Regardless of how the fall elections shake out, Allen Countians will have new representation in the Kansas House and Senate.
A panel of three federal judges set new political boundaries Thursday for state and federal lawmakers after state legislators were unable to agree on a redistricting plan during their recently completed session.
Typically, lawmakers hammer out new boundaries every 10 years, using census results. The inaction in Topeka pushed the matter into federal court.
NO LEGISLATOR among incumbents will be affected by the new boundaries as much as Sen. Jeff King, R-Independence.
“I’m essentially losing eight of my nine counties,” King noted, including Allen.
The new boundaries are “a disappointment for southeast Kansas,” King said. “I thought we made a good and compelling argument that southeast Kansas deserved four senators. Southeast Kansas is known for the historic alliances, such as Project 17, that have bound our communities together.”
More importantly, King now finds himself pitted in a Republican primary race against Sen. Dwayne Umbarger, R-Thayer.
“You never like to run against friends, especially colleagues who you have worked with and grown to respect,” King said.
King telephoned Umbarger Friday after learning of the new district boundaries.
“We will run a clean campaign based on issues,” King said.
THE NEW districts have pulled Iola out of Bill Otto’s Kansas House district. Iola remains in District 9, but it now includes Humboldt and Chanute, as well, but not much of what it did before.
The eastern half of Allen County has been inserted into District 2, represented by Bob Grant, D-Frontenac. Grant is expected to file for re-election.
The new boundaries mean Otto will vie for re-election against two other incumbents, Reps. Peggy Mast, Emporia, and Willie Prescott, Osage City. His new district contains all of Coffey and roughly half of Lyon and Osage counties.
“It’s not my worst-case scenario, but I figured something like this would happen,” Otto said.
