Derek Schmidt taps Roger Marshall staffer as running mate in Kansas governor race
A staffer for U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall is now running for Kansas lieutenant governor as Attorney General Derek Schmidt’s running mate.
Schmidt, the presumptive GOP nominee for Kansas governor, formally filed for the ballot Wednesday and announced Katie Sawyer, state director for Marshall, would be his running mate.
Sawyer, a former journalist from McPherson, has little name recognition within the state. She’s worked as Marshall’s state director and director of constituent services for six years during his time in the U.S. House and Senate but is now making the rare jump from behind the scenes staff member to political candidate.
“I’m honored and humbled by the confidence Derek is putting in me to work with him to get this state back on track,” Sawyer said Wednesday.
Prior to working in politics Sawyer was an editor at the McPherson Sentinel and a reporter at the Pittsburg Sun. She also taught at McPherson college, worked in marketing and co-owns a family farm in McPherson with her husband, Derek.
Sawyer would become governor if Schmidt is elected and is impeached or becomes incapacitated during his term. The last time this occurred in Kansas was in 2018 when Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer became governor after Gov. Sam Brownback became an ambassador in the Trump administration.
“She’s going to be an integral part as we not only work through the campaign but in the administration,” said Schmidt, who worked staffer for Sens. Nancy Kassebaum of Kansas and Chuck Hagel of Nebraska early in his career. “Her experience in sort of having her finger on the pulse of Kansas from her current employment is really really critical. She understands what folks need around the state and she’ll be a key advisor as we move forward.”
Schmidt added that he was excited to have an “enthusiastic young family” join his ticket. Sawyer has two young sons, Evan and Owen.
Mike Kuckleman, Kansas GOP chairman, said he didn’t believe Sawyer’s lack of experience as a candidate would pose an issue.
“This is going to be a new step for her but she has a very positive reputation within all of the political circles because she has done excellent work,” Kuckleman said. “She’s very highly thought of throughout the Republican party.”
In a statement Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s campaign spokeswoman Lauren Fitzgerald criticized Schmidt’s pick.
“Derek Schmidt’s last-minute pick for Lt. Governor – a partisan political operative – spent her career working for politicians, not Kansans,” Fitzgerald said.
In a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Rep. Susan Ruiz, a Shawnee Democrat, took aim at Sawyer’s work on Marshall’s staff.
“She’s been a staffer for Marshall and he’s been an embarrassment to our state so she must be okay with that embarrassment and his form of politics,” Ruiz said. “Her thoughts are the same thoughts as Marshall, as Schmidt, as Kobach, as Brownback.”
Marshall said in a statement that “Kansans are getting a bright rising superstar” in Sawyer.
“As lifelong Kansans, Katie and her farming family live and breath agriculture. During her time as my State Director, Katie and I have done over 300 townhalls and hundreds of roundtables together with Kansans - she has her finger on the pulse of Kansas and she knows exactly what they’re talking about at their kitchen tables,” Marshall said.
Schmidt was not Marshall’s first choice for governor. He originally endorsed former Gov. Jeff Colyer, who dropped out last year after a prostate cancer diagnosis.
After Colyer left the race, Schmidt swiftly secured endorsements from key Republicans across the state to dissuade any serious primary opponents from joining the race.
He has spent the past several months taking aim at Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly in what amounts to an extended general election cycle. He has criticized her handling of COVID-19 and prolific use of her veto pen - Kelly vetoed 11 bills this year, more than any governor in more than two decades.
Schmidt and Kelly have sparred over who deserves credit for legislative action taken to gradually eliminate the state sales tax on food and payoff debt in the state’s retirement system.
Sawyer’s farm experience could help Schmidt draw support from key agricultural communities. Some in her home town were pleased to see her picked.
McPherson Mayor Tom Brown has known Sawyer for more than 25 years. He described her as a meticulous researcher and hard worker who would be an asset to Schmidt.
Gary Mehl, a McPherson County Commissioner and former publisher of the McPherson Sentinel, called Sawyer as a “farm gal” who would bring “integrity and honesty” to the campaign while advocating for farmers.
“She’s definitely got a very good work ethic and you can trust what she says,” Mehl said. “I can’t see Katie as a politician. I just can’t see her filling that role. But I can see her as a person you can trust.”
The Star’s Daniel Desrochers contributed to this report.
This story has been updated to correct a typo in The McPherson Sentinel’s name.
This story was originally published June 1, 2022 at 10:09 AM with the headline "Derek Schmidt taps Roger Marshall staffer as running mate in Kansas governor race."
