Jim Barnett is an American Republican politician who is a former State Senator for Kansas' 17th District, which is centered on Emporia. On August 1, 2006 Barnett won the Kansas Republican Gubernatorial Primary. Barnett faced the incumbent Democratic Governor Kathleen Sebelius in the general election on November 7, 2006 and was unsuccessful in his bid as Sebelius was reelected for a 2nd term. On June 2, 2009, Barnett announced that he is a candidate for the Republican nomination for the United States Congress from the first district of Kansas. On August 3, 2010, Barnett lost the Republican nomination to fellow state senator Tim Huelskamp. Barnett subsequently resigned his state Senate seat, and resumed his medical career at a Topeka, Kansas, clinic.