Jeff Longwell

Jeff Longwell
Jeff Longwell
Born	15 6, 1960
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, businessman
Education	Wichita State University
Children	3

Jeff Longwell (born June 15, 1960) is an American politician and businessman who served as the 101st mayor of Wichita, Kansas, from April 13, 2015, to January 13, 2020. A member of the Republican Party, Longwell accumulated approximately 25 years of service in local politics before leaving office, having served twelve years on the Maize school board and eight years on the Wichita City Council prior to his election as mayor. First elected mayor in April 2015, Longwell won office in a decisive general election victory. His tenure was marked by economic development initiatives and infrastructure projects in Wichita, but his final year in office was overshadowed by controversy surrounding allegations that he had steered a major city water infrastructure contract to personal associates. He lost his 2019 reelection bid to Kansas state Representative Brandon Whipple and subsequently stated he was finished with public office.

Early Life

Jeff Longwell was born on June 15, 1960. He grew up in the Wichita, Kansas, metropolitan area and became involved in both business and civic affairs in the region. Before entering elected politics, Longwell established himself as a businessman in the Wichita area. His early civic engagement included service on the Maize school board, a position he held for twelve years, which provided him with extensive experience in local governance and public administration before he transitioned to city-level politics.

Education

Longwell attended Wichita State University, located in Wichita, Kansas.

Career

Maize School Board

Longwell's career in public service began with his election to the Maize school board, part of USD 266, serving the Maize community in the western portion of the Wichita metropolitan area. He served on the board for twelve years, gaining experience in budgeting, public education policy, and community governance. This extended period of service on the school board established Longwell as a familiar figure in local politics and laid the groundwork for his subsequent campaigns for city office.

Wichita City Council

Following his tenure on the Maize school board, Longwell was elected to the Wichita City Council, where he served for eight years. His time on the council gave him direct involvement in municipal governance, including issues related to city infrastructure, budgeting, economic development, and public safety. As a council member, Longwell developed relationships with city staff, local business leaders, and constituents across the city. His years on the council positioned him as a prominent figure in Wichita politics and made him a well-known candidate when he later sought the mayor's office.

2015 Mayoral Election

In February 2015, Longwell announced his candidacy for mayor of Wichita, seeking to succeed Carl Brewer, who was term-limited from seeking another term. Running as a Republican, Longwell campaigned on his extensive record of local public service, emphasizing his combined experience on the school board and city council.

On April 7, 2015, Wichita voters went to the polls in the general election. Longwell defeated his opponent, a retired advertising executive, in a decisive victory. KMUW reported that Longwell "easily defeated" his challenger, securing the mayoralty with a comfortable margin. The election also featured a marijuana-related ballot initiative, which drew additional voter interest.

Tenure as Mayor (2015–2020)

Jeff Longwell was sworn in as the 101st mayor of Wichita on April 13, 2015, succeeding Carl Brewer. During his time in office, Longwell oversaw various city initiatives and infrastructure projects. By the time he left office in January 2020, he had accumulated approximately 25 years of total service in local government across his school board, city council, and mayoral tenures.

In reflecting on his service, Longwell pointed to his years of involvement in Wichita's civic life. KSN-TV noted that his quarter-century of public service spanned multiple levels of local government.

Water Plant Contract Controversy

In September 2019, the Wichita Eagle published an investigative report alleging that Longwell had steered what could become the largest contract in the city's history — an over $500 million new drinking water facility project — to his political supporters, golf partners, and personal friends. The report detailed that Longwell had communicated via email with contractors associated with his friends' business. In one email, Longwell reportedly wrote to a contractor, "I'm going to be super nice to you for a long time."

The revelations raised questions about potential conflicts of interest in the awarding of major city contracts and became a central issue in the 2019 mayoral campaign. The Wichita Eagle investigation characterized the project as involving Longwell's "golfing friends" and described a pattern of communication between the mayor and contractors connected to his personal associates. The controversy drew significant public attention and criticism, fueling calls for greater transparency in city contracting processes.

2019 Reelection Campaign and Defeat

Longwell sought reelection as mayor in 2019, but his campaign was significantly impacted by the water plant contract allegations. The August 2019 primary election featured a crowded field of nine candidates. In what was described as a low-turnout election, Longwell garnered 32.1% of the ballots cast, finishing first in the primary field. Kansas state Representative Brandon Whipple, a Democrat, finished second with 26.3% of the vote, advancing both candidates to a runoff general election scheduled for November 5, 2019.

The campaign between the primary and general election was contentious. In the closing days of the race, Longwell published a guest commentary in the Wichita Eagle urging voters and the media to "focus on the issues and get to work," seeking to redirect the conversation away from the controversies that had dominated media coverage.

On election day, November 5, 2019, Whipple carried a lead throughout the evening's vote count. Longwell conceded the election, with Whipple winning approximately 46% of the ballots cast compared to approximately 36% for Longwell, with the remainder going to write-in candidates whose votes remained to be counted. The results were scheduled to be certified on November 15, 2019.

Following his defeat, Longwell stated publicly that he was "done with public office." Mayor-elect Whipple, in his victory remarks, characterized his win as a mandate from the people of Wichita and promised to end what he described as "backdoor deals" in city government.

Post-Mayoral Career

After leaving office on January 13, 2020, when Whipple was sworn in as his successor, Longwell returned to the private sector.

In October 2020, Longwell commented publicly on revelations about attack advertisements that had been deployed during the 2019 campaign. A secretly recorded meeting brought new information to light about political operatives involved in the race. Longwell responded by stating, "Those three stooges probably cost me the election," referring to individuals whose actions he believed had undermined his reelection effort. The revelation of the secretly recorded meeting added another layer of complexity to the story of the 2019 Wichita mayoral race, suggesting that the political dynamics surrounding Longwell's defeat extended beyond the water contract controversy.

Personal Life

Jeff Longwell is a resident of the Wichita, Kansas, metropolitan area, where he has lived for much of his adult life. He has three children. Longwell's long involvement in local civic affairs — spanning the Maize school board, Wichita City Council, and mayor's office — reflected deep ties to the community. After stating he was finished with public office following his 2019 defeat, Longwell indicated he would focus on his personal and business life.

Legacy

Jeff Longwell's 25 years of service in local government left a significant imprint on Wichita's political landscape. His progression from the Maize school board to the city council and ultimately to the mayor's office represented one of the longer careers in Wichita-area local politics in the early 21st century.

However, Longwell's legacy became closely tied to the water plant contract controversy that dominated his final year in office. The Wichita Eagle's investigative reporting on the over $500 million drinking water facility project and Longwell's alleged role in steering the contract raised broader questions about transparency, ethics, and the relationship between elected officials and private contractors in Wichita city government. The controversy contributed directly to his defeat in the 2019 general election, as voters chose Whipple, who campaigned explicitly on a platform of ending what he characterized as insider dealing at city hall.

The 2019 mayoral race itself became a notable episode in Wichita political history, both for the substantive issues it raised about municipal governance and for the later revelations about campaign tactics, including the secretly recorded meeting that surfaced in October 2020. Longwell's assertion that political operatives — whom he dubbed "three stooges" — had undermined his campaign suggested that the full story of the 2019 election involved political machinations beyond the publicly reported controversies.

The transition from Longwell to Whipple marked a shift in Wichita's political direction, with the incoming mayor promising increased transparency and accountability in city contracting and governance.