Dennis Pyle

Dennis D. Pyle (born February 4, 1961) is an independent member of the Kansas Senate, representing the 1st district since 2005.[1] He ran for governor of Kansas in the 2022 election.

Dennis Pyle
Member of the Kansas Senate
from the 1st district
Assumed office
January 10, 2005
Preceded byEdward W. Pugh
Member of the Kansas House of Representatives
from the 49th district
In office
January 8, 2001 – January 13, 2003
Preceded byGalen Weiland
Succeeded byScott Schwab
Personal details
Born (1961-02-04) February 4, 1961
Hiawatha, Kansas, U.S.
Political partyRepublican (before 2022)
Independent (2022–present)
SpouseJennifer Pyle
Children6
EducationGrace University
WebsiteCampaign website

Legislative career

Pyle was a member of the Kansas House of Representatives for the 49th district from 2001 to 2003. He lost a race for reelection to Republican Scott Schwab, who later became the Kansas Secretary of State, but was elected to his Kansas Senate seat in 2004.[1] In 2020, he won his third reelection to his first district position in northeast Kansas with over 70% of the vote.[1]

Committee assignments

Pyle served on these legislative committees:[2] but was removed by Senate President Ty Masterson from some of those assignments during the 2022 legislative session when he refused to vote for the Kansas Republican Party's congressional redistricting map.[1]

  • Agriculture
  • Assessment and Taxation
  • Children's Issues
  • Special Claims Against the State
  • State-Tribal Relations
  • Utilities

Pyle's sponsored bills have included:

  • A bill promoting trade between Kansas and Taiwan.[3]
  • A bill regarding income tax credit for some property taxes.[4]

Major donors

The top contributors to Pyle's 2008 campaign, according to OpenSecrets were the Kansas Republican Senatorial Committee, State of Kansas Department of Administration, Kansas Medical Society, Brown County Republican Central Committee, Kansas Republican Senatorial Committee Party.[5]

Congressional campaigns

In 2010, Pyle challenged incumbent Representative Lynn Jenkins in the Republican primary for Kansas's 2nd congressional district. He received 43% of the vote. He ran again for the seat in a crowded field in 2018, as Jenkins was retiring, but the race was won by self-financed, one-term Republican Steve Watkins.

Ethics complaint

On June 5, 2010, it was made public that a formal ethics complaint had been filed against Pyle, "alleging improper expenditures from his Senate campaign account on a trip to Washington, D.C., to evaluate support for his challenge of U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins."[6] The complaint specifically alleged "Pyle violated state campaign finance laws by using money raised for a state campaign for activities related to possible federal campaign."[7] On June 28, 2010, Pyle was cleared of any wrongdoing.[8]

2022 gubernatorial campaign
Main article: 2022 Kansas gubernatorial election

On June 7, 2022, Pyle announced his plan to pursue a campaign for the office of Governor of Kansas because he said, "I am a God-loving American, devoted to the Constitution and protecting our children, and I am entering this race to give Kansans a choice".[9] To reach the ballot requires 5,000 signatures as verified by the three-member Kansas Objections Board.[10] The Board includes the Kansas Secretary of State, Republican Scott Schwab and Attorney General and Republican gubernatorial candidate Derek Schmidt, along with the governor's General Counsel. The situation with Board's potential conflicts has been scrutinized for some time, in particular by former State Senator Anthony Hensley.[10][11] In August, Pyle turned in almost 9,000 signatures for review.[12]

C.J. Grover, the campaign manager for Republican Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, labeled Pyle as a "fake conservative" "who just wants attention." "He stood with pro-abortion legislators to nearly derail the 'Value Them Both' amendment," adding, "...he sided with (Governor) Laura Kelly, Hillary Clinton's lawyers and the ACLU against our Republican majority in the Legislature on redistricting maps." "Now, he's trying to help Laura Kelly and Joe Biden again with a vanity run for governor." Kansas Republican Party Executive Director Shannon Pahls said Pyle is "knowingly providing Laura Kelly the only path to a second term." Pyle in turn described Schmidt and Kelly as "two peas in a pod."[12] The Republican party launched an effort to get signers of Pyle's ballot inclusion petition to withdraw their signatures.[13][14] On August 25, 2022, the Kansas Secretary of State announced that he collected enough valid signatures to be placed on the ballot.[15]

Personal life

Pyle attended Hiawatha High School and Grace College of the Bible. He is married to Jennifer Pyle, and they farm in Hiawatha. They have six daughters.[16]

References
  1. Sen. Dennis Pyle launching independent campaign for Kansas governor Joins field with Attorney General Derek Schmidt and Gov. Laura Kelly, Kansas Reflector, Tim Carpenter, June 7, 2022. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  2. Biography from Project Vote Smart
  3. SB 1843 on State Surge
  4. SB 0617 on State Surge
  5. Pyle 2008 Campaign Contributions
  6. CJOnline - Pyle campaign violation alleged
  7. Kansas 2nd District candidate faces ethics complaint, Kansas City Star (AP), June 8, 2010. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  8. Topeka Capital-Journal - Pyle: Ethics complaint dropped
  9. "Kansas state senator and farmer Dennis Pyle to run for governor as independent". Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  10. State Objections Board must be overhauled, Capital Journal, Capital Journal Editorial Advisory Board, August 28, 2018. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  11. Abandoned Republican with issues wins Wichita-area legislative race, Wichita Eagle,, Tim Potter, November 6, 2018. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  12. Kansas state senator delivers signatures needed to enter governor’s race as independent, Kansas Reflector, Sherman Smith, August 1, 2022. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  13. Kansas' independent governor candidate conveys frustration with ballot petition review process, Kansas Reflector, Tim Carpenter, August 17, 2022. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  14. Kelly, Schmidt secure party nominations in Kansas governor's race — wildcard Pyle awaits, Kansas Reflector, Tim Carpenter, August 2, 2022. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  15. Our office confirms that Senator Dennis Pyle’s independent nomination petition for Kansas governor is certified., Kansas Secretary of State, August 25, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  16. McMillan, Laura (October 19, 2022). "Dennis Pyle – Independent for Kansas Governor". KSN-TV. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
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