mays drops out of governor’s race
Doug Mays, the Republican Speaker of the Kansas House of Representatives, is withdrawing his name from consideration for the 2006 Governor’s race.
Topeka — House Speaker Doug Mays, a Republican from Topeka, today dropped out of the governor’s race, saying he didn’t want politics to get in the way of work during next year’s legislative session.
“It would be unfortunate if gubernatorial politics were to stand in the way of sound policy. That, I fear, would be the case if I were to continue as a candidate,†Mays said.
Mays said he would focus all his efforts on the legislative session, which starts in January, and doesn’t plan to seek re-election to the House either.
Mays’ departure from the Republican Party primary battle, leaves in the race, state Sen. Jim Barnett of Emporia, former House Speaker Robin Jennison of Healy and frequent candidates Dennis Hawver of Ozawkie and Richard Rodewald of Lawrence.
Mays is another in a long list of high-profile candidates who has declined to test Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a Democrat who has all but announced her intention to run for re-election.
The GOP appears to be uniting behind Barnett and his running mate, State Sen. Susan Wagle. (Good luck with that.)
11.30.2005 @ 14:48
As long as the GOP isn’t uniting behind Kay O’Connor. That crazy beyatch only ruins the GOP image in Kansas and in the nation (see Thomas Frank’s “What’s the Matter with Kansas”).