Kansas House Leadership Elections

 December 5, 2022

The Kansas House of Representatives convened in Topeka this morning to elect their new leaders for the 2023 Legislative Session. In keeping with what we saw during the primary elections this year, leadership on the Republican side is leaning more conservative. There is also no representation from western Kansas.

Today’s leadership elections set the stage for these upcoming weeks leading up to the start of Session beginning on January 9. We now anticipate starting to see committee chair appointments and discussion on issues at the top of the agenda.

Here is the new slate of House leadership:

Republicans

·      Speaker: Dan Hawkins (Wichita), uncontested

·      Majority Leader: Chris Croft (Overland Park), beating Sean Tarwater (Stilwell) and Susan Humphries (Wichita)

·      Speaker Pro Tem: Blake Carpenter (Derby), beating Adam Smith (Weskan) and Kyle Hoffman (Coldwater)

·      Assistant Majority Leader: Les Mason (McPherson), uncontested

·      Majority Whip: Susan Estes (Wichita), beating Barb Wasinger (Hays)

·      Majority Caucus Chair: Kristey Williams (Augusta), beating Patrick Penn (Wichita)

Democrats

·      Minority Leader: Vic Miller (Topeka), beating Brandon Woodard (Lenexa)

·      Assistant Minority Leader: Valdenia Winn (Kansas City), beating Jason Probst (Hutchinson)

·      Minority Whip: Stephanie Clayton (Overland Park), beating Jarod Ousley (Merriam)

·      Minority Caucus Chair: Barbara Ballard (Lawrence), uncontested

·      Minority Agenda Chair: Jerry Stogsdill (Prairie Village), uncontested

·      Minority Policy Chair: Christina Haswood (Lawrence), uncontested