Less combat. More collegiality.
House Democrats struck out on a new direction Monday, choosing Rep. Tom Sawyer over incumbent Rep. Jim Ward as their new leader.
With a Democrat in the governor’s office and the House tilting more conservative, Democrats chose Sawyer over Ward, the lawmaker from Wichita who some consider pugnacious.
Sawyer defeated Ward by a vote of 26-14. He will be the Democrats’ third leader since 2014.
In other leadership races Monday, from the Republican side:
- House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr. turned back a challenge from incoming state Rep. Owen Donohoe of Shawnee 80-4.
- Rep. Dan Hawkins of Wichita defeated Rep. Don Hineman of Dighton 48-35 for House majority leader, the second-most powerful position in the House behind speaker. Hawkins’ election signifies the House is, indeed, shifting more conservative in favor of the more moderate Hineman, who held the position during the 2017-18 sessions.
- Rep. Blaine Finch of Ottawa beat out Rep Kyle Hoffman of Coldwater for House speaker pro tem 56-28.
- State Rep. Blake Carpenter of Derby beat Rep. J.R. Claeys of Salina for majority whip 47-36. Carpenter took the novel approach of campaigning by video in favor of a more conventional letter or email.
- State Rep. Susan Humphries of Wichita defeated Rep. Ken Rahjes of Agra 45-39 on the second ballot for majority caucus chair. State Rep. Tom Cox of Shawnee lost on the first ballot.
- State Rep. Les Mason of McPherson was elected assistant majority leader in an uncontested race.
On the Democratic side:
- State Rep. Valdenia Winn of Kansas City, Kan., beat Rep. Stan Frownfelter of Kansas City, Kan., 21-19 for assistant minority leader. Frownfelter was the incumbent assistant leader.
- State Rep. Jim Gartner of Topeka defeated Rep. Jarrod Ousley of Mission 22-18 for minority whip.
- State Rep. Barbara Ballard of Wichita was unopposed for caucus chair.
- State Rep. Brett Parker of Overland Park was unopposed for agenda chair.
- State Rep. Eileen Horn of Lawrence defeated Rep. Ponka-We Victors of Wichita 22-18 for policy chair.
In the race for minority leader, Democrats said they needed a less antagonistic style to help guide Gov.-elect Laura Kelly’s agenda through a chamber now dominated by conservative Republicans.
It’s one thing to play the loyal opposition, they said. It’s another to direct the governor’s agenda in a chamber dominated by Republicans, including many conservatives.
While Ward might have been a better adversary for Kris Kobach as governor, Sawyer gives the caucus someone who will take less of a scorched-earth approach to dealing with rivals.
“I think the caucus is looking for maybe a less combative approach,” said Chris Reeves, the party’s national Democratic committeeman who watched the proceedings.
“Jim’s always been seen as kind of a bomb thrower, and this may be one where they said, ‘With more conservatives elected on the other side, let’s try to be conciliatory here and see what we can get through for the governor’s agenda.’ ”
Ward was not available for comment following Monday’s election.
Indeed, Ward had history of rubbing Republicans the wrong way.
Six years ago, 26 House Republicans tried to censure Ward for allegedly misleading lawmakers during a debate on a $90 million tax reduction amendment.
The complaint was ultimately dropped but caused resentment among Republicans, some who still remember the flap from 2012.
“People thought we needed a bridge-builder, and Tom Sawyer is known as a bridge-builder,” said one Democratic source.
Sawyer, who served as majority leader from 1991 to 1992 when Democrats last controlled the House, said he thought Ward lost sight of the caucus’ goals when he ran for governor.
“He kind of took his focus off the caucus and the political operation,” Sawyer said. “It just didn’t happen because he was running for governor.”
Some Democratic lawmakers believed they should have made greater gains in the House in a year when there was so much anger toward President Donald Trump and when Kelly was elected governor.
Republicans and Democrats each lost five seats, and the GOP still controls the House with 85 members. Democrats number 40.
“There’s some disappointment that we lost five of our members, and there was some concern that we should have picked up members instead of breaking even,” said Democratic state Rep. Jerry Stogsdill of Prairie Village.
Sawyer said members thought Democrats would gain more seats similar to the successes seen in Johnson County, where they won seats in northern Olathe and south-central Overland Park where Republicans generally have prevailed.
“I think most people thought we were going to gain four or five seats. That was kind of the consensus,” Sawyer said. “When we didn’t — particularly with the blue wave nationally — there was some disappointment about that.”
House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr. called Sawyer a “fair and honest broker.”
Asked if Sawyer would be easier to work with, Ryckman said, “Rep. Ward and I had a good relationship. We were able to work on issues where we could. We understood each other. I am looking to have the same relationship with Rep. Sawyer.”
