KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Cerner executive Amanda Adkins emerged from a five-candidate Republican primary Tuesday and will try to wrest Kansas’ 3rd District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives back from Democrat Sharice Davids in November.
Adkins beat out four other contenders for the nomination — former Burns and McDonnell executive Mike Beehler, former state representative Tom Love, former Roeland Park Mayor Adrienne Vallejo Foster and former President and CEO of the National Down Syndrome Society Sara Hart Weir.
Adkins is a former chairwoman for the Kansas Republican Party and currently serves as Vice President of Strategic Growth at Cerner.
Following her victory, Adkins took the time to thank her supporters and call out Davids.
"Tonight I officially challenge Sharice Davids to three debates, one in each of our counties in the 3rd Congressional District, because the people of Wyandotte County, Johnson County and Miami County, they all deserve our time," Adkins said.
Adkins said she wants the three debates to take place in either places of businesses or health care.
"Sharice, you are now officially on notice. You've been challenged to three debates," Adkins said.
Davids, the incumbent who ousted Kevin Yoder during the 2018 election, was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
She will face Adkins for reelection in November’s general election, but expressed confidence Tuesday about her first two years in office.
“In this time when we've got an unprecedented public health crisis and economic crisis, we really need leadership in Washington, D.C. that's going to bring the issues that are most important to those of us here in Kansas out there,” Davids said. “I've been doing that since I got into office, and I'm going to keep doing that.”
Adkins’ win ensures that a woman will continue as the 3rd District’s congressional representative.
Before Davids’ election two years ago, the only other woman to hold the office was Republican Jan Meyers from 1985-1997.
The general election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 3.
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