Political Activities
Gietzen has been described by the Wichita Eagle as a "staunch conservative". As Vice Chairman of the Sedgwick County Republican Party, Gietzen became chairman of the party on August 13, 1992 after the resignation of the party chair. Gietzen went on to be elected chairman later in the year. In his role as chairman, he opposed a city sales tax increase, opposed Wichita taxpayer funding of art projects, converted a Democrat stronghold in the state of Kansas to a Republican stronghold, created a solid pro-life majority in the Sedgwick County Republican Party, and worked to elect Todd Tiahrt for Kansas' Fourth Congressional District. He resigned as chairman on June 10, 1996, in order to run for the Kansas State Senate. He was also a candidate for the same Kansas State Senate seat (28th district) in 1988 and 1992. In 2004, he lost in a Republican primary for the seat. In 2008, he ran in a primary for the Kansas State House in District 96.
At the Kansas state Republican party level, Gietzen worked to bring a pro-life leadership to the Kansas state Republican Party, while he was Chairman of the Sedgwick County Republican Party. He serves as president of the Kansas Republican Coalition for Life. Gietzen publicly criticized former GOP state chairman Tim Shallenberger for welcoming Republicans who support abortion to the party, comparing him to President George W. Bush's failed Supreme Court nominee, Harriet Miers.
Gietzen is president of the Kansas Republican Action Assembly. This group is affiliated with the National Federation of Republican Assemblies.
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