Nancy Boyda Nancy Boyda ( born August 2 , 1955 ) is a former Democratic congresswoman representing . On November 4 , 2008 , Boyda was defeated for re - election by Kansas State Treasurer Lynn Jenkins , after serving one term . Following her term in Congress , Boyda was named by President Barack Obama as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Personnel at The Pentagon , and was sworn into the position on July 20 , 2009 . Early life , education , and chemist career . Boyda graduated with honors from William Jewell College in Liberty , Missouri , where she received dual degrees in chemistry and education . She began her career in 1978 working as an analytical chemist and field inspector . Boyda grew up in a Republican family , but became a Democrat in 2003 . In 2004 she ran against Republican incumbent U . S . Congressman Jim Ryun in Kansas ' Second District . Boyda criticized Ryun ' s support for school vouchers and his lack of support for public schools . She said she had left the Republican Party because it had become too conservative . Ryun criticized her for taking part in protests against the Iraq War . Boyda spent $ 1 . 1 million on her campaign , $ 300 , 000 of it her own money . Ryun spent $ 1 . 2 million . George W . Bush carried the district 59 % - 39 % and Ryun defeated Boyda 56 % - 41 % . She only won a single county : Crawford . U . S . House of Representatives . Elections . Boyyda challenged Ryun again in 2006 . The district was low on both national parties ' political radars . Boyda was helped by good performance by the re - election bid of incumbent Democratic Governor of Kansas Kathleen Sebelius , winning 57 % to 40 % . Ryun was a strongly conservative Republican and the Republican Party of Kansas had been rife with infighting between conservatives and moderates ; moderate Republicans seem to have defected to both Sebelius and Boyda . There was also the issue of Ryun ' s purchase of a Washington , D . C . townhouse from Tom DeLay associates at a price well below market value . She defeated Ryun by 51 % to 47 % . In January 2007 , National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Cole announced that the NRCC intended to target Boyda in 2008 . Ryun announced that he would try to get his old seat back , and Republican leaders reportedly assured him that he would win . On April 4 , 2007 , State Treasurer Lynn Jenkins officially announced she would run in the Republican primary . She defeated State Senator Dennis Pyle in the primary . Boyda and Jenkins were opposed in the general election by Libertarian Party candidate Robert Garrard and Reform Party candidate Leslie Martin . Boyda announced she would not seek assistance from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for her 2008 campaign . Jenkins won 51 % - 46 % . Tenure . 110th United States Congress , Boyda , as a freshman , introduced a bill , , to deny pensions to members of Congress convicted of bribery , conspiracy or perjury charges . The Bill passed in the House of Representatives on January 23 , 2007 , by a vote of 431 - 0 . Boyda also applied to join the conservative Democrat House caucus , the Blue Dogs . She was unable to join as adding her would have put the blue dogs over their membership limit of 47 . On May 10 , 2007 , Boyda voted against , a measure , " to provide for the redeployment of United States Armed Forces and defense contractors from Iraq . " However , she continues to support gradual troop withdrawal while funding troops until they return . Boyda supported research toward renewable forms of energy , particularly ethanol and biodiesel production that could benefit Kansas agriculture . Congresswoman Boyda made news on July 27 , 2007 by leaving a Congressional hearing while a retired Army general testified about US progress in Iraq . Retired Army General Jack Keane had testified that since the troop surge began , U . S . forces " are on the offensive and we have the momentum . " He also said security has improved in every neighborhood and district in and around Baghdad , and that " cafes , pool halls , coffee houses that I visited are full of people " . Boyda said she left the House Armed Services Committee hearing during the testimony of General Keane because " there was only so much that you could take , " and continued to say she felt Keane ' s picture of the situation in Iraq was inappropriately " rosy . " Her Chief of Staff Shanan Guinn said , " She was frustrated with how the administration is handling the war , that no one wants to have a real conversation about ways to move forward and our brave men and women overseas are being played like a political ping pong ball . " Boyda later told the " Manhattan ( Kan . ) Mercury " , that she did not " walk out " of the meeting . Instead , she " stepped into a little room " adjacent to the meeting for five minutes , then returned . She hoped to draw a distinction between politely excusing herself and storming out of the room . Personal life . Nancy Boyda was married to Steve Boyda , a Marine Corps veteran who grew up on his family farm in Marysville , Kansas . External links . Articles