This article was originally posted 10/27/2017 on SUBV Facebook page
Charlotte O'Hara signs have been popping up like mushrooms in medians all over Overland Park. Who is Charlotte O'Hara, and why does she want to be Mayor of Overland Park?
We did some research for our members. We were surprised - and concerned - that we couldn't find the whole story in any local media report, so here is what we've pieced together:
O'Hara has run for office at least six times and has lost all six races. (Olathe School Board, JCCC trustee, JoCo Commission Chair twice, State Senate twice.) In 2002 she ran for Johnson County Commission Chair and “loaned” her campaign over $400,000, but was defeated. She ran for that seat again, and lost, in 2006. She filed for US Congress in 2010, but dropped out of that race. In 2011, O'Hara was appointed to fill the remainder of a term in the Kansas House. As a legislator, she testified in support of an anti-public education bill that was not advanced by the House. O'Hara then ran for the Kansas Senate in 2012...and lost in the primary. She ran again in 2014, spending over $39,000 of her own money (according to campaign finance reports we found) and, you guessed it, lost. She has been Chair of the 3rd District Republican Party.
As of the most recent campaign finance reporting period in the OP Mayoral race, covering the period from Jan 1 - July 20, O’Hara had personally loaned or given her campaign $5,489. The report covering July 20 until Oct 26 is due Oct 30. We won’t know until very close to election day how much money O’Hara has personally invested trying to become OP Mayor. But we’ll check for you as soon as the report is available.
So here are our takeaways:
1. O'Hara is a partisan politician. City government is non-partisan. We don't believe partisanship or politicians belong in Overland Park city government.
2. O'Hara has had political ambitions dating back to 1992, but has never actually won an election. She was appointed once, but lost when she had to run.
3. O'Hara spent over $400,000 of her own money to run for Chair of Johnson County Commission.
4. O'Hara has a history of anti-public education statements and votes, as a state legislator.
5. Local media have not reported O'Hara's full history for Overland Park voters to be better-educated. With advance voting starting on Monday, October 30, and mail-in ballots already in homes, we hope this information is timely and helpful to our Overland Park members.
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