On January 13, 2020, Kansas State Rep. Brandon Whipple (D) resigned from the District 96 seat in the state House after becoming mayor of Wichita, Kansas. Whipple defeated incumbent Jeff Longwell to become Wichita’s mayor on November 5, 2019.

Whipple was first elected to the Kansas House of Representatives in 2012.

In Kansas, state legislative vacancies are filled by gubernatorial appointment. The Sedgwick County Democratic Party has nominated Stephanie Yeager (D) to succeed Whipple. Governor Laura Kelly (D) has not yet approved Yeager’s nomination.

Kansas is currently under divided government since the governor is a Democrat and Republicans control both houses of the state legislature.

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Additional Reading:
Kansas House of Representatives
Kansas House of Representatives District 96