Former longtime Fort Hays State President Ed Hammond on Friday filed to run as a Democrat against Republican state Rep. Barbara Wasinger of Hays in House District 111.
Hammond led Fort Hays State for 27 years and is credited for digitizing the campus and forging partnerships with universities in China.
He also started the Fort Hay State University Virtual College, which offers more than 200 accredited online degrees and certificates.
Hammond retired from Fort Hays State in 2014 shortly after turning 70 years old.
At the point he announced his retirement in 2013, Hammond was the longest-serving president in the Kansas Board of Regents system.
Among other things, Hammond started the Western Kansas Education Compact to foster partnerships between the university and community colleges in western Kansas.
He oversaw renovations of 10 campus buildings and the construction of both the Schmidt-Bickle Indoor Training facility and the Center for Networked Learning.
He also advocated for installing a new electrical distribution system on campus and the construction of two wind turbines, which were believed to have saved the school an estimated $1 million annually in energy costs.
He also said his decision to start degree programs in China helped the school hold down tuition increases by bringing in more than a $1.5 annually from out-of-state tuition.
When he retired, Fort Hays State was educating about 3,400 students annually as result of the school’s partnerships with universities in China.
House District 121 didn’t change much after election boundaries were redrawn this year.
The district is about 51% Republican, 21% Democrat and 27% unaffiliated, similar to the makeup before redistricting.
“I am excited and look forward to visiting with the residents of the 111th District as I campaign. I want to be an advocate for their concerns,” Hammond said in a statement.
Wasinger, a conservative, is seeking her third term in the House. She was elected in 2018 when she narrowly upset former Democratic state Rep. Eber Phelps of Hays.
Phelps tried to make a comeback last year and lost by an even larger margin in 2020.
Data compiled by the Wichita State University political scientist show that the new House 111 went for former President Donald Trump by about 70%.
The old district went for Trump by a similar percentage.
Hammond’s campaign manager is Trina Powell of Hays his and campaign treasurer is former state Sen. Janis Lee, who recently served on Gov. Laura Kelly’s tax council.
