John Potucek

John Albert Potucek (July 17, 1901 - June 26, 1982) was a lawyer and state legislator in Kansas. He served in the Kansas Senate from 1945 to 1960. He lived in the city of Wellington.

Early life and education Potucek was born July 17, 1901, on a farm in Sumner County, Kansas. He went to the University of Kansas and received his law degree before obtaining the bar in 1924.

In 1944 he was elected to the Kansas Senate, beating the incumbent Republican Otto B. Wenrich 4,755 to 4,350 votes. He was the only Democratic senator that session.

He entered the race for governor of Kansas in 1946 but withdrew to focus on the Senate. He stood again for the governorship in 1950, but lost the Democratic primary to Ken Anderson, who he immediately started supporting. Anderson eventually lost to the Republican candidate Frank L. Hagaman.

Potucek stood for re-election to the Senate in 1960 and lost to Republican Ford Harbaugh.

Potucek served as a district judge, and he later returned to the position of county attorney and served till he resigned in 1975 to take the new position of county counselor.

Potucek married Vera Epperson on February 16, 1935, and died June 26, 1982.