Thornburgh to Serve as Brownback Committee Co-Chair
Topeka – U.S. Senator Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) announced today Kansas Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh (R-Kansas) will serve as Statewide Campaign Co-Chair for his 2010 run for Governor of Kansas.
“Ron Thornburgh is a model public servant---hard-working, effective, principled, and honest. During his four terms as our Secretary of State, he has improved efficiencies in the office through the use of technology that has saved taxpayers money and increased accessibility to state government,” Brownback said. “Ron is a well-respected leader in the Kansas Republican Party and maintains a strong commitment to our party’s core principles. I am honored to have his support and look forward to working with him.”
Elected the 29th Kansas Secretary of State in 1994, Ron Thornburgh was the youngest to be elected to the post in state history at 31 years old. Kansas voters re-elected him in 1998, 2002 and 2006. Secretary Thornburgh is the recipient of numerous awards for his service to the state including the 2006 Mike Harder Public Administrator of the Year award from the American Society for Public Administration Kansas Chapter.
A 1993 Leadership Kansas Class graduate and 2005 recipient of the Jim Edwards Leadership Kansas Alumnus of the Year Award. He also was honored with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2002 Digital Government “Agent of Change” award after leading Kansas to national prominence in electronic service.
A native of Burlingame, Ron is a 1985 Washburn University graduate. He, his wife Annette and sons Grey and Tanner live in Topeka.
"Senator Brownback is a man of principle and a tireless worker dedicated to the success of Kansas. I am confident Senator Brownback will bring our shared principles of lower taxes, less government and individual responsibility to the Governor’s office,” said Thornburgh. “I like and agree with Senator Brownback, but more importantly, we share the same priorities. I am joining the Brownback campaign because it is time we return our focus to growing the Kansas economy. It is time we re-invest in Kansas."
Kansas Republican Party Chair Amanda Adkins hosted today’s announcement at the party’s headquarters in Topeka. She told the crowd of supporters gathered there she is thrilled Sen. Brownback will continue his exemplary public service to the people of Kansas.
“The Republican Party in Kansas is stronger than ever,” said Adkins. “I look forward to not only uniting behind Senator Brownback to win back the Governor’s seat, but also to assembling an extraordinary slate of candidates across the board in 2010.”
Sec. Thornburgh will serve as Co-Chair of Brownback’s Statewide Campaign with John Petersen of Overland Park, former finance chair for Governor Bill Graves, Wichita City Councilwoman Sue Schlapp and Garden City Commissioner Reynaldo Mesa.
Former Kansas Senator Bob Dole and United States Senator Pat Roberts will head up Brownback's national campaign team while each of the Kansas congressional districts will be co-chaired by the 2008 Republican nominees Rep. Jerry Moran (1st), Rep. Lynn Jenkins (2nd), former state senator Nick Jordan (3rd) and Rep. Todd Tiahrt (4th).
First elected to Congress in 1994, then to the United States Senate in 1996, Sen. Brownback announced earlier this year he will honor his term limit pledge and not seek re-election to the U.S. Senate in 2010.