Johnson County surgeon was once Kansas governor. He wants the job again
Former Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer is poised to run again for governor, naming a treasurer on Monday and signaling a coming campaign.
Colyer, a Johnson County-based surgeon, has remained involved in Kansas politics since spending nearly a year as governor in 2018 after Gov. Sam Brownback resigned. Most recently, he chaired President Donald Trump’s campaign operation in Kansas.
But in deciding to run, Colyer is once again seeking election as governor – an accomplishment that has eluded him.
Colyer narrowly lost the 2018 Republican primary for governor to Kris Kobach. He ran again ahead of the 2022 governor’s race but dropped out, citing a prostate cancer diagnosis.
On Monday, Colyer announced he was naming Rep. Kyle Hoffman, a Coldwater Republican, as his campaign treasurer. In a statement, Colyer said Hoffman will be a “huge asset as we carry our winning message to every county in Kansas.”
Colyer’s announcement didn’t formally unveil his campaign, but made clear he is running.
“Jeff is more than a politician, he is a humanitarian – selflessly serving those in need around the world. He’ll make a great Governor,” Hoffman said in a statement.
Colyer marks the latest entrant into what is expected to be a crowded Republican field. Secretary of State Scott Schwab, former Johnson County Commissioner Charlotte O’Hara and right-wing podcaster Doug Billings are already running. Senate President Ty Masterson and Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt are also widely expected to run.
It was Trump’s endorsement of Kobach on the eve of the 2018 Republican primary that likely proved decisive in a razor-thin contest before Kobach went on to lose to Democrat Laura Kelly in the general election.
After sharing news of his cancer diagnosis, Colyer bowed out of the 2022 race and endorsed Derek Schmidt, who also lost to Kelly.
If he wins the race, Colyer will become the first Johnson County governor elected in more than 50 years. Originally from Hays, Colyer now lives and works in Overland Park, where he has a plastic surgery practice.
He earned his M.D. from the University of Kansas School of Medicine after previously receiving a bachelor’s degree in economics from Georgetown University and a master’s degree in international relations from the University of Cambridge.
In 2024, Colyer spent a month in Ukraine, working with the International Medical Corps to help advise doctors. Colyer has traveled to other conflict zones with the non-profit aid group in the past, including Soviet-controlled Afghanistan, Iraq, and Sudan.
As governor in 2018, Colyer signed into law a school funding increase that brought the state substantially closer to complying with state Supreme Court opinions to enhance funding. The Legislature passed a further enhancement in 2019 under Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly that brought the state into compliance.
Colyer, who had been lieutenant governor under Brownback, also sought to shift the tone in the governor’s office after Brownback’s standing among lawmakers and the public suffered during a budget crisis stemming from his signature income tax cuts.
He lost an intense primary contest against Kobach that remained unresolved for several days after the August 2018 election. Ultimately, Kobach prevailed by 343 votes – the tightest primary fight for governor in state history.
This story was originally published May 12, 2025 at 1:29 PM.
