Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt announced her candidacy for governor in a press release on July 9.
Schmidt has held elected office for 20 years, first joining the Kansas Senate in 2005 representing parts of Shawnee and Wabaunsee counties. She was the assistant minority leader in the Senate from 2009 to 2012, and again from 2017 to 2019.
Schmidt ran for insurance commissioner in 2018 and 2022, where she received the highest margin of votes for a statewide political candidate. Before seeking public office, Schmidt worked as a pharmacist.