A leading advocate for gun safety at the Capitol is running for the Kansas House, setting up a Democratic primary for House District 17.
Jo Ella Hoye, leader of the Kansas chapter for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, announced Tuesday morning that she will file on Friday to run as a Democrat in District 17.
Hoye’s announcement came hours after Laura Smith-Everett announced she was running for the seat now held by Republican state Rep. Tom Cox, who will run for the state Senate next year. Hoye and Smith-Everett will now meet in the Democratic primary.
“Kansans want their leaders to come together to find commonsense solutions in order to provide the best quality of life for everyone in our state,” Hoye said in a statement.
“The knowledge and experience that I’ve gained as a local government professional and community advocate have positioned me to be the right person to represent the citizens of the 17th District by listening and working hard to make their voices heard in Topeka.”
Hoye has been a fixture at the Capitol in recent years, lobbying for gun safety.
However, she’s been involved in a number of civic activities in Johnson County, including as a classroom volunteer in the Shawnee Mission School District, vice chair of the Lenexa Planning Commission and as a former member of the city of Mission’s Parks and Recreation Commission.
