Eric Jenkins, a Republican and retired Army colonel from Shawnee, is running for the U.S. House seat representing Kansas's 3rd Congressional District. The general election is Nov. 3, 2026.
Jenkins won the Republican primary on Aug. 4, 2026, with approximately 79% of the vote, defeating Chase LaPorte, according to the Kansas Reflector. He faces Sharice L. Davids, the Democratic incumbent according to that reporting, and Libertarian Steven A. Hohe in the general election, per BallotReady election data.
Candidate information
- Party: Republican
- Birthplace: Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, according to his campaign website
- Education: Bachelor's in history, Missouri State University (1970); master's in geography, University North Carolina-Charlotte (1976); U.S. Army War College, according to BallotReady and his campaign website
Experience and public service
Jenkins served as a colonel in the U.S. Army from 1970 to 2009, according to BallotReady. During that career, he says he commanded a Special Forces A-Team and a Military Police Battalion and earned the Legion of Merit, which his campaign website describes as one of the nation's highest non-combat military decorations.
He also worked as a manager at the Federal Emergency Management Agency from 1976 to 2005, according to BallotReady. He has served as president of PRMiT Consultants since 2010, according to the same source.
Jenkins served two terms on the Shawnee City Council representing Ward 2. He lost his reelection bid in 2023 to Councilmember Jeanie Murphy, according to the Johnson County Post. He says he also served as council president and as a Shawnee planning commissioner, according to his campaign website.
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Jenkins' campaign website and his responses submitted through BallotReady. All statements reflect the candidate's own claims.
Taxes and budget: Jenkins says he would extend and make permanent Trump-era tax cuts for working families and oppose any new broad-based tax increases on Kansas residents. He says he would oppose deficit spending, push for a balanced budget framework and eliminate what he calls wasteful federal programs.
Immigration and border security: Jenkins says he supports legal immigration pathways while cracking down on illegal entry. He says he would end catch-and-release policies, enforce existing immigration laws, defund cities that obstruct federal immigration enforcement and stop the flow of fentanyl and other narcotics across the border.
Defense and veterans: Jenkins says he would fully fund and modernize the military to deter adversaries, strengthen Fort Leavenworth and other Kansas installations, and support veterans with quality health care and benefits they earned. He says he would hold allies accountable for meeting defense commitments and oppose what he calls reckless foreign entanglements.
Energy and environment: Jenkins says he supports American energy independence through oil, gas, nuclear and renewables. He says he opposes the Green New Deal and energy policies he says raise household costs.
Economy: Jenkins says he would cut government red tape that burdens small businesses and families, fight for trade deals that protect Kansas agriculture and manufacturing, and grow broadband access in underserved areas of the 3rd District.
Candidate issue responses were collected through the candidate's campaign website and BallotReady questionnaire. Not all candidates respond to every topic.
