Kansas state Sen. Steve Fitzgerald set to run for Lynn Jenkins’ seat in Congress

Steve Fitzgerald, a Leavenworth Republican, confirmed Monday morning that he’s running for Congress.

The conservative state senator is seeking to replace U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins in the House.

Jenkins, also a Republican, announced in January that she was retiring from public service and would not be running for re-election in 2018.

Fitzgerald’s candidacy is the first major move in the race for the 2nd congressional district seat.

The district covers Lawrence and Topeka, along with other counties in the eastern part of the state.

Wyandotte County and Johnson County are represented by the 3rd congressional district in Congress.

Asked about the campaign Monday, Fitzgerald confirmed he will run but said he had no further comment.

He did, however, send an email over the weekend talking about his candidacy.

“I intend to continue in my duties as a Kansas Senator,” he said in the email. “Campaigning will begin later and I look forward to a lively primary as other candidates join in the race and the Party decides who is best suited to defeat the Democrat. My intention is to maintain a low profile for now. If you have any questions, I would be happy to respond.”

Fitzgerald, one of the more conservative members of the Kansas Senate, drew national attention last month after he compared Planned Parenthood to a Nazi concentration camp.

This story was originally published April 3, 2017 at 10:43 AM with the headline "Kansas state Sen. Steve Fitzgerald set to run for Lynn Jenkins’ seat in Congress."