Longtime Democratic state Rep. Jim Ward has taken the first official step to running for the Kansas Senate.
Ward filed paperwork naming former Kansas Democratic Party Chairman Lee Kinch as his treasurer.
Ward, who officially announced his candidacy Thursday, is planning to run against Republican state Sen. Mike Petersen in District 28.
The lawmaker targeted former Gov. Sam Brownback in his announcement.
“Electing Governor Laura Kelly was a first step toward turning this around, but Gov. Kelly can’t do it alone,” Ward said in an email to supporters.
“The Kansas Senate,” he said, “has continued to use the Brownback playbook to provide giveaways to wealthy corporations and stop every attempt to pass Medicaid expansion.
“They seem more concerned with blocking Gov. Laura Kelly’s agenda than moving Kansas forward.”
The 28th District is attractive to Democrats because of how Petersen performed in 2016.
The Republican incumbent beat Democratic challenger Keith Humphrey with 51% percent of the vote, or 562 votes.
Gov. Laura Kelly carried the district last year. It also was won by Democratic secretary of state candidate Brian McClendon.
In 2016, the district went for President Donald Trump, but in 2014 it went for Democrat Paul Davis in the governor’s race.
Petersen is now in his fourth term in the state Senate after first being elected in 2004. As of the end of December, Petersen had about $30,100 in his Senate campaign account.
Petersen could not be reached for comment early Wednesday night.
Ward wouldn’t be a stranger to the Senate. He served in the Senate in 1992 when he was appointed to fill a vacancy. He ran for the state Senate in 1996 but lost to Republican Pat Ranson.
The Wichita Democrat is now in his ninth term in the House after first being elected to the chamber in 2002. He served as House minority leader in 2017 and 2018.
He ran for governor last year before deciding to withdraw in May, a couple months before the primary election eventually won by Gov. Laura Kelly.
