Republican state Rep. Scott Hill of Abilene has emerged as the winner of the Senate District 24 seat to replace former state Sen. J.R. Claeys.
Hill defeated former Saline County Treasurer Jim Dubois in an election carried out Monday night by precinct committee members in Saline and Dickinson counties.
Hill prevailed 67-59. Hill was nominated by Republican state Rep. Steven Howe of Salina. Dubois was nominated by Republican state Treasurer Steven Johnson.
Former Republican state Sen. Tom Arpke said he wanted to run for the seat but didn’t follow through on what he previously indicated he would do.
Hill replaces Claeys, who left the job June 2 after accepting a job at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in President Donald Trump’s administration.
Claeys had been in the Kansas Senate since 2020.
Hill’s election to the Senate will mean an opening in House District 70, which covers parts of Dickinson, Marion and McPherson counties.
Hill will still have to stand for a special election for the Senate in 2026 in order to serve out Claeys’ term.
Hill was just elected to a second term in the House. Three years ago, Hill upset former state Rep. John Barker of Abilene in the Republican primary.
Hill sits on the House Education Committee and the House K-12 Budget Committee. He also is a member of the task force developing a blueprint for a new school funding formula.
Dubois, meanwhile, served as Saline County treasurer from 2013 to 2025. He also served on the Saline County school board for 10 years.
As county treasurer, Dubois last session advocated for a bill that would have increased the amount of motor vehicle fees county treasurers could retain for administrative expenses.
Dubois testified for the bill, saying that the funding for motor vehicle tag offices had not been increased in years. He said the service gets no state or county funding.
He said in 2024 it led him to close a satellite office because of increasing rent.
He said that led to long lines at the main office, prompting complaints from the public and elected officials.
