Kansas senator rejoins Republicans after he left party for Orman campaign

A Kansas state senator who left the Republican Party to join independent Greg Orman’s campaign for governor is a Republican once more.

Sen. John Doll, of Garden City, changed his party affiliation a few weeks ago, he said in an interview Monday. He had been an independent since March 2018.

Doll lost all his committee assignments after the 2018 change because of a Senate rule that strips party-switching senators of their committee spots. Senate President Susan Wagle’s office said Doll will again receive committee assignments.

Doll said he has never voted along strictly party lines and hasn’t decided whether he will run for re-election in 2020.

“I’m a conservative fella I think, unless it’s social issues and it won’t change,” Doll said. “My vote did not change when I was an independent and when I was a Republican and it won’t change again.”

As Orman’s running mate, Doll brought agricultural experience and a western Kansas voice to the campaign. Their efforts weren’t ultimately successful; the two captured just 6.5 percent of the vote.

This story was originally published July 29, 2019 at 4:17 PM.