Ethan Corson, a Jewish attorney and Democrat, announced Oct. 21 his candidacy for the Kansas Senate, District 7. Incumbent State Senator Barbara Bollier announced her campaign for the U.S. Senate last week.
“I grew up in Johnson County, and every opportunity I’ve had in my life is due to the education I received from attending Shawnee Mission public schools,” said Corson. “I’m running for the Kansas Senate to make sure our schools remain strong for the next generation of Kansans, like my 4-month-old son, Isaac. I will work tirelessly to make sure every child in Kansas can attend a world-class public school and every Kansan has access to quality, affordable healthcare.”
Corson said as state senator he will also work to update our anti-discrimination laws to cover sexual orientation and gender identity; enact responsible, fair and sustainable tax policies; and create opportunities for more Kansans to earn good-paying jobs.
“Senator Bollier serves the Seventh District with distinction. She is smart, hardworking and a tenacious advocate for our shared values. Her work helped put the state back on track after years of the disastrous Brownback-Colyer-Kobach experiment,” said Corson. “I know there is still a lot of work to do, particularly in the areas of education, health care and job creation, and I hope to continue her legacy of public service.”
Raised in Overland Park, Corson graduated from Shawnee Mission South. He then attended Garden City Community College, where he played baseball and was an Academic All-American. Corson went on to earn a bachelor’s degree and a law degree from Washington University in St. Louis. Starting in November, he will be working as an attorney at Blake & Uhlig, one of the nation’s leading labor law firms. Corson’s practice will focus on representing unions and advancing and protecting workers’ rights.
From August 2017 to August 2019, Corson served as executive director of the Kansas Democratic Party, leading the party through its most successful election cycle in a decade, including the election of Governor Laura Kelly and Congresswoman Sharice Davids.
Prior to serving as executive director, Corson was appointed by President Barack Obama to two senior executive positions at the U.S. Department of Commerce. He first served as a senior adviser to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, and then as chief of staff of the International Trade Administration. Drawing on these experiences, Corson served as a Fellow at the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas this spring, where he led a discussion group on “International Trade in the 21st Century.”
Before entering government service, Corson practiced law for seven years in the Washington, D.C. office of one of the country’s top law firms, focusing his pro bono practice on voting rights litigation.
Corson lives in Fairway with his wife, Jenna Brofsky, and their infant son, Isaac.
For more information, visit ethanforkansas.com.