Steven Brunk
Steven Brunk (Republican Party) is a member of the Kansas House of Representatives, representing District 85. He assumed office on June 24, 2025. His current term ends on January 11, 2027.
Brunk (Republican Party) is running for re-election to the Kansas House of Representatives to represent District 85. He declared candidacy for the Republican primary scheduled on August 4, 2026.
Brunk previously served in the Kansas House of Representatives District 85 from 2003 to 2016. Brunk submitted a letter of resignation effective January 4, 2016, following a controversy over his new job as the executive director of the state chapter of Focus on the Family's policy organization. While he said he would not have to resign, Democrats accused Brunk of a conflict of interest.[1]
The Sedgwick County Republican Party appointed Brunk to the Kansas House of Representatives District 85 on May 28, 2025 to replace Patrick Penn (R).[2]
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Committee assignments
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Brunk served on the following committees:
| Kansas committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • State Building Construction, Chair |
| • Federal and State Affairs |
| • Commerce, Labor and Economic Development |
| • Taxation |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Brunk served on the following committees:
| Kansas committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Federal and State Affairs, Vice chair |
| • Commerce, Labor and Economic Development |
| • Taxation |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Brunk served on the following committees:
| Kansas committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Children and Families |
| • Federal and State Affairs, Chair |
| • State Building Construction |
| • Taxation |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Brunk served on the following committees:
| Kansas committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Commerce and Labor, Chair |
| • Federal and State Affairs |
| • Elections |
| • Insurance |
| • State Building Construction Joint |
Elections
2026
See also: Kansas House of Representatives elections, 2026
General election
The primary will occur on August 4, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
Republican primary
Republican primary for Kansas House of Representatives District 85
Incumbent Steven Brunk (R) is running in the Republican primary for Kansas House of Representatives District 85 on August 4, 2026.
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Endorsements
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2014
Elections for the Kansas House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election was held on August 5, 2014, and a general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 2, 2014. Patrick Thorpe was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Incumbent Steven Brunk was unopposed in the Republican primary. Brunk defeated Thorpe in the general election.[3][4]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Steven Brunk Incumbent |
66% | 5,631 | |
| Democratic | Patrick Thorpe | 34% | 2,905 | |
| Total Votes | 8,536 | |||
2012
Brunk won re-election in the 2012 election for Kansas House of Representatives District 85. He was unopposed in the August 7 Republican primary and defeated Barry D. Stanley (D) in the general election, which took place on November 6, 2012.[5][6]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Steven Brunk Incumbent |
67.2% | 6,806 | |
| Democratic | Barry Stanley | 32.8% | 3,316 | |
| Total Votes | 10,122 | |||
2010
Brunk won re-election to the 85th District Seat in 2010 with no opposition. He was also unopposed in the GOP primary. The general election took place on November 2, 2010.[7]
2008
On November 4, 2008, Brunk was re-elected to the District 85 seat in the Kansas House of Representatives, defeating Billie Knighton (D).[8] Brunk raised $39,143 for his campaign, while Knighton raised $11,835.[9]
| Kansas House of Representatives, District 85 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Steven Brunk (R)
|
7,761 | 65.3% | ||
| Billie Knighton (D) | 4,121 | 34.6% | ||
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
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2010
Brunk's website listed his legislative priorities as "illegal alien laws, additional health care policy reform, energy policy, budget control and budget transparency, economic stimulus, and voter ID reform."[10]
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Kansas scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the Kansas State Legislature was in session from January 12 through June 12.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the Kansas State Legislature was in session from January 13 through May 30.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the Kansas State Legislature was in session from January 14 to June 20.
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Kansas Freedom Index
The Kansas Policy Institute, Kansas’s "first free market think tank," releases its legislator scorecard as a part of its Kansas Freedom Index for Kansas state representatives and senators once a year. The Score Card gives each legislator a score from 1%-100% based on how they voted in the prior legislative term on specific issues which the Kansas Policy Institute thought were pro-limited government policies.[11]
2013
Steven Brunk received a score of 67.0% in the 2013 index.[12]
Endorsements
Presidential preference
2012
Steven Brunk endorsed Rick Santorum in the 2012 presidential election.[13]
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Brunk is married to his wife, Billie.[14]
See also
2026 Elections
External links
|
Officeholder Kansas House of Representatives District 85 |
Footnotes
- ↑ The Kansas City Star, "Kansas Rep. Steve Brunk will join advocacy group’s staff in January, e-mail says," December 16, 2015
- ↑ State Affairs, "Brunk returns to House after Sedgwick County GOP elects him as Penn's replacement," May 29, 2025
- ↑ Kansas Secretary of State, "2014 Primary Election - Official Vote Totals," accessed September 15, 2014
- ↑ Kansas Secretary of State, "2014 General Election - Official Vote Totals," accessed April 17, 2015
- ↑ C-SPAN, "Kansas - Summary Vote Results," accessed August 7, 2012
- ↑ Kansas Secretary of State, "2012 General Election - Official Vote Totals," accessed March 31, 2014
- ↑ Kansas Secretary of State, "2010 General Election - Official Vote Totals," accessed March 29, 2014
- ↑ Kansas Secretary of State, "2008 General Election - Official Vote Totals," accessed March 29, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Kansas 2008 - Candidates," accessed March 29, 2014
- ↑ Steve Brunk, homepage, accessed January 5, 2016 (Archived)
- ↑ Kansas Policy Institute, "Freedom Index," accessed March 31, 2014
- ↑ Ballotpedia, "2013 Kansas Policy Index," accessed March 10, 2015
- ↑ Rick Santorum, "Kansas Conservative Leaders Unite Behind Rick Santorum," March 9, 2012
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Biography," accessed June 2, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Patrick Penn (R) |
Kansas House of Representatives District 85 2025-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
Kansas House of Representatives District 85 2003-2016 |
Succeeded by - |
