Print edition: 
The following are The Eagle editorial board's recommendations for Kansas secretary of state, attorney general, insurance commissioner and State Board of Education. We offer these recommendations as information to consider as you make up your own minds about the candidates.
Secretary of state
Democratic primary
Secretary of State Chris Biggs is the clear pick in the Democratic primary. Gov. Mark Parkinson appointed Biggs as secretary in March after Ron Thornburgh resigned to take another job, and it was an excellent choice. Biggs was Geary County prosecutor for 15 years and, after narrowly losing a race for attorney general in 2002, served seven years as Kansas securities commissioner. He has the knowledge and managerial skills needed for the job. Biggs' priorities include making the office's operations more user-friendly by improving its website and reducing the number of forms needed for business filings. "I have no agenda other than making the office the best it can be," he said.
Chris Steineger is known for his out-of-the-box thinking and independence as a state senator from Kansas City, Kan. He wants to make the office more user-friendly and wants to increase voter participation.
Republican primary
Elizabeth "Libby" Ensley is the clear choice in the Republican primary. She knows the issues inside and out, having worked in the Secretary of State's Office for 11 years and having served the past 18 years as Shawnee County election commissioner. Her knowledge and experience are why the three most recent secretaries of state — Ron Thornburgh, Bill Graves and Jack Brier — all have endorsed Ensley. She supports requiring voter IDs but doesn't see voter fraud as a major problem.
Law professor Kris Kobach is best known for his work combating illegal immigration. He also has served as chairman of the Kansas Republican Party, though a Federal Election Commission report revealed serious problems with accounting and record-keeping during his time as chairman. A key concern for Kobach is voter fraud, but there is not evidence that this is a significant problem. Kobach is smart but is better suited to talk about immigration issues on Fox News than to oversee the state's elections and business filings.
J.R. Claeys is also running. He touts his experience as a former chief executive of the National Association of Government Contractors and as an international elections observer.
The winning Republican and Democrat will be on the Nov. 2 ballot with Libertarian candidate Phillip Horatio Lucas of El Dorado and Reform candidate Derek Langseth of Valley Center.
Attorney general
Republican primary
Derek Schmidt is the GOP's best choice for attorney general because of his broad range of experiences and his leadership skills. Schmidt has served 10 years in the Kansas Senate, the past six as GOP majority leader, and has helped write many laws related to public safety. He also has a legal practice in Independence and serves as a city prosecutor. Schmidt previously served as an assistant attorney general, as special counsel to former Gov. Bill Graves, and as general counsel to former Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel. Schmidt's priorities, if elected, include public safety, running a professional legal operation and standing up for constitutional liberties.
Ralph J. De Zago is also a solid candidate. His strength is his 29 years as a trial attorney, which include three years working in the Attorney General's Office and 16 years running a public defenders' office in north-central Kansas. He currently serves as city prosecutor for Junction City. His priorities are law enforcement, consumer protection and giving the public the confidence that the Attorney General's Office is not a political tool.
The winner will face Democratic incumbent Steve Six and Libertarian Dennis Hawver in the general election.
Insurance commissioner
Republican primary
Two-term incumbent Sandy Praeger has been a standout as insurance commissioner, becoming one of the nation's experts on the industry's issues and treating her responsibilities like more of a calling than a partisan job. She is the obvious choice in this primary contest, whose winner will face no Democratic opposition in November. Praeger, a former state legislator and Lawrence mayor, was president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2008 and recently has chaired its health care panel. With the health care reform under way, Kansas cannot afford to lose Praeger as its point person — or as its national voice, should more changes be made to the law. She sees value but also serious flaws in the reform. "This doesn't do a lot to bring down the cost of health care," she said.
Her conservative challenger is David J. Powell , an El Dorado insurance agent with 33 years of experience who lost the 2002 primary to Praeger. He wants to mitigate "Obamacare," reduce the office's staff or at least its use of law firms, and bring new insurance products to Kansas.
Kansas State Board of Education
District 7
Republican primary
Two-term incumbent Ken Willard of Hutchinson has earned re-election in the central Kansas district that includes Harvey County and northeast Sedgwick County. Willard, whose career is in the insurance industry, played an unfortunate role in the board's 2005 fight over science standards. But overall, he is a thoughtful board member focused on kids, especially those with special needs, whose experience will be useful as the board works to reform middle and high schools and respond to changes in the No Child Left Behind law. He also has given the state an important voice beyond its borders, serving as president of the National Association of State Boards of Education last year.
M.T. Liggett of Mullinville, well-known for his inventive roadside artworks, cares about education but can't match Willard's experience.
The winning Republican faces no Democratic opposition in November.
