Ron Estes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ron Estes
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kansas's 4th district |
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| Assumed office April 25, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Mike Pompeo |
| 39th Treasurer of Kansas | |
| In office January 10, 2011 – April 25, 2017 |
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| Governor | Sam Brownback |
| Preceded by | Dennis McKinney |
| Succeeded by | Jake LaTurner |
| Treasurer of Sedgwick County | |
| In office 2004–2010 |
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| Preceded by | Jan Kennedy |
| Succeeded by | Linda Kizzire |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ronald Gene Estes
July 19, 1956 Topeka, Kansas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Susan Estes |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Tennessee Technological University (BS, MBA) |
| Website | |
Ronald Gene Estes (born July 19, 1956) is an American politician. He has been a U.S. Representative for Kansas's 4th district since April 2017. He is a member of the Republican Party. Before becoming a U.S. Representative, he served as the Kansas State Treasurer from 2011 to 2017.
Ron Estes is a fifth-generation Kansan, meaning his family has lived in Kansas for many generations. He studied engineering and business at Tennessee Tech. He started his career as a consultant and manager in different industries. Estes was elected treasurer of Sedgwick County in 2004 and again in 2008. He then became the Kansas State Treasurer in 2010 and was reelected in 2014. When U.S. Representative Mike Pompeo left his position, Estes won a special election to take his place. He was sworn into office on April 25, 2017. He is now the most experienced member of Kansas's House delegation.
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Early Life and Education
Estes was born in Topeka, Kansas. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering. He also received a Master of Business Administration from Tennessee Tech. While at Tennessee Tech, he was chosen to be part of Omicron Delta Kappa, a national leadership honor society.
Career
Business Background
Before entering politics, Estes worked in consulting and management. He worked in several industries, including aerospace, oil and gas, and automotive. Some of the companies he worked for include Andersen Consulting, Procter & Gamble, Koch Industries, and Bombardier Learjet.
County Treasurer
In 2004, Estes was elected treasurer for Sedgwick County, Kansas, where the city of Wichita is located. He was reelected for this role in 2008. During his time in politics, he also served as treasurer for the Kansas County Treasurer's Association. He held several positions within the Republican Party, including vice chair of the Kansas Republican Party.
Kansas State Treasurer
Estes ran for Kansas State Treasurer in 2010. He won against the person who held the job before him, Dennis McKinney. Estes was the first statewide elected official from Wichita in 20 years. He was reelected as State Treasurer in 2014.
As the state treasurer, Estes was in charge of managing over $24 billion of public money. He made it a goal to inform Kansans about unclaimed money, like funds from forgotten bank accounts. In 2016, his office announced they had returned $100 million in unclaimed property since 2010.
In the 2016 United States presidential election, Estes supported Marco Rubio for the Republican nomination. Estes was part of the United States Electoral College and voted for Donald Trump.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
2017 Special Election
Mike Pompeo, who represented Kansas's 4th congressional district, left his job on January 23, 2017. He became the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. On February 9, Estes won the Republican nomination to run in the special election to replace Pompeo. He won with 66 out of 126 votes at a special meeting.
The Democratic candidate in the special election was James Thompson. Many Republicans supported Estes, including President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. The newspaper The Wichita Eagle also supported him.
Estes won the special election on April 11, 2017, with 52.2% of the votes.
2018 Election
In the 2018 election, Estes faced a challenge from another candidate with a similar name, Ron M. Estes. To avoid confusion, the Kansas Secretary of State decided that Ron G. Estes could use "Rep." before his name on the ballot. Ron Estes won the primary election with 81.4% of the vote. In the main election, he again defeated James Thompson with 59.4% of the votes.
Time in Office
Estes officially started his job in the U.S. House of Representatives on April 25, 2017.
In December 2017, Estes voted for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. He stated that he believed this law would help families and businesses in Kansas. He also said it would lead to economic growth and more jobs.
In July 2017, Estes received attention for interrupting another Representative during a hearing. Estes explained that he was trying to follow the committee rules because the other Representative's time was up.
Trip to El Salvador
In April 2025, Estes visited El Salvador. He toured the Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT). This is a high-security prison.
Committee Assignments
Estes is a member of important committees in the House of Representatives:
- Committee on Ways and Means
- Subcommittee on Social Security
- Subcommittee on Worker and Family Support
Caucus Memberships
He is also part of these groups:
- Congressional Western Caucus
- Republican Study Committee
Political Views
Economic Issues
Estes supports changing the Constitution to require a balanced budget. He also supports lowering taxes for businesses and some personal income taxes.
Health Care
During his 2017 special election campaign, Estes said he wanted to completely get rid of the Affordable Care Act. He felt that the American Health Care Act of 2017 did not go far enough to do this.
Texas v. Pennsylvania
In December 2020, Estes was one of many Republican members of the House of Representatives who supported a lawsuit. This lawsuit was filed at the Supreme Court of the United States and questioned the results of the 2020 United States presidential election. The Supreme Court decided not to hear the case.
Israel
Estes voted to provide support to Israel after the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
Personal Life
Ron Estes and his wife, Susan, have three children. His family also runs a farm in Osage County, Kansas. His wife, Susan Estes, is a member of the Kansas House of Representatives.
Images for kids
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Ron Estes's official photo
