UG official announces run for Kansas House. Would he keep his current role if elected?
A Wyandotte County Commissioner plans to make a run for the Kansas House of Representatives, he announced Monday.
Christian Ramirez, who represents the county’s third district on the Unified Government Board of Commissioners, has filed to run for the 31st District seat. Ramirez has one year remaining on his term as commissioner and plans to finish that term alongside serving in Topeka if elected.
Ramirez, a Kansas City, Kansas, native, is among a pool of five candidates — including Democrats Paul Davidson, Emily Hane and Eli Woody and Republican Dennis Grindel — seeking to fill the seat held by outgoing Representative Louis Ruiz, who told Kansas City Hispanic News last month that he would not be seeking reelection after more than 20 years of representing Wyandotte County in the statehouse.
District 31 is located in southeast Wyandotte County.
Ramirez is in his second term on the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas. He has served on the board tasked with making key financial decisions, including an agreement that moved forward plans to bring the Kansas City Chiefs across state lines and into KCK.
What Christian Ramirez wants to do
Ramirez officially filed for the seat back in April, according to the Wyandotte County Election Office website. He formally announced his run in a news release Monday, which was the deadline for candidates to file for Kansas’ 2026 elections.
The local government official wants to center his run for state representative on community, fiscal responsibility, education and local control, according to a Monday news release.
He plans to bring leadership practices that are centered around community priorities and that benefit working families in Wyandotte County. He said he also wants to fight for smarter state budget practices, fully funding special education in Kansas, tax relief and stronger local control.
“This campaign is about community,“ Ramirez said in the release. “It’s about making sure Wyandotte County has someone fighting for us, someone who understands us, and someone who never forgets where they came from.”
Other Wyandotte House seats
With all seats in the Kansas House up for grabs in the 2026 election, District 31 is not the only Wyandotte County representative seat candidates are vying for.
In District 32, incumbent Democrat Pam Curtis is running for re-election and as of publication time was opposed by Democrat Marco A. Medina Diaz.
Carolyn Caiharr, the Edwardsville mayor who replaced outgoing Rep. Mike Thompson last year after he retired from politics to care for his wife, is running for her first full term in District 33. She’s running as a Republican and is challenged by Democrats Emily Blanks and Romona C. Smith.
Valdenia Winn, a KCK school board member who has served as a Democrat in the legislature for more than 20 years, is running to keep her seat in District 34 against Republican CeCe Harlin.
Democrat Wanda Brownlee Paige, the incumbent who is also a KCK school board member, is challenged by Republicans Alex Sanchez and Lisa Walker-Yeager for the District 35 seat.
Democratic incumbent Lynn Melton will face Brian Dickason, a Republican, in the race for the state’s 36th District.
Democrat Melissa M. Oropeza, the incumbent, will face Republican Connie Jo Henry to represent District 37.
Timothy H. Johnson, the Republican incumbent, is challenged by Democrat Richard Paz for the 38th District seat.
