6 days ago
Democrat who questioned Roger Marshall at Kansas townhall files campaign papers
A Johnson County Democrat who made national news by driving to Oakley in western Kansas for U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall's townhall has filed paperwork indicating she will run against the senator.
Anne Parelkar, of Overland Park, filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission on July 24. She hasn't officially announced a campaign.
Parelkar had previously set up a website where she said she was exploring a U.S. Senate run. She also launched a listening tour and spoke at an April 5 protest at the Kansas Statehouse in Topeka.
"Kansans deserve leaders who tell the truth, listen first, and put people over politics," the website states. "Anne Parelkar is a Kansas attorney and aspiring public servant exploring a run for U.S. Senate. She believes elected officials should answer to the people. Not to party leaders. Not to political donors. Just to the people."
Parelkar was one of the Kansans who drove to Oakley for Marshall's March 1 townhall, where she asked about cutting federal workers. Marshall ultimately walked out of the contentious townhall meeting and was showered by boos. He later walked back a claim that troublemakers were paid to attend the meeting, admitting he did not have evidence to back up the allegation.
Parelkar's FEC paperwork designates Anne for Kansas as her principal campaign committee for the 2026 election.
Marshall was elected to the Senate in 2020 after previously represented the 1st Congressional District that primarily encompasses western Kansas. He received 53% of the vote, compared to Democrat Barbara Bollier's 42% and Libertarian Jason Buckley's 5%.
Marshall's reelection campaign has about $2.7 million cash on hand according to his most recent FEC filings.
More: New FEC campaign finance filings show how much money Kansas congressional team has
Jason Alatidd is a Statehouse reporter for The Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jalatidd@ Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas Democrat files FEC paperwork to run against Sen. Roger Marshall
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