Republican precinct committee leaders on Monday night picked Shawnee City Council member Angela Stiens to serve out the term of retiring state Rep. Owen Donohoe.
Meeting at the Johnson County Republican Party headquarters in Overland Park, precinct committee member unanimously elected Stiens to represent House District 39.
She was uncontested for the seat.
Stiens was elected to the Shawnee City Council in 2021, defeating Lisa Larson-Bunnell by 36 votes.
“My record on the council has demonstrated my commitment to lower taxes, less government, and standing up for our neighborhoods and for truth,” Stiens said in a roughly five-minute speech after she was selected for the position.
“I’ve voted to reduce the mill levy twice and believe we should again. I’ve been firm in my belief we should devote public resources to things like roads and pipes that the people expect from government and not unnecessary spending,” Stiens.
“Those are the same types of fights we have to take on in Topeka, as well,” she said.
“Are we going to side with the taxpayers and deliver them the tax relief they need? Are we going to demand our kids receive a quality education focused on academics and preparing them for the future, and give parents more options to ensure that occurs?
“Are we going to defend our values such as standing up for fairness in women’s sports and against the radical left’s ideology that can’t even define what a woman is?”
Stiens heads to Topeka, where she will be facing votes on tax cuts, gender affirming care, development incentives, utility regulation and elections, among a litany of other issues.
Donohoe’s resignation is effective Wednesday after serving two stints in the House.
He served one stint in the Kansas House from 2007 to 2012. He returned to the Kansas House in 2019.
He was most recently reelected two years ago with 51% of the vote in defeating Democrat Vanessa Vaughn West.
After leaving office in 2013, Donohoe tried to make a comeback three years later but came in third in a three-way GOP primary won by Shelee Brim.
He came back in 2018, defeating Republican Kristy Acree in the primary and then defeating Democrat Michael Bolton in the general election with 53.7% of the vote.
Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly carried this district with 54.5% of the vote in 2022. Her Republican challenger, Derek Schmidt, received 43.4% of the vote.
The constitutional amendment on abortion lost in this district. It was defeated with 65.5% of the vote.
