Chris BiggsTOPEKA, Kan. - As readers will recall, Kansas Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh (R) announced his early resignation on February 8th.
In the next couple of weeks, Governor Parkinson (D) is expected to name an interim appointee to take Thornburgh's place through the November's election. 
Chris SteinegerPoliticos are speculating if Parkinson will appoint a Democrat or Republican and whether or not he'll attempt to influence the upcoming election by anointing a potential incumbent that will run for the spot in November.
"I am committed to naming a Kansan who can represent the office with honor and distinction while protecting and assisting Kansas voters and businesses," Parkinson said.
Meanwhile, replacement candidates (and appointment hopefuls) are queuing up. Chris Steineger (D) filed January 21st and subsequently asked Parkinson for the appointment. Steineger has served in the Kansas Senate for 13 years and currently sits on the Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee, Education Committee and Tax Committee.
Today, another candidate, Chris Biggs (D), entered the race. Biggs has served as securities commissioner for six years and is a former county prosecutor and public defender.
Biggs said, "This is an extremely important race, as we may face an opponent with a radical agenda to politicize this office. I've been a lifelong Kansas public servant, not a politician. I am the only candidate who has successfully run a statewide office, and the office of Kansas Securities Commissioner performs many similar administrative functions as the Secretary of State. The Office of Secretary of State maintains the fairness and credibility of elections and performs many public service and registration functions - there is no place for political agendas in the office of the Secretary of State."
For his part, Steineger said, "I pledge to continue this tradition of nonpartisanship and professionalism if I am chosen by the voters. The responsibility of the Secretary of State is to provide fair and open elections and honest public services to individuals and businesses in a non-partisan manner."
Candidates seeking the Republican nomination for Secretary of State include Shawnee County Elections Commissioner Elizabeth Ensley and law professor and former GOP chairman Kris Kobach.
Kris KobachKobach is a lawyer who litigates against the ACLU in courts across the country. He is the former chair of the Kansas Republican Party and is a regular guest on right-leaning talk shows, such as with Glenn Beck or on The O'Reilly Factor on the Fox News Channel. Kobach lists "voter fraud" as his focus. He said, "If we do nothing, voter fraud will continue to rise; and close elections in Kansas will be stolen. My mission will be to transform the Kansas election system into the most secure in the country. In four years, I will accomplish this objective."
Without any other information, an observer might make this simple prediction for the election - there's a 75% chance that the new Secretary of State will be named "Chris (or Kris)" and a 25% chance that person will be "Elizabeth."
Though many other influences could shift those odds before November, most agree that the eventual outcome is really mostly in Governor Parkinson's hands.
The governor could offer his implied support to his own appointee, and strategically, in the direction of his own party. That would change the odds; his party would have a much better chance at occupying the Secretary of State office after the election.
What will he do? We should know by the end of next week!
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