TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas Senate Majority Leader Jay Emler says he won’t run again for the leadership position after this year’s elections.
Chances that Emler could persuade fellow Republicans to keep him as majority leader diminished after August’s primaries. Conservatives unseated eight other moderate GOP incumbents, including Senate President Steve Morris, of Hugoton.
Republican senators and senators-elect are to meet Dec. 3 to pick their leadership for the next four years.
Emler became majority leader in January 2011 after Derek Schmidt took office as attorney general. Emler says he had always planned to hold the job only two years.
The majority leader is the Senate’s second-highest position, behind the president, and sets the chamber’s daily debate calendar.
Emler is an attorney from Lindsborg. He was first elected to the Senate in 1996.
