GOP TO NOMINATE REPLACEMENT
Elliot Lahn has withdrawn his name as the Republican candidate for treasurer of Platte County on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.
A Lahn supporter told The Landmark this week that Lahn was dropping out “because he has a job offer he couldn’t refuse.”
But Lahn’s political history has been the subject of scrutiny. According to public documents in the state of Kansas, Lahn is banned from seeking public office in Kansas “because he owes civil penalties/fines/reports” from previous campaigns. Kansas public records indicate at various times Lahn has filed for office as both a Democrat and a Republican.
Election officials say the Platte County Republican Central Committee chair must call a meeting of the nominating committee within two weeks to nominate a replacement candidate. According to the Platte County Board of Elections, that nominated candidate then will have until Sept. 11–the eighth Friday prior to the Nov. 3 election–to file in the office of the board of elections.
Chris Kendall, who currently serves as county treasurer, is running for the office as an independent. There is no Democrat candidate in the race.
Last week in a letter to the editor in The Landmark, Kendall wrote: “Even though Elliot Lahn is banned from seeking public office in Kansas and has previously campaigned as a Democrat, the Republican Central Committee and a couple of local elected officials have strongly backed Mr. Lahn up to this point. These same people have made threats and suggestions to me, urging me to withdraw from the race ‘for the good of the party.’”
