Last Minute Filings Set Up Primary Challenges

A couple of last minute filings have set the stage for a couple of Republican primary elections in races for the Saline County legislative delegation.

Deadline to file to run for office was noon on Monday.

In the 24th Kansas Senate District incumbent Randall Hardy will face a primary challenge. JR Claeys, who has held the 69th District Kansas House of Representatives seat since 2013, will not run to retain his seat. Rather, Claeys has filed to run against Hardy for the senate seat.

With Claeys filing to run for the senate,  the 69th District of the Kansas House of Representatives has no incumbent. Clarke Sanders is the lone Republican who has filed to run for the seat, filing Monday morning. Two Democrats, Phil Black and Ryan Holmquist will face each other in the primary election.  The winner will then face Sanders in the general election.

In the 71st District of the Kansas House of Representatives incumbent Diana Dierks will face a primary challenge. Steven Howe, a former staff member of Tim Huelskamp when he was in the U.S. Congress, has filed to run as a Republican for the seat. Democrat Jeffrey Zamrzla is also in the race but does not face a primary.

Incumbent Steven Johnson is running unopposed in the 108th District of the Kansas House of Representatives.

The primary election in Kansas is Tuesday, August 4th. The general election is Tuesday, November 3rd.