Schmidt picks US senator’s aide for Kansas governor ticket

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Presumed Republican nominee Derek Schmidt has chosen a staffer for one of Kansas’ two U.S. senators as his running mate in the governor’s race. Schmidt filed the necessary paperwork Wednesday to get him and Katie Sawyer on the ballot in the Aug. 2 primary. He faces no GOP opposition to his bid to unseat Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. Sawyer is a 38-year-old McPherson resident. She is state director for U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall and worked on Marshall’s congressional staff before his election to the Senate in 2020. Schmidt said he expects Sawyer to be a key adviser if he’s elected by helping him stay informed of people’s views.