Five Republicans breathed a little easier Tuesday when conservative Republican Sen. Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, announced that instead of joining the Fourth District congressional race, she will endorse candidate Mike Pompeo.

Wagle has been waging a back-and-forth battle with cancer, but is now in remission, according to one Senate source.

Pompeo, a Republican Party committeeman, is one of five Republicans in the race. Sen. Dick Kelsey, R-Goddard; Sen. Jean Schodorf, R-Wichita; small business owner Jim Anderson; and Wichita oilman Wink Hartman are also registered candidates.

Democrats Rep. Raj Goyle, D-Wichita, and retiree Robert Tillman are the only two Democratic candidates for the Fourth Congressional District.

The Fourth District seat is being vacated by Rep. Todd Tiahrt, who is running for Senate.

“I really am humbled today to have garnered the support of someone with the conservative credentials of Susan Wagle,” Pompeo said in a statement released by his campaign.  “Senator Wagle has long stood for fiscal responsibility in the Kansas legislature, and I know the people of Kansas are going to be served well by her remaining in that important role.”

Kelsey said he was surprised by Wagle’s endorsement.

“Obviously I would have loved to have her endorsement,” Kelsey told Kansas Liberty. “But it would have been a bigger problem if she had declared she was running.”

Kelsey pointed out that although Pompeo may have Wagle’s endorsement, he lacks a voting record to prove where he stands on important issues.

“I have five years of legislative votes where people can actually see that I do what I say I will do,” Kesley said. “I have a proven conservative record that people can check, but Mike Pompeo does not have a record, so no one really knows how he will vote."

Pompeo has also picked up endorsements from Sen. Carolyn McGinn, R-Sedgwick, Wichita City Councilwoman Sue Schlapp, former White House official Matt Schlapp, Rep. Phil Hermanson, R-Wichita; Rep. Aaron Jack, R-Andover and former Kansas Republican gubernatorial candidate Richard Peckham.

Kelsey has been endorsed by former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, the Concerned Women of America political action committee, and former Kansas gubernatorial candidate Ken Canfield. Kelsey also has several legislators listed as “supporters” on his campaign web page.

Schodorf, Hartman and Anderson have not publicly announced any congressional campaign endorsements. As a senator, Schodorf has been endorsed by Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri.

Resources
Mike Pompeo for Congress

Dick Kelsey for Congress

Wink Hartman for Congress

Jim Anderson for Congress

Raj Goyle for Kansas

*Schodorf and Tillman do not have campaign web pages

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