February 11, 2013

A Johnson County businessman says he will seek the 2014 Democratic nomination for Kansas secretary of state in an attempt to unseat Republican incumbent Kris Kobach.

Randy Rolston of Mission Hills issued a news release saying he aspires to become only the second Democrat ever elected to the secretary post in Kansas.

Rolston graduated from the University of Kansas and is president and co-founder of Victorian Trading Co., a Lenexa-based mail-order company.

Among his proposals is a plan to increase youth participation in elections by allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to preregister to vote when they get their driver's licenses.

Rolston has given his campaign a $200,000 loan and believes he will have to raise $1 million in donations to defeat Kobach.