From the Statehouse- January 26, 2011

By MATTHEW CLARK INDEPENDENCE —The 15th Kansas Senate District will have a new representative in January. Over the weekend, current 12th District House Representative Jeff King was tabbed to replace Kansas Attorney General-elect Derek Schmidt for the remaining two years of his Senate term. King, of Independence, was picked over Williamsburg resident Jim Robinson, former Neodesha mayor Casey Lair and current 13th District House Rep. Forrest Knox at a convention in Yates Center. “I’m clearly excited about the opportunity,” King said. “But, my job really remains the same, with a different address and additional counties to represent.” Schmidt was elected in Nov. to become the next Attorney General in Kansas, defeating current Democrat AG Steve Six. That created the vacancy for Schmidt’s Senate seat, which King will assume in January. King has served the 12th House District since 2007 and was re-elected for another term in November. “A lot of the needs that my House district face are the same as the 15th Senate District,” KIng said. “We all have faced, I think, the heaviest burden of the recent economic downturn and I look forward to working with other members to help ease those burdens.” For Schmidt, who is rounding out his final days in the Senate before assuming the state’s chief law enforcement position, Saturday’s convention was a bit sad, knowing that his 10 years in the Kansas Senate were about to end. “It is a bittersweet moment,” Schmidt said. “I will miss the Senate and the privilege of representing southeast Kansas uniquely. “My heart is in that, but I think Jeff King will do a great job fighting for the region’s needs.” The 15th Senate District serves all of Chautauqua, Elk, Wilson, Woodson and Allen counties as well as parts of Coffey, Anderson and Franklin counties along with most of Montgomery County with the exception of Coffeyville. “Certainly, I have represented about 30 percent of the Senate district and I will continue to do so,” King said. “I want to learn more about the needs of the remainder of the district and I will do that as well.” A convention to name King’s successor in the Kansas House is expected to be during the first week of January. Copyright 2010 Morning Sun. Some rights reserved