In Kansas governor’s race, Schmidt wins support of opponent’s past campaign chairman
Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt has won the endorsement of his opponent’s former campaign chairman in the Republican race for governor.
Steve Baccus, who chaired former Gov. Jeff Colyer’s 2018 campaign, on Wednesday endorsed Schmidt, describing him as a supporter of farmers and ranchers.
His early support for Schmidt in the 2022 GOP contest comes after he endorsed independent Greg Orman over Republican Kris Kobach in the 2018 general election for governor following Colyer’s loss in the primary to Kobach by 343 votes.
Baccus, who co-chaired the Orman campaign after endorsing him, was also president of the Kansas Farm Bureau from 2002 to 2014. The Farm Bureau’s endorsement is coveted by Republicans and Colyer, a Johnson County surgeon, won the group’s backing in the 2018 primary.
“As the former President of Kansas Farm Bureau, I know firsthand that agriculture is the lifeblood of our great state. That’s why we need a trusted leader like Derek Schmidt who understands our values and our way of life,” Baccus said in a statement.
The endorsement, released by Schmidt’s campaign, makes no mention of Colyer or Baccus’ past association with the former governor.
The first ballots in the 2022 race won’t be cast for more than a year, but Colyer and Schmidt, who has been attorney general since 2011, are already jostling for the support of party activists and donors in a primary where candidates must win over staunch conservatives.
Colyer, who was governor for about a year after Gov. Sam Brownback resigned in early 2018, last week unveiled the endorsement of Sen. Roger Marshall — the highest-ranking elected official in Kansas to choose a side so far. Marshall called Colyer “a trustworthy, Kansas doctor whose ‘yes’ is his ‘yes’, and his ‘no’ is his ‘no.’”
Since entering the race Colyer has sought to present himself as the prominent conservative running for office. In an interview last Saturday, Colyer shied away from directly attacking Schmidt.
“I have an outstanding record of saving money in the budget, making the economy grow, having the most pro-life, pro-family state in the country. I think that record stands on its own,” Colyer said.
The Star’s Katie Bernard contributed reporting
This story was originally published April 28, 2021 at 7:30 AM with the headline "In Kansas governor’s race, Schmidt wins support of opponent’s past campaign chairman."
