Oh and state Rep. Stephanie Clayton has left the Republican party for the Democrats as well #walkaway #winning
Kansas Sen. Dinah Sykes, Rep. Stephanie Clayton flip from Republican to Democrat
Kansas Sen. Dinah Sykes and Rep. Stephanie Clayton served notice Wednesday of a decision to politically re-brand themselves by leaving the Republican Party to represent Johnson County districts as Democrats.
Sykes, a Lenexa resident elected to the Senate in 2016, said she was disappointed the GOP’s approach to key issues served to divide the state and nation. She will be up for re-election in 2020 in a district that includes parts of Lenexa, Olathe, Overland Park and Shawnee.
“I strongly believe elected officials should serve the people they represent,” Sykes said. “That belief drove me to run for office. I ran for the Kansas Senate to protect the Kansas quality of life and to bring common sense to Topeka. At this time, I feel like I can either fight to change the Republican party or fight for the state I love and the people I serve. I think I can better serve my state and constituents as a member of the Democratic Party.”
Senate President Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, said Sykes’ transition would place her in the “party of higher taxes and big government,” but would enable the newly minted Democrat to better represent her district.
The announcement by Sykes followed by less than one week the decision by Mission Hills Sen. Barbara Bollier to join the Democratic caucus.
Earlier in 2018, Sen. John Doll, of Garden City, altered his registration from Republican to independent to run for lieutenant governor on a ticket with Greg Orman.
These changes left the Senate with 28 Republicans, 11 Democrats and one independent ahead of the legislative session opening in January. It’s unlikely the outcome of major votes would be altered because Bollier, Sykes and Clayton have an established voting record as moderates.
The defection by Clayton, of Overland Park, would leave the partisan gap in the House at 84 Republicans and 41 Democrats.