TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Incoming Kansas Senate Majority Leader Terry Bruce’s new chief of staff is a former legislative liaison for Gov. Sam Brownback.
Peter Northcott began working for Bruce this week, immediately after leaving Brownback’s office.
Bruce said Thursday he was impressed by Northcott’s work on the governor’s staff, which involved daily contact with lawmakers when the Legislature was in session. Bruce says he immediately approached Northcott after fellow Republican senators designated him as their next majority leader.
Both Bruce and Brownback are conservative Republicans.
Republicans maintained their 32-8 majority in the Senate in this year’s election, but conservatives ousted enough moderate incumbents to take control of the chamber from them.
Bruce is a Hutchinson attorney. He was first elected to the Senate in 2004.