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Kansas Senate President Considering Run For Governor Or Congress

Stephen Koranda
/
Kansas Public Radio/File photo
Susan Wagle speaks to reporters earlier this year. She said Monday that she is considering a run for governor or Kansas' 4th Congressional District seat.

Republican Senate President Susan Wagle says she’s considering a run for either Kansas governor or for the 4th District congressional seat in the Wichita area.

If Wagle were to run for Congress, she’d have to challenge sitting Republican Congressman Ron Estes, who won the April special election to replace now-CIA Director Mike Pompeo. “There’s a number of constituents in my area who are concerned that the current congressman wasn’t primaried," Wagle said Monday after lawmakers wrapped the 2017 legislative session.

In the race for governor, she’d be entering an already crowded Republican field.

“We have concerns here at the state level that there are no women in the race," Wagle said. "I have a lot of experience with state agencies and state governance."

Several Republican candidates are already running for governor, including Secretary of State Kris Kobach and former state Senator Jim Barnett. There are also multiple Democrats campaigning or considering a run.

Stephen Koranda is the managing editor of the Kansas News Service, based at KCUR. He has nearly 20 years of experience in public media as a reporter and editor.