Mike Kelly and Karen Crnkovich were the top two vote-getters in a three-way primary race for chair of the Johnson County commission on Tuesday night.
Unofficial totals from the Johnson County Election Office on Tuesday showed Kelly earned roughly 57% of votes cast, with Crnkovich in second with about 30%. A third candidate, Gene Senesac, ended with about 13%.
Overall, Kelly earned 90,752 votes, Crnkovich won 48,416 and Senesac took in 21,445.
The results mean that Crnkovich and Kelly will face each other in the November general election. The race is officially nonpartisan, meaning no party labels will appear on the ballot.
Kelly, a Prairie Village lawyer, is nearing the end of his first term as chair of the commission, which oversees county operations and has budget authority over the county, parks and library districts.
Crnkovich, of Olathe, is the owner and operator of a heating, cooling, ventilation and plumbing company who has run previously for the U.S. House of Representatives.
As returns were posted Tuesday night, Crnkovich said, “We feel very good about how tonight went. It went exactly as anticipated.”
“We’re ready to take the message to the people of Johnson County that we really need change,” she added. “Mike Kelly may think this is going to be a cakewalk based on tonight’s numbers but he should rethink that because we’re going to take the fight directly to him.”
Kelly thanked his supporters saying, “We’re very pleased by the results, very grateful that the people of Johnson County have continued to put their trust in our campaign. I’m proud of the work we’ve done in the last four years and glad it’s resonating with the people of Johnson County.”
He said decisions made over the next four years will have decades of lasting impact on the county, and he looks forward to discussing them with the community during the campaign.
“Campaigns are great opportunities to have conversations with the community. I look forward to having some specific substantive policy conversations with (Crnkovich) because I think the difference to the people of Johnson County will be clear. I think they’ve shown us that tonight and we look forward to them showing that to us again in November,” Kelly said.
Senesac, a political newcomer from Olathe, is a consultant and retired corporate executive who has served on Olathe city oversight committees. He said although his vote totals fell short this time, he still plans to stay involved in civic issues in some capacity going forward.
“I’ve got a heck of a lot to contribute,” he said, adding, “I want to continue on to help solve some of the concerns” of local governing. “I just wasn’t able to touch enough people in the county.”
During a Johnson County candidate forum in June, the three answered questions about World Cup spending, housing, election accessibility, data centers, county spending and property taxes, among other things. Those topics will likely continue to be campaign issues in the coming weeks.
