Brandon Whipple

Brandon Whipple
Born	Brandon James Whipple 7/13/1982
Birthplace	Rochester, New Hampshire, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, academic
Title	102nd Mayor of Wichita
Known for	102nd Mayor of Wichita, Kansas
Education	Franklin Pierce University (DArts)
Website	https://www.votewhipple.com/

Brandon James Whipple (born July 13, 1982) is an American politician and academic who served as the 102nd Mayor of Wichita, Kansas, from January 13, 2020, to January 8, 2024. A member of the Democratic Party, Whipple previously represented the 96th district in the Kansas House of Representatives from 2013 to 2020, serving parts of south Wichita. Born in Rochester, New Hampshire, Whipple relocated to Kansas and built a career in both politics and higher education, working as an adjunct professor of American politics at Wichita State University when the state legislature was not in session. He first gained attention in 2012 when he unseated an incumbent state representative in a district that leaned conservative, and went on to become a prominent voice in Kansas Democratic politics. In 2019, Whipple defeated incumbent mayor Jeff Longwell in the general election, entering office just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped municipal governance across the country. He sought a second term in the 2023 mayoral election but was defeated by Lily Wu, who succeeded him in January 2024. Since leaving office, Whipple has remained a public figure in the Wichita area, commenting on politics and civic life.

Early Life

Brandon James Whipple was born on July 13, 1982, in Rochester, New Hampshire. He later relocated to Kansas, where he pursued his higher education and became involved in public life. Details about his childhood and family background in New Hampshire are limited in publicly available sources, though Whipple's trajectory from the northeastern United States to the Great Plains distinguished him from many Kansas politicians who were native to the state.

Whipple settled in Wichita, Kansas, where he became an active member of the community and pursued both academic and political careers. His connection to Wichita State University, where he studied and later taught, became a defining element of his public identity.

Education

Whipple's educational background spans multiple institutions. He attended Mount Washington College before enrolling at Wichita State University, where he earned both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts degree. He went on to earn a Doctor of Arts degree from Franklin Pierce University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of the People.

Whipple's academic credentials informed his career in both teaching and public policy. When the Kansas Legislature was not in session, he served as an adjunct professor of American politics at Wichita State University, his alma mater, bringing practical legislative experience to the classroom. His dual role as a legislator and educator gave him a distinctive profile among Kansas politicians.

Career

Kansas House of Representatives

Whipple entered electoral politics in 2012, running for the Kansas House of Representatives in the 96th district, which encompassed parts of south Wichita. In a result that drew national attention, Whipple defeated the incumbent representative, Phil Hermanson, in a district that was not considered favorable terrain for a Democratic candidate. The victory was noted by national media outlets as an example of a young Democrat winning in a traditionally conservative area.

In the Kansas House, Whipple represented the 96th district from January 14, 2013, to January 13, 2020. He served as the Ranking Minority member on the Higher Education Budget committee, a role that aligned with his professional background in academia. His legislative work focused in part on education policy, an area he identified as a priority throughout his political career.

During his time in the legislature, Whipple was among a group of younger Kansas lawmakers who formed what was described as a "millennial caucus," a bipartisan effort to bring generational perspectives to state governance. This initiative reflected a broader trend of younger politicians seeking to reshape legislative priorities.

Whipple also took on leadership roles within the Kansas Democratic Party. In December 2016, he was involved in the party's leadership elections as Democrats sought to rebuild their organizational infrastructure in a state dominated by Republican officeholders.

2019 Wichita Mayoral Election

In 2019, Whipple announced his candidacy for mayor of Wichita, challenging the incumbent, Jeff Longwell. The Wichita mayoral race is officially nonpartisan, though candidates' party affiliations are generally known to voters. At 37 years old at the time, Whipple characterized the campaign as his first attempt at an executive-level office, having previously served only in the state legislature.

Whipple's campaign emphasized education, public input, and transparency in government. He expressed interest in increasing citizen engagement in municipal decision-making and prioritizing educational investment. His platform resonated with voters who had grown dissatisfied with the Longwell administration.

In the August 2019 primary, Whipple and Longwell emerged as the top two vote-getters, advancing to the November general election. The primary results surprised some observers, as Whipple's strong showing against the incumbent signaled vulnerability for Longwell. Political analysts noted that Wichita, the largest city in Kansas, could potentially elect a Democrat-aligned mayor, drawing interest from national commentators.

In November 2019, Whipple defeated Longwell in the general election, winning the race to become the 102nd Mayor of Wichita. The victory was notable as a Democratic-aligned candidate winning the top office in Kansas's largest city.

Tenure as Mayor of Wichita

Whipple took office as mayor on January 13, 2020. His tenure began just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic reached Kansas, fundamentally altering the nature of his mayoralty from its earliest days. Whipple's administration was immediately confronted with the public health, economic, and social challenges brought on by the pandemic, which became a dominant issue for municipalities across the United States.

As an outgoing mayor reflecting on his time in office, Whipple discussed the lessons he learned during his tenure, which spanned the pandemic period and its aftermath. The challenges of governing during a public health crisis shaped much of his administration's agenda and limited opportunities to pursue the policy priorities he had outlined during his campaign.

Ethics Investigation

In October 2022, body camera footage was released depicting an interaction between Mayor Whipple and a Wichita police officer. Whipple released a public statement following the release of the footage.

In May 2023, the City of Wichita's ethics panel found that Mayor Whipple had violated the city's ethics policy during the encounter with the police officer. The finding became a significant issue during the 2023 mayoral campaign and was cited by critics as evidence of conduct unbecoming of the office.

2023 Mayoral Election

Whipple sought a second term as mayor in the 2023 Wichita mayoral election. He faced Lily Wu, a former television news anchor, in the general election. The race attracted considerable attention as a contest between the incumbent and a challenger with high name recognition in the Wichita media market. Whipple was ultimately defeated by Wu, ending his tenure as mayor. Wu succeeded Whipple as mayor on January 8, 2024.

The ethics finding from earlier in 2023, combined with other factors, contributed to Whipple's loss. In his post-election reflections, Whipple discussed the challenges of his tenure and his future plans.

Post-Mayoral Career

After leaving office in January 2024, Whipple remained active in public discourse in the Wichita area. In November 2025, he reflected publicly on an incident from his political career in which a tipster warned him of an alleged scheme to harm his candidacy and marriage, providing insight into what he described as the dynamics of political life and the unusual pressures faced by elected officials.

In March 2025, Whipple's name resurfaced in Wichita politics when Mayor Lily Wu alleged that a proclamation recognizing Transgender Day of Visibility had been a political maneuver by Whipple's former campaign team, an assertion that highlighted the ongoing political tensions between the two camps.

In January 2026, Whipple was reported to have been nearly victimized by a tree service scam, in which someone attempted to schedule unauthorized tree removal at his property. The incident was caught before any damage occurred.

Personal Life

Whipple resides in the Wichita, Kansas area. He has maintained ties to Wichita State University, where he served as an adjunct professor of American politics during breaks from the legislative session.

In August 2025, Mary "Maria" Whipple, a family member, died at the age not specified in public reports. Her obituary noted that she passed surrounded by her loving family.

Whipple has spoken publicly about the personal toll of political life, including the pressures on his family and marriage that accompanied his years in elected office. In a 2025 interview with the Kansas Reflector, he described receiving a tip about an alleged scheme designed to damage both his political career and personal relationships, underscoring the invasive nature of public life in partisan environments.

Recognition

Whipple's 2012 election to the Kansas House of Representatives attracted national media attention, with HuffPost covering his victory over an incumbent in a conservative-leaning district as a notable result for younger Democratic candidates. His involvement in founding a bipartisan millennial caucus in the Kansas Legislature was profiled by High Plains Public Radio as an example of generational change in state politics.

His 2019 mayoral victory in Wichita, the largest city in Kansas, was covered by multiple state and national outlets as a significant political development. The Wichita Business Journal, KMUW, the Daily Kos, and the Wichita Eagle all provided coverage of the race, noting the implications of a Democrat-aligned candidate winning the city's top office.

The Kansas Association of School Boards referenced Whipple's work in connection with education policy during his time in both the legislature and the mayor's office.