Representative Jim Ward

Wichita Eagle

November 20, 2008

Knowledgeable, easygoing and able to work effectively across party lines, House Minority Leader Dennis McKinney was a rising Democratic star in Kansas even before the horrific Greensburg tornado leveled his home and community last year and tested his mettle and leadership. It makes sense that Gov. Kathleen Sebelius would turn to him to fill the state treasurer’s job, newly open because of Lynn Jenkins’ win of the 2nd Congressional District seat. He will be missed in the House, but his likeliest successor would be Assistant Minority Leader Jim Ward (in photo), D-Wichita. It would be nice to have a Wichitan in that influential spot again, for the first time since Rep. Tom Sawyer, D-Wichita, left the House to run for governor in 1998.