Kansas GOP 3rd District Chair steps down

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Jacob Swisher announced over the weekend that he was stepping down as 3rd District chairman of the Kansas Republican Party.

Swisher, who was elected to the position last December amid financial questions about his background, said he was resigning because of “increased work obligations.”

“I can no longer devote the time necessary to serve as chairman,” Swisher said in an email that was posted online Sunday.

Jacob Swisher

His resignation is effective Aug. 31.

Swisher’s departure means that Danedri Herbert, the 3rd District vice chair and former staffer for Kris Kobach, will be elevated to chair.

Herbert will serve in that position until the next regularly scheduled 3rd District meeting is held when a successor is chosen to replace Swisher.

“I’ll look forward to seeing you all around and continuing our efforts to replace with Republicans our Democratic Johnson County state representatives and senators, our Democratic Governor and our congresswoman,” Swisher said in the email.

“And I will, of course, be active this fall to elect great Republican candidates to local offices,” he said.

“Serving as chair has been one of the greatest honors of my life, and I am so grateful to you all for the opportunity.”

Swisher was elected last year under a cloud of controversy amid complaints that he didn’t pay his bills.

Former Johnson County Republican Party officers have previously said that they handled calls to the party office a decade ago from debt collectors looking for Swisher.

Former Johnson County Republican Party secretary Marearl Denning, for example, told The Kansas City Star that creditors called the party office looking for Swisher “at least two or three times a week.”

Also, the Tennessee Republican Assembly in 2015, for instance, revoked his membership in the organization because he didn’t honor his business commitments.

“Be aware that Mr. Swisher is no longer associated or affiliated in any way with TRA, and
he is not authorized to conduct business of any kind as agent of or related to the TRA,
regardless of any claim made to the contrary,” the group said.

“We admonish all Republicans and Republican organizations to be aware of this situation
before entering into any business relationship with Mr. Swisher,” the group said.