photo by: Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector

Paul Buskirk, a former candidate for the U.S House of Representatives, filed to run for the Lawrence City Commission.

A former candidate for federal office has filed for a seat on the Lawrence City Commission.

Paul Buskirk, a special adviser in the University of Kansas athletics department, filed to run for a commission seat on Wednesday. Buskirk previously ran for the Democratic nomination in the U.S. Senate race in 2022, losing out to Mark Holland. Buskirk ran as the Democratic nominee against Republican Rep. Tracey Mann in the 2024 race to represent Kansas’ 1st District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Journal-World reached out to Buskirk for comment on why he is running for the seat.

Buskirk is the eighth person to seek election for one of two at-large seats on the five-member commission. Eric Hyde, Alex Kerr, Steve Jacob, Ruby Mae Johnson, Gary Rexroad and Bob Schumm are also running, as well as Commissioner Bart Littlejohn, as the Journal-World reported. Commissioner Lisa Larsen, whose term is expiring, has not yet announced whether she plans to run.

The deadline to file for a seat on the Lawrence City Commission is June. 2. A primary will be held on Aug. 5, after which the top four vote winners will move on to the general election on Nov. 4.