By DAWNE LEIKER

dleiker@dailynews.net

Ralph DeZago admits it's a bit unusual for a 61-year-old to run as a first-time candidate for state office.

DeZago is on the campaign trail running as a Republican contender for attorney general, visiting newspaper offices, radio stations and county attorneys across the state. A native of New York City, DeZago has been living in Kansas 38 years but still retains his Bronx accent.

During a recent stop in Hays, DeZago said the idea of running for attorney general began to evolve in his mind after he wrote a letter to the editor in the Junction City Daily Union Dec. 24, 2008. The letter ran with the headline, "Shouldn't experience matter?" In it he said he "railed against" Kris Kobach, then head of the Kansas Republican Party, who announced he was resigning his office because he wanted to run for political office, but was leaving open what office he was running for.

DeZago said he began thinking about Kobach's decision and determined it must mean "people are arrogant enough to believe they are qualified for any office. It doesn't really matter what office you run for ... just run for office."

In DeZago's mind, there are two different kinds of political offices. First, there are offices based on philosophy, such as senator, representative or governor, which aren't reliant on the experience of the candidate. In these offices, he said, "what is important is whether or not they (the candidate) can gain the public's belief that they will be truthful" and vote along the lines of the philosophy they have indicated during the campaign process.

Second, some offices function on an executive level, such as attorney general, secretary of state or register of deeds, and must rely strongly on the experience of the candidate to perform the job. It is more important in these positions to have a hands-on experience of the issues involved in the position, he said.

DeZago is trying to create an awareness that the attorney general candidate selected should have executive experience and not a philosophical bent toward political gains.

He identified four characteristics an attorney general should have, "and since I just happen to have all four of them, I decided to run," he said.

The characteristics DeZago spoke of included an ability to run a large office that's part of an even larger organization, experience working in a public defender's office, skill in handling criminal matters, and history of running an office of lawyers.

DeZago said his years in the U.S. Army as an airborne armor officer from 1971 to 1975, together with his years working for the attorney general, his service as chief public defender for north-central Kansas where he handled thousands of criminal cases and his experience administering an office of 10 lawyers and support staff have given him the qualifications to be attorney general.

Although he worked with Phill Kline for three and a half years as assistant attorney general, he said he doesn't necessarily share the same political philosophy as Kline.

DeZago said he neither agrees nor disagrees with the issues promoted by Kline, and said, "If someone disagrees with me on issues, I don't think it would be appropriate for me to use the office to stand against them."

The attorney general should only work on cases, DeZago said, if he or she is invited by the county attorney or if the governor asks him to investigate a case.

DeZago said he worked on the first case in Kansas where DNA was used as evidence, and also the first and third death penalty cases tried after the death penalty was reinstated in Kansas.

"If someone wants to come along and run for the office with more criminal law experience than me, I'd be more than happy to step aside. ... But that's not going to happen," he said.

DeZago's campaign officially kicked off July 9 of last year and contributions from a few of his friends have netted him nearly $6,000. He is aware of the funding disadvantage he has in relation to his Republican opponent.

However, he sees a disadvantage to the public when candidates accept large sums of money in pursuit of political office.

"Raising huge war chests of money is a huge waste of money. ... The bottom line is it makes these offices a 'bought' office," he said.

DeZago obtained a master's degree from Kansas State University in 1977 and a juris doctorate from the University of Kansas in 1981. He is city prosecutor for Junction City.

He will face Senate Majority Leader Derek Schmidt, R-Independence, in the GOP primary in August and potentially, incumbent Democrat Steve Six in November.

DeZago believes in government run "from the bottom up, not the top down." He said he has no political agenda other than "enforcing the law."

DeZago's official campaign Web site is www.ralphdezago.com.