Republican Party precinct leaders on Tuesday night picked Tatum Lee, a self-described strong constitutional conservative, to serve a full two-year term in the House to replace the late Leonard Mastroni.
Lee won the seat in an uncontested race to represent House District 117, which covers parts of Edwards, Hodgeman, Kiowa, Ness, Finney, Ford, Pawnee and Rush counties.
She had already been serving out Mastroni’s current term after the Republican lawmaker died last September.
She received 95 of the 103 votes cast. There were seven blank ballots and one with a write-in name that was invalid since the person was not nominated.
Lee is the development director of R-Calf USA, which represents U.S. cattle and sheep producers on domestic and international trade and marketing issues.
Recruited for the position by state Sen.-elect Alicia Straub, the Ness City Republican’s family has been ranching since 1885.
“I have a real passion for rural American,” Lee said in an interview in October after she was elected to fill out Mastroni’s term.
“I have a real passion for farmers and ranchers. We feed the world,” she said.
“This district runs off of farming and ranching and oil and gas. If those industries aren’t strong, our rural communities aren’t strong,” she said.
“We have to have a strong voice to get to Topeka to be able to speak for our needs.”
She described herself as a “strong constitutional conservative.”
“I value the writings of the forefathers and the strong framework that they provided,” she said.
In October, picked Lee to serve out Mastroni’s term over former state Rep. John Ewy and Cameron Bradshaw, who worked as a field representative in Congressman Roger Marshall’s campaign for the U.S. Senate.
Republican precinct committee leaders had to hold a special meeting to pick a replacement, since Mastroni was posthumously reelected with no opposition.
Mastroni was still on the ballot after he died Sept. 30.
