As the race for Kansas governor starts to play out, there’s another potential candidate out there who’s getting attention in political circles.
Multiple political sources say that financial-services executive Philip Sarnecki is holding multiple meetings with key players as he positions to run for governor.
Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a candidate for governor, said that Sarnecki met with him and told him that he planned to run for governor next year.
Multiple political sources said any announcement from Sarnecki, a Republican from southern Johnson County, may not come until later this year, possibly in September.
Sarnecki was seen in the Capitol early last session meeting with lawmakers.
He would join a Republican field that could include Schwab, former Gov. Jeff Colyer, Senate President Ty Masterson, conservative podcaster Doug Billings, Johnson County businesswoman Charlotte O’Hara and Wichita businesswoman Stacy Rogers.
State Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt also is looking at running for governor as well as former Royals General Manager Dayton Moore. Wichita businesswoman Joy Eakins also has been exploring a possible run for governor.
A spokesperson for Sarnecki said the businessman, who has been the m
It is believed that Sarnecki has put together a campaign team that includes Johnson County fundraiser Patrick Feeney, who also works as a lobbyist at the statehouse. Feeney didn’t respond to multiple phone calls and a text message seeking comment.
Political operatives also say that they believe – albeit unconfirmed – that he has hired Timmy Teepell, a political consultant to Missouri U.S. Sen Josh Hawley who also served as chief of staff and adviser to former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal.
Teepell has been credited for helping elect Jindal governor after serving in Congress. He also ran Jindal’s brief run for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.
The Sarnecki spokesperson who reached out to the Sunflower State Journal earlier this week works for Hawley’s Senate office in Missouri.
On his LinkedIn profile,
He also owns a film company and according to the movie and television database IMDb he was executive producer of the movies “Monster Summer” in 2024, “Hope Bridge” in 2015 and “A Strange Brand of Happy” in 2013.
Sarnecki also has been a benefactor for his alma mater, giving $350,000 in 2021 to the University of Illinois toward the construction of a new baseball training center.
He also donated $500,000 to the university in 2014 to name the coaches locker room at the State Farm Center for his dad, who had been a janitor on campus for more than 30 years.
“It was a way to honor him and really, everyone (at the UI) like my mom and dad who kind of worked under the radar and never got any public recognition for all of their hard work and dedication,” Sarnecki said at the time.
A Sarnecki candidacy would represent the latest business executive to join a high-profile political campaign in Kansas.
In 2017, Wichita businessman Wink Hartman announced he would run for governor in 2018.
By early 2018, Hartman had suspended his campaign and joined Kris Kobach’s unsuccessful campaign for governor that year.
In 2020, Bob Hamilton, the owner of Bob Hamilton Plumbing, entered the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate with deep pockets.
Hamilton spent almost $4 million on his U.S. Senate campaign and finished third with about 19% of the vote.
