It was game on for Republican U.S. Rep. Tim Huelskamp�s re-election campaign Wednesday, as it proceeded with its NCAA Basketball Tournament ticket raffle � won by Laurie Gregory, Wichita � and snapped back at Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson.



Branson issued a letter Tuesday advising Huelskamp that operating such a lottery was a non-person felony in Kansas, and Huelskamp was to respond by March 26.



Huelskamp�s campaign reacted to Branson, a Lawrence Democrat, by issuing a press release late Wednesday afternoon with a dateline of Fowler:



�Today the campaign of Congressman Tim Huelskamp announced it is exploring all legal avenues per prosecutorial misconduct by Doughas County District Attorney Charles Branson. Kansans for Huelskamp has been contacted by numerous Kansas attorneys appalled by Branson�s serious and clear violation of prosecutorial ethics by misusing his office for political, partisan purposes,� it said.



�The Disciplinary Rules of the Kansas Supreme Court are very clear and visit a grave duty upon prosecutors to avoid trial by press release, the very thing that Democrat Branson undertook against Congressman Huelskamp this week,� campaign spokesman Josh Bell said in the release.



Jim Pfaff, also with the Huelskamp campaign, said late Tuesday afternoon that Kansans for Huelskamp had not yet received Branson�s letter, which had been faxed instead to Huelskamp�s Congresssional office in Washington.



Huelskamp is facing Republican and Democratic challengers in this re-election year. He sought to raise money in an email blast Monday inviting people to donate at least $10 to his campaign to be entered in a drawing for four NCAA Tournament tickets to St. Louis Regional games. His campaign said the tickets were �purchased� but did not elaborate on how it obtained them.



One of Huelskamp�s Republican opponents, Ellinwood attorney Kent Roth, said the raffle was illegal. Huelskamp modified the rules, dropping the donation requirement.



Douglas County is not in the Big First District, but a Douglas County resident received the first Huelskamp email and relayed it to the Branson. Branson�s letter to Huelskamp was posted on the Douglas County District Attorney�s website, but the Huelskamp campaign said it appeared Branson�s letter was leaked to the press before it reached the Congressman�s office.



The News was unable to reach Branson after the Huelskamp announcement it was exploring legal options regarding his conduct.



Pfaff drew the winning entry in Washington Wednesday. He did not know if the Laurie Gregory who won the drawing was the same Laurie Bleeker Gregory who works in Wichita and once served with Huelskamp as a Republican state senator.



Efforts by The News to reach Gregory were not successful.



Huelskamp�s announcement of the winner noted that Gregory is a Wichita State University Shockers fan. As a Kansas State University Wildcats fan, Huelskamp said he was �still having a bit of trouble with a Shocker fan and these tickets.�



�So I was thinking about asking Laurie to at least wear a KSU shirt for the first round ... can you do that for us, Laurie?



�Again I am so pleased by the participation of so many in our drawing. It was a lot of fun. But the real fun will be cheering on the Wildcats, Shockers and yes, even the Jayhawks onto victory in St. Louis!� Huelskamp wrote.



The press release did not mention how much money the raffle raised.