Right-Wing Push Back Stays Winning In Overland Park

This isn't our part of town but the political developments are interesting nonetheless and signal the metro middle-class getting a bit angry over their fading fortunes.

Money line . . .

Mike Czinege, a business executive whose resume includes stints at AMC Theaters, Ernst & Young and Applebee’s, touted his conservative bona fides during the campaign, bagging endorsements from former Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer and the anti-abortion group Kansans For Life . . . He said his message resonated with voters who felt Overland Park was moving away from a single-family, planned community with good schools and toward large-scale apartment complexes.

“People want to return to the value in their homes and have good neighborhoods again. There’s a place for apartments but they’re not everywhere,” Czinege said.

He also said voters were looking for more of a voice on the city council.

“The developers and the attorneys are listened to but not the residents any more," he said. "That’s the number one issue we talked about going door to door.”

Read more . . .

Czinege, Skoog Advance In Overland Park Mayoral Primary

Political newcomer Mike Czinege and Councilmember Curt Skoog emerged the winners in the four-way primary for Overland Park mayor. Czinege, who joined the race late, was the largest vote getter with 8,989 votes, or about 38.6% of the vote. Skoog ran second with 5,459 votes, or 23.4%.