HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — A fourth teenager is running for governor in Kansas, entering an already crowded field of nearly 20 candidates. The latest entrant is 17-year-old Dominic Scavuzzo, who appointed his father as his campaign treasurer Wednesday, The Hutchinson
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — A fourth teenager is running for governor in Kansas, entering an already crowded field of nearly 20 candidates.
The latest entrant is 17-year-old Dominic Scavuzzo, who appointed his father as his campaign treasurer Wednesday, The Hutchinson News reports. The senior at an all-boy Jesuit school in Kansas City, Missouri, says the race is a “good opportunity” to gain experience.
Kansas doesn’t set any qualifications to run for governor. Teens from suburban Kansas City and Wichita already have announced plans to run in 2018. Scavuzzo and two other teen candidates are Republicans; the other is a Democrat.
Friends University political science professor Russell Fox said the teens won’t have the money or name recognition to run effective campaigns.
“These kids are doing it for a stunt, and they admit their doing it for a stunt,” Fox said, while acknowledging some people probably will vote for a teen, “but most won’t.”
House Majority Leader Don Hineman, a Dighton Republican, told The Associated Press he believes it’s time for lawmakers to look at setting an age requirement for candidates.
“In general, as someone who is of a rather advanced age, I see value in having life experience before one gets involved in politics,” said the 70-year-old Hineman.
As for the young candidates, he said, “Maybe they ought to run for student council instead.”
Eighteen candidates have established campaign accounts for the 2018 contest, although the filing deadline for Democratic and Republican contenders isn’t until June 1. Without circulating petitions, a candidate pays $2,207 to file a governor/lieutenant governor team. A candidate who gathers 5,000 signatures pays $670.
