes | 178 | 100% | ||
References edit
- ^ a b c HANNA, JOHN. "Kansas GOP picks election conspiracy promoter as new leader". Associated Press. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
- ^ a b c Brown, Mike. "Meet Mike Brown". mikebrownforkansas.com. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
- ^ a b Bahl, Andrew (December 7, 2021). "Johnson County lawmaker Mike Brown runs for Kansas secretary of state". www.cjonline.co. The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
- ^ Cooper, Brad. "UPDATED: A political return for Mike Brown?". Sunflower State Journal. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
- ^ "Amid tensions, Kansas Republican Party departs from status quo to tap Mike Brown as chair". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
- ^ Robertson, Nick (March 11, 2024). "Biden effigy beaten at GOP event in Kansas; ex-official calls for resignations". The Hill. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
- ^ "The Topeka Capital-Journal". www.cjonline.com. Retrieved March 26, 2024.