It was a thick and muggy on the Thursday morning following the Aug. 5, first-in-a-decade Great Bend City Council primary. The usual crowd of business professionals gathered to celebrate the 25th anniversary of a Chamber of Commerce member at one of the weekly chamber coffees.
But one of those milling around in that stuffy service bay at Hammeke Electric stood out: He was the one being congratulated and shaking hands. Some, with a chuckle, offered condolences.
Jay Luerman, a loan officer for First Kansas Bank and a mild-mannered political newcomer, had garnered 242 votes in the runoff and was one of two candidates out of the four on the ballot to advance to the Nov. 4 general election…