Democrat Jim Ward names campaign treasurer, signaling likely run for governor
House Democratic Leader Jim Ward has named a campaign treasurer, the strongest sign yet he will run for governor.
On Tuesday, Ward named former Kansas Democratic Party chairman Lee Kinch as treasurer. He said that he will make an announcement on Saturday about his future in Kansas politics.
Ward, of Wichita, said he was seeking the office of governor in an ethics filing that named Kinch treasurer. The form allows Ward to begin fundraising.
Democrats have anticipated a run by Ward for months. If he runs, he would face former Wichita mayor Carl Brewer and former state representative Josh Svaty in the Democratic primary. It is the first contested Democratic gubernatorial primary in two decades.
Ward would be the third candidate to jump into the race for governor in two weeks. Insurance Commissioner Ken Selzer and Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer, both Republicans, entered the race last week.
Jonathan Shorman: 785-296-3006, @jonshorman
This story was originally published August 16, 2017 at 12:04 PM with the headline "Democrat Jim Ward names campaign treasurer, signaling likely run for governor."