(Syndicated to Kansas newspapers June 6, 2016)
OK, let’s look at the 2017 post-election Kansas Legislature.
The numbers so far: It’s four Democrats in the Senate and 18 Republicans and 17 Democrats in the House. Numbers seem a little…thin? Well, that’s just what we knew at noon last Wednesday, when filings for legislative seats were officially closed.
Those four senators and 33 House members filed for re-election and didn’t find any major party candidates who wanted to give them a challenge, plus two newbies who filed for the House didn’t attract any opposition. So those four in the Senate and 35 in the House will be the only major party names on the ballot for their seats, and if they’re careful they get sworn in around 2 p.m. Jan. 9.
The rest of the Legislature? That continues to build.