GOP’s Adkins taking another shot at 3rd District congressional seat

TOPEKA — The Republican who unsuccessfully challenged Democratic U.S Rep. Sharice Davids in November plans to take another shot at the congressional seat in 2022.

Amanda Adkins, who climbed the political ladder working with former U.S. Sen. and Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback, said on social media Monday that she would campaign again for the GOP nomination in the 3rd District.

“Today, I launch my campaign,” she said. “My time as a leader in business innovation with deep health care experience is more important than ever.”

Davids, who defeated incumbent GOP Congressman Kevin Yoder in 2018, won re-election in November by drawing 38,000 more votes than Adkins. Davids had 53.5% of the vote against Adkins’ 43.8%, which approximated Davids’ margin of victory over Yoder two years earlier.

It’s possible Adkins’ second attempt could be aided by the Kansas Legislature’s redrawing of 3rd District boundaries to add likely Republican voters and remove likely Democratic voters. Davids’ district covers all of Wyandotte and Johnson counties and part of Miami County, but cutting Wyandotte County in half and pulling in more of Miami County could aid Adkins.

Adkins, of Overland Park, served under Brownback as chairwoman of the Kansas Children’s Cabinet. She managed Brownback’s 2004 campaign for U.S. Senate. She also worked a Cerner, a Kansas City-area information technology company. In addition, she was chair of the Kansas Republican Party from 2009 to 2013.

Adkins’ candidacy was endorsed by Mike Pompeo, a former Kansas congressman who served in the administration of President Donald Trump as secretary of state and as director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

“Amanda is the leader this country needs in Congress to keep our message of freedom shining bright,” Pompeo said.