Michael O'Donnell II (born August 6, 1985) also known as Michael O'Donnell, Jr. is a former Republican member of the Sedgwick County Commission in Kansas, representing District 2 from 2017 to 2020. He previously represented the 25h district in the Kansas Senate, and was a member of the Wichita City Council.

Early life O'Donnell is a native of Wichita, who grew up in south Wichita and neighboring Haysville, and subsequently moved to nearby Bel Aire."District 2 Sedgwick County Commission Race: Michael O'Donnell Wants to Transcend Political Divide," October 9, 2016, Wichita Eagle, page 1B, photocopy retrieved from Issuu.com, December 28, 2020

O'Donnell's father Michael O'Donnell Sr. was senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Wichita. In 1991, pastor O'Donnell was a participant in the nationally prominent the Summer of Mercy anti-abortion protests, and the younger O'Donnell has noted "We just got involved in campaigns at a very young age." His mother, Peggy O'Donnell, a teacher at the Sunrise Christian Academy, eventually served as a member of the Bel Aire city council.Heilman, Matt: "Family Ties: Mother and Son Elected to Serve Neighboring Communities," June 2011, Kansas Governing Journal, Vol. 97, No. 6. Retrieved November 1, 2020.

O'Donnell attended a year at Baptist Bible College, before graduating from Friends University in Wichita,Grimmett, Brian: "Sedgwick County Commissioner, Former State Senator Michael O'Donnell Charged In Federal Indictment," May 4, 2018, KMUW-FM, retrieved November 5, 2020 with a B.S. in political science.

In 2005, while in college, O'Donnell worked as an ad salesman for Clear Channel Radio, continuing in radio sales until 2011. In 2011, the year he ran successfully for Wichita City Council, O'Donnell was employed in marketing by local businessman-politician Wink Hartman, for whom O'Donnell claimed to work 20 hours a week.

Political career Sedgwick County Republican Party O'Donnell has been the chair of the Sedgwick County Young Republicans

Bel Aire mayor candidacy In 2005, during his sophomore year in college, at age 20, O'Donnell ran, unsuccessfully, for mayor, in his hometown of Bel Aire, Kansas (a suburb of Wichita) finishing second in a four-person mayoral race. However, in the same race, his mother Peggy O'Donnell won a seat on the City Council.

Wichita City Council In 2007, O'Donnell ran for Wichita City Council, but was disqualified, and removed from the ballot, because he did not actually live in Wichita (despite claiming a parsonage of his father's church, in Wichita, as his residence).County rejects election complaint in '’Donnell-Lopez race, charges Whitmer $175, Wichita Eagle, August 24, 2020. Retrieved October 26, 2020.

In another attempt, April 2011, O'Donnell was elected to the Wichita City Council,http://www.sedgwickcounty.org/elections/election_results/Gen16/O'Donnell drops out of Sedgwick County Commission race, says he’ll resign if he wins,Wichita Eagle, October 31, 2020. Retrieved October 31, 2020. representing District 4 (southwest Wichita), a district of about 60,000 residents. The victory came despite his endorsements of his opponent, Joshua Blick, from the district's current Council member, the Mayor, and the local newspaper, and higher campaign spending by his opponent. O'Donnell was boosted by endorsements from two Republicans for whom he'd previously worked: former Congressman Todd Tiahrt and former Wichita Mayor Bob Knight.

In city politics, O'Donnell expressed opposition to taxpayer-funded incentives for business developments, and argued for better roads in his district.

While on the City Council, O'Donnell ran for Kansas Senate, and won in November 2012 resigning his seat on the City Council in 2013 to accept his seat in the Kansas Senate.

Kansas Senate In 2013, O'Donnell resigned from the Wichita City Council to take a seat in the Kansas Senate, representing the 25th District from 2013 until 2017. O'Donnell reported he was recruited for the role by Republican Kansas Senator Susan Wagle (later the Kansas Senate President).

Elected to the seat, O'Donnell defeated a moderate-Republican three-term incumbent, Jean Schodorf, in the primary election on August 7, 2012, by a 58.8%-to-41.2% margin. In the 2012 Republican Primary, Senator Schodorf, and Senate President Stephen Morris and six other state senate moderates were opposed by Governor Sam Brownback, the Kansas Chamber of Commerce and the Koch brothers.Defeated Kansas Senator: "Koch Industries is just a terrible, terrible citizen", Slate Magazine, Dave Weigel, August 8, 2012. Retrieved October 23, 2020 part of an effort by the Governor to replace more-moderate senators with more-conservative senators. At the time, Schodorf was the Majority Whip.Michael O'Donnell unseats Schodorf in race , KSN-TV Channel 3, August 7, 2012.

In the general election on November 6, 2012, O'Donnell beat Democrat Tim Snow by 263 votes, 46.6% to 45.3%, with Libertarian Dave Thomas garnering 8% of the vote.

O'Donnell was Chair of Regulatory Boards and Commissions, a member of Ethics and Elections, and Vice-chair of Education Budget, Legislative Post Audit, and Public Health and Welfare. Fellow Senator Susan Wagle reportedly described O'Donnell as a "team player" and "good communicator."

While in the Kansas Senate, O'Donnell championed tax relief for south Wichita tornado victims, proposed a bill limiting welfare recipients to a maximum of 36 months of payments, and advocated for the elimination of sales tax on food. However, all of the legislation sponsored by O'Donnell died in the Kansas House or Senate, except for general statements of congratulations, support, and commendation.

O'Donnell chose not to run as an incumbent for this seat after one term,Viviani, Nick; Associated Press: "Sedgwick Co. commissioner indicted on financial crimes," May 4, 2018, WIBW-TV, retrieved November 4, 2020 and he was succeeded in the seat by Democrat Lynn Rogers.

Sedgwick County Commission Anticipating that 2nd District Sedgwick County Commissioner Tim Norton a four-term Democratic incumbent would not run for re-election, O'Donnell, in December 2015, moved from County Commission District 3 to District 2, and filed to run for Norton's seat. Norton, however, did run for re-election but in November 2016, O'Donnell defeated Norton for the District 2 seat.

On February 15, 2018, Michael O'Donnell was rated 100% by American Conservative Union (Positions (State Legislatures)).

In August, O'Donnell, despite his legal difficulties, won his 2020 Republican primary for County Commission over Cindy Miles and Kathleen Garrison.Swaim, Chance: "Here’s who's running in Sedgwick County’s 2020 primary election," Wichita Eagle, June 2, 202'. Retrieved June 22, 2020.

November 3, 2020 after a general election race complicated by embarrassing revelations that compelled him to promise to resign if re-elected initial returns indicated O'Donnell narrowly defeating Democrat Sarah Lopez (51%-to-49%, a margin of 576 votes), according to unofficial returns. Lopez, however, announced she would refrain from conceding defeat until the final count was certified."Sedgwick Commission: Democrat Sarah Lopez losing to yet-to-be-named Republican;" November 3, 2020, Wichita Eagle, retrieved November 4, 2020"Despite controversy, O’Donnell is unofficial winner in county commission race, Lopez not conceding;" November 3, 2020, KWCH-TV Eyewitness News, retrieved November 4, 2020"Unofficial results show O'Donnell wins Sedgwick County Commission District 2 race," November 3, 2020, Kansas State Network, retrieved November 4, 2020 As additional ballots were counted over the next two days, O'Donnell's lead narrowed to just 32 votes (15,852 to 15,820)."O'Donnell's lead narrows in Sedgwick County commission race;" November 5, 2020 (6:02pmCT), KWCH-TV Eyewitness News, retrieved November 5, 2020 with an additional 8,000-10,000 ballots yet to be counted throughout the county. Ballot counting continued, and by 6:13 pm CT Friday, Lopez had closed the gap, and was ahead by 125 votes."Sarah Lopez gains lead over Michael O'Donnell in county commission race," November 6, 2020, 6:13 pm, updated, KWCH-TV Eyewitness News, retrieved November 7, 2020Swaim, Chance: "Lopez now leads by 125 votes in roller-coaster Sedgwick County election," Wichita Eagle, November 6, 2020. Retrieved November 10, 2020.

Friday, November 13, 2020, Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett advised O'Donnell that his investigation found grounds for initiating ouster proceedings against O'Donnell, and warned O'Donnell that he would begin such proceedings the following week.

In response, by e-mail to fellow County Commissioners, O'Donnell immediately announced his resignation.

In the final count, Democrat Sara Lopez won by 264 votes.Sarah Lopez defeats Michael O'Donnell in Sedgwick County Commission race, Wichita Eagle, TRAVIS HEYING, November 16, 2020. Retrieved November 16, 2020.

Lobbyist

In 2023, O'Donnell registered as a lobbyist with the Kansas Legislature, reportedly representing the interests of various major and minor Kansas-area businesses. His officially reported clients include: Evergy, the state's main electric utility (which also serves parts of Missouri); Steven Enterprises, a large Wichita-area family commercial conglomerate; Phoenix Home Care and Hospice, a medical and counseling service in Illinois, Missouri and Kansas; Paul Treadwell, a major Wichita mobile home investor; and Kansas Natural Remedies, LLC, a hemp producer.

The street address on O’Donnell’s lobbyist registration form was reportedly, originally, a Steven's Genesis Health Club, and his email was a genesishealthclubs.com account. Both were apparently revised to eliminate reference to Genesis, immediately upon online publication of an expose' published in the Wichita Eagle, which cited the connections."2023 Lobbyist Directory, By Lobbyist," October 19, 2023, Kansas Secretary of State, retrieved October 19, 2023Lefler, Dion (opinion editor): "Michael O’Donnell returns to Kansas Capitol as lobbyist for Evergy, Steven brothers," October 19, 2023, Wichita Eagle, retrieved October 19, 2023

Controversies Wichita City Council residency disqualification In 2007, O'Donnell ran for Wichita City Council, to represent the council district that covered southwest Wichita. O'Donnell claimed to live in the district, at the former parsonage house of a church where his father was pastor. However, O'Donnell was disqualified, and removed from the ballot, when it was discovered that he did not actually live there, nor in Wichita, at all but rather lived where he was registered to vote: in his parents' home in the suburb of Bel Aire, northeast of the city, miles away from the Wichita City Council district he sought to represent. Swaim, Chance and Dion Lefler: "Michael O'Donnell ally tries to knock opponent Sarah Lopez off the November ballot," August 21, 2020, Wichita Eagle, retrieved October 26, 2020

Wichita property taxes In April 2011, when O'Donnell was elected to the Wichita City Council, controversy again arose over his residence. His reported residence again, the parsonage of Grace Baptist Church (for whom his father was a pastor) was reportedly provided to him rent-free. Because the house was not, therefore, serving as a church parsonage, it was not tax-exempt, and O'Donnell was subsequently ordered to pay over $2,000 in back property taxes.

Illegal alcohol to minors allegation