Former Riley County Schools Superintendent Brad Starnes has announced his candidacy for the State Senate.
Starnes, a Republican, will challenge Democrat Usha Reddi for the 22nd District seat. He’ll be looking to flip a Senate seat that has been in Democratic control since 2012, under former Sen. Tom Hawk, who retired at the end of 2022. Reddi was appointed to serve out Hawk’s remaining term.
In a Wednesday release, Starnes cited his 43 years of service in public, parochial and private education, including 15 years with USD 378 both as a high school principal and superintendent as reasons he’d be a good fit to join the legislature.
In a Wednesday statement, Starnes says he’s running on four key campaign planks: education, freedom of liberties, fiscal responsibility as well as economic and workforce development.
“I will be more than a voice for Riley County in Topeka, but be a man of action-if elected I will get things done. As a Republican I can hold Republican Leadership accountable…. I want to bring a commonsense approach to Kansas politics, to fight for our constitutional freedoms by following the law, to be fiscally responsible and to protect children while preparing them for success,” Starnes said.
Starnes works for the Kansas state legislative workforce development initiative-Build Up Kansas, which focuses on helping students at high school, technical and community colleges and 4 year universities in Career and Technical Education opportunities. He also volunteers with the Flint Hills Volunteer Center and Riley County Health Department in presenting suicide awareness and prevention programs.
Starnes was previously one of three candidates for the 64th district House seat in 2022, but lost in the primary to Rep. Bill Bloom, of Clay Center.
The last time a Republican won the 22nd district was in 2008 when Roger Reitz was re-elected.
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