Baumgardner to run for Apple’s Senate seat

Molly Baumgardner, who served for 18 years on the Johnson County Community College Board of Trustees, said Monday she will be a candidate for Kansas’ 37th District state Senate seat.

The seat is expected to be vacated the next few weeks in the wake of Gov. Sam Brownback’s nomination earlier Monday of Sen. Pat Apple for a seat on the Kansas Corporation Commission.

Apple, a Republican and chair of the Senate Utilities Committee, is expected to resign from the Senate assuming he’s confirmed to the KCC.

GOP precinct committee members in the 37th District will pick Apple’s successor. If the successor wants to keep the seat, he or she will have to stand for election for the remaining two years of Apple’s term.

In a statement, Baumgardner said her professional experience would help her with the big issues before the Legislature.

“My professional background is in education, health care and business,” she said. “When you scan the news, online or in our local newspapers, these are hot topics receiving the most attention.”

Baumgardner may have the inside track as she was the Miami County chair of the 2010 Brownback for Governor committee.

This story was originally published March 24, 2014 at 9:20 PM with the headline "Baumgardner to run for Apple’s Senate seat."