Mike Brown (Kansas politician)

Mike Brown (born 1967/1968) is an American politician from Kansas who is currently serving as the Chairman of the Kansas Republican Party. In 2022, he challenged incumbent Scott Schwab in that year's Kansas Secretary of State election.

Early life
Brown is a 6th generation Kansan, born and raised in the Kansas City metro area. He graduated from Shawnee Mission Northwest High School as part of the class of 1987. Brown has worked in construction since high school, opening his own home building firm in 1990 and working as a general contractor.

Early career
Brown started his political career volunteering for Tim Shallenburger's unsuccessful 2002 bid for governor and two local county commissioner campaigns in 2004 and 2008. In 2017, Mike ran for Johnson County Commissioner himself and was elected. He served in this office until 2021, when he was defeated by Democrat Shirley Allenbrand. He has also served in a series of other Kansas roles including Johnson County's Parks and Recreation commissioner, member of the Kansas State Workforce Development Board, the Kansas Black Chamber of Commerce, and the Homebuilders’ Association of Greater Kansas City.

Secretary of State bid
In the 2022 Kansas Secretary of State election, Brown challenged incumbent Secretary of State of Kansas, Scott Schwab, claiming that Schwab was a part of the Republican establishment. Brown's campaign was based on “Election Integrity First” and lost with 44.76% to Schwab's 55.24%.

KSGOP Party Chairman
Mike Brown was elected Kansas GOP Party Chairman in 2022 against Helen Van Etten, a long-time Kansas GOP leader, by a two vote margin. Under Brown's leadership of the KS GOP, on March 11, 2024, an event was held in Brown's home county where attendees paid money to beat an effigy of Joe Biden. This renewed calls for him to be removed as party chairman.

Personal life
Brown is married to Kristi Brown who serves as the Kansas State Director of the Trump 2024 campaign. The couple live in Overland Park, Kansas and have 5 grown children.