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Paola native plans second Senate run
Democrat Lee Jones intends to challenge U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts in fall
By Dustin Kass, dustinkass@miconews.com
A Paola native and Osawatomie High School graduate hopes to bring Miami County to the national stage as he runs for a seat on the U.S. Senate this fall.
Lee Jones, a Democrat currently living in Overland Park, will attempt to win the Democratic nomination to run against U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, the two-term Republican incumbent to the seat, and Jones believes his Miami County roots are part of his appeal as a different kind of candidate, he said.
Jones was born in Paola, he said, and grew up attending Osawatomie schools. He could often be found working in the hay fields of his family farm growing up. He also worked for a time at the Beagle grain elevator, an experience he said first sowed the seeds of his interest in politics.
“On the rainy days, lots of the farmers would come in and talk about what was going on in the world,” Jones said. “They’d talk about everything, and they always had a lot to say on politics. That piqued my interest.”
The political bug even bit his father later in life. Ernest Jones, Lee’s father, sat on the Osawatomie City Council for nearly 14 years later in life, Jones said.
Jones graduated from Osawatomie High School in 1969 and started working in the railroad industry while attending Baker University, from which he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology in 1973. Jones later worked for 14 years in Washington, D.C., as the national legislative liaison and later the vice president of governmental affairs for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. Jones is still connected to railroads, currently working as a railroad engineer with Union Pacific.
Jones’ strong Kansas roots are one of his biggest assets in the race, he said.
“I know what it’s like to actually work, just like real Kansans,” he said. “With that background, I can represent Kansas common sense values.”
This year’s Senate campaign is not Jones’ first push for a national seat. Most recently, U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback defeated Jones handily during the 2004 election.
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Lee Jones, a Democrat currently living in Overland Park, will attempt to win the Democratic nomination to run against U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, the two-term Republican incumbent to the seat, and Jones believes his Miami County roots are part of his appeal as a different kind of candidate, he said.
Jones was born in Paola, he said, and grew up attending Osawatomie schools. He could often be found working in the hay fields of his family farm growing up. He also worked for a time at the Beagle grain elevator, an experience he said first sowed the seeds of his interest in politics.
“On the rainy days, lots of the farmers would come in and talk about what was going on in the world,” Jones said. “They’d talk about everything, and they always had a lot to say on politics. That piqued my interest.”
The political bug even bit his father later in life. Ernest Jones, Lee’s father, sat on the Osawatomie City Council for nearly 14 years later in life, Jones said.
Jones graduated from Osawatomie High School in 1969 and started working in the railroad industry while attending Baker University, from which he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology in 1973. Jones later worked for 14 years in Washington, D.C., as the national legislative liaison and later the vice president of governmental affairs for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. Jones is still connected to railroads, currently working as a railroad engineer with Union Pacific.
Jones’ strong Kansas roots are one of his biggest assets in the race, he said.
“I know what it’s like to actually work, just like real Kansans,” he said. “With that background, I can represent Kansas common sense values.”
This year’s Senate campaign is not Jones’ first push for a national seat. Most recently, U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback defeated Jones handily during the 2004 election.